Plays, playscripts, drama

Book SynopsisThe tragedy of Douglas was first performed in 1756, at the heart of the Scottish Enlightenment, and created a scandal. The controversy was literary, religious and political. Following an introduction, this new edition reprints the text of the play (based on the Edinburgh edition of 1757), and then devotes the rest of the book to illustrating its popular reception - mainly as expressed in contemporary pamphlets. Appendices include biographical notes and a timeline.Trade Review'Ralph McLean and Humming Earth have made a huge contribution to eighteenth-century Scottish studies by giving us a new edition of John Home's Douglas (long out of print) along with facsimiles of three dozen contemporary broadsides, pamphlets, proclamations, and advertisements relating to the play. These primary sources may well generate a resurgence of interest in Douglas, in Home and his work, in the Scottish stage, in cultural identity as a national and religious issue, in the rise of the two ecclesiastical parties within the Church of Scotland, and in the supporting roles played by prominent figures such as David Hume, Adam Ferguson, and John Witherspoon.' Richard B. Sher, Distinguished Professor of History at the New Jersey College of Technology. 'McLean has produced a rich, thought-provoking volume; we are indebted to him and to Humming Earth for making available again this important body of primary material.' Susan Manning, University of Edinburgh, in Eighteenth-Century Scotland No. 25, Spring 2011

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Book SynopsisDirectors and collaborators assess and comment on the production of plays by West Africa's Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and East Africa's most influential author Ngugi wa Thiong'o. Wole Soyinka and Ngugi wa Thiong'o are the pre-eminent playwrights of West and East Africa respectively and their work has been hugely influential across the continent. This volume features directors' experiences of recent productions of their plays, the voices of actors and collaborators who have worked with the playwrights, and also provides a digest of their theatrical output. Contributors provide new readings of Ngugi and Soyinka's classic texts, and astimulating new approach for students of English, Theatre and African studies. The playscript for this volume is a previously unpublished radio play by Wole Soyinka entitled A Rain of Stones, first broadcast onBBC Radio 4 in 2002. Volume Editors: MARTIN BANHAM & FEMI OSOFISAN Guest Editor: KIMANI NJOGU Series Editors: Martin Banham, Emeritus Professor of Drama & Theatre Studies, University of Leeds; James Gibbs,Senior Visiting Research Fellow, University of the West of England; Femi Osofisan, Professor of Drama at the University of Ibadan; Jane Plastow, Professor of African Theatre, University of Leeds; Yvette Hutchison, Associate Professor, Department of Theatre & Performance Studies, University of WarwickTable of ContentsEditors' Introduction - Martin Banham and Femi Osofisan and James Gibbs Reading & performing African drama: how Wole Soyinka & Ngugi wa Thiong'o influenced my work - David Kerr Ayan contra Ujamaa: Soyinka & Ngugi as theatre theorists - Biodun Jeyifo ENCOUNTERS WITH SOYINKA: I Working with Wole Soyinka - Tunji Oyelana and Sola Adeyemi II The difficulties of a neophyte staging Wole Soyinka's The Beatification of Area Boy - Tunde Onikoyi III Pentecostalizing Soyinka's The Trials of Brother Jero - Bisi Adigun IV The Lion & the Jewel in Mombasa - Silviah Namussasi ENCOUNTERS WITH NGUGI: I Choru wa Muiruri: reflections on the Kamiriithu Experience - Mugo Muhia II Producing I Will Marry When I Want in South Africa - Fredrick Mbogo III Ngugi wa Thiong'o: the unrecognized Black Hermit - Oby Obyerodhyambo IV Kamiriithu in retrospect - Gichingiri Ndigirigi Wole Soyinka & Ngugi wa Thiong'o: plays in production - James Gibbs and Mugo Muhia The making of The Trial of Dedan Kimathiby Ngugi wa Thiong'o and Micere Githae Mugo at the University of California, Irvine: a personal reflection - Ketu H. Katrak Playscript: A Rain of Stones. A previously unpublished radio play by Wole Soyinka - Wole Soyinka Book Reviews

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Book SynopsisWritten by one of Northern Ireland's most celebrated playwrights Martin Lynch, this is the painful, shocking, and hilarious story of Northern Ireland's infamous prison, Long Kesh, told through the eyes of prison officers, Republicans and Loyalists, a rich assortment of patriots, scheming opportunists, leaders, wives, escapers, and hypochondriacs.Trade Review"Simple staging and superb performances work an unshowy magic."—The Guardian "Fierce and gripping, direct from Belfast and dripping with the sound, fury and black humour of that city"— The Times "Humour, rambunctious as well as grim is built into the production... Whatever else it is or isn't, this is ripping theatre"—The Times Culture Magazine "This is a vigorous, entertaining piece of popular theatre, daring to tackle some of the blackest episods of the prison’s history with a degree of levity"—Sarah Hemming, Financial Times "Lynch links together politics and intimate personal dramas without taking sides"—Maxie Szalwinska, Sunday Times "There is the unmistakable tang of authenticity to this captivating sweep both through big events in the prison’s history and tiny details of individual lives."—Fiona Mountford, Evening Standard "…Martin Lynch's account of inside life really works…"—Lyn Gardner, The Guardian"Simple staging and superb performances work an unshowy magic."—The Guardian "Fierce and gripping, direct from Belfast and dripping with the sound, fury and black humour of that city"— The Times "Humour, rambunctious as well as grim is built into the production... Whatever else it is or isn't, this is ripping theatre"—The Times Culture Magazine "This is a vigorous, entertaining piece of popular theatre, daring to tackle some of the blackest episods of the prison’s history with a degree of levity"—Sarah Hemming, Financial Times "Lynch links together politics and intimate personal dramas without taking sides"—Maxie Szalwinska, Sunday Times "There is the unmistakable tang of authenticity to this captivating sweep both through big events in the prison’s history and tiny details of individual lives."—Fiona Mountford, Evening Standard "…Martin Lynch's account of inside life really works…"—Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

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Book SynopsisBy mixing text, 3D animation and a dynamic physicality, this play is a powerful look at the ripple effects of one man’s decision.

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Book SynopsisThis practical handbook takes us on a step-by-step journey from pre-production through the rehearsal process, followed by focused advice on each genre from comedy to tragedy, Shakespeare to new plays and musicals. Special chapters offer strategies for dealing with difficult actors, working with producers and taking on the job of an Artistic Director. An indispensable guide to a director’s craft, packed full of advice and peppered with priceless anecdotes about the highs and the lows of a lifetime’s work in the theatre.Trade Review“There’s a great deal of useful, down-to-earth advice in this book… some of Murray’s anecdotes are highly entertaining.” – The Stage “An easy and entertaining read that gives an overview of the job of director from the point of view of someone who has been directing for nearly half a century and points out quite a number of traps and pitfalls for an inexperienced director to avoid. As such, it is a useful introduction to the profession.” – British Theatre Guide “Easy to read, frank and brutally honest… Filled with brilliant advice… this book is invaluable to anyone currently training to be a director, or ones who are looking at new approaches to their craft… fresh and stands out, an easy to digest book filled with bite- size golden nuggets of information that anyone with an interest in theatre would find invaluable.” – The Public Reviews "A fascinating read [that] has much to offer anyone involved in the exciting task of puttong on a play... Murray's easy style made this a fascinating book." - Word Matters“There’s a great deal of useful, down-to-earth advice in this book… some of Murray’s anecdotes are highly entertaining.” – The Stage “An easy and entertaining read that gives an overview of the job of director from the point of view of someone who has been directing for nearly half a century and points out quite a number of traps and pitfalls for an inexperienced director to avoid. As such, it is a useful introduction to the profession.” – British Theatre Guide “Easy to read, frank and brutally honest… Filled with brilliant advice… this book is invaluable to anyone currently training to be a director, or ones who are looking at new approaches to their craft… fresh and stands out, an easy to digest book filled with bite- size golden nuggets of information that anyone with an interest in theatre would find invaluable.” – The Public Reviews "A fascinating read [that] has much to offer anyone involved in the exciting task of puttong on a play... Murray's easy style made this a fascinating book." - Word MattersTable of Contents"WARNING 7 MOST OF THEM GET IN YOUR WAY 9 WHY DO YOU DO IT? 13 PRE-REHEARSAL 17 THE REHEARSAL PERIOD 49 MUSICALS 69 OPERA 75 NEW PLAY S 81 FARCE 85 COMEDY 89 SHAKESPEARE 97 GREEK TRAGEDY 115 HOW TO HANDLE DIFFICULT ACTORS 119 WORKING WITH PRODUCERS 125 ARTISTIC DIRECTION 129 GOOD LUCK, 134"

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Book SynopsisBee and Em have been best friends for thirty years: they’re on holiday in rural France, away from the demands of work and family. But just as they’re setting the clocks forward, in steps Chris, a blast from their school days past. As the evening wears on, the three women joke and fight with one another just like the old times. But time plays tricks with memory and some wounds are just too deep to heal. This provocative and hilarious play takes a scalpel to childhood friendships and asks whether we ever get over them.Trade Review‘Thrilling one-man show’ -- Benedict Nightingale * The Times *

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Book SynopsisIncludes the plays Moj of the Antarctic, Desert Boy, Matt Henson: North Star and Muhammad Ali and Me This collection signals the emergence of a distinctive new voice on the British theatre landscape. Moj of the Antarctic is inspired by the true story of an African American woman who cross-dresses as a white man to escape slavery; taken on a fantastical odyssey to Antarctica. Time Out Critics’ Choice ‘The language is rich and densely poetic. Reveling in the materiality and playfulness of words, cracking open complex ideas like eggshells.’ - Total Theatre Magazine Muhammad Ali and Me is a lyrical coming of age story, following the parallel struggles of a gay girl child growing up in foster care and the black Muslim boxing hero’s fight against racism and the Vietnam war. ‘As a piece of stagecraft, an entertaining kaleidoscope of social and political history, only one description will do: this is a play that ‘floatslike a butterfly and stings like a bee.’ - WhatsOnStage Desert Boy, a time-travelling a capella musical, offers a sharp twist on the subject of knife crime, black youth and absent fathers. ‘…a spiralling journey through colonial history not unlike Dante’s introduction to the Inferno. The juxtapositions are sometimes startling, and often quite comic.’ - Guardian Matt Henson, North Star is a biographical tale of Arctic betrayal, mixed with Greenlandic folk tales; all about love, climate and change. These plays queer the boundaries of sex and race, fact and fiction, history and geography, poetry and politics to illuminate contemporary themes through a dynamic African Diasporic theatrical aesthetic that leaps off the page.Trade Review"Adebayos startling plays blur the edges of sex and race, fact and fiction, history and geography and poetry and politics The Stage"Adebayo’s startling plays blur the edges of sex and race, fact and fiction, history and geography and poetry and politics” – The Stage

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Book SynopsisStudents, teachers, youth theatres, theatre lovers and those involved in the presentation of youth drama.

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Book SynopsisAdapted for stage, Apples is set on a Middlesbrough council estate, this astonishing piece of writing by 23 year old Richard Milward, is an electrifying collision of Irvine Welsh and Virginia Woolf. Streams of poetic, impassioned and often hilarious words pour from five fifteen year olds as they negotiate a world where the adults are absent, drugs are everywhere, sex is desperate and life is both terrifying and thrilling.A dazzling, tragicomic love story of adolescence based on the astonishing debut novel by Richard Milward. Shameless, ruthless and intensely poetic, Apples articulates what it is like to be young.Apples was the winner of the coveted Bank of Scotland Herald Angel Award at the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The prize is awarded for excellence in the Edinburgh Festival.

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Book SynopsisShortlisted as one of The Stage's top 10 training books of 2012 The No Rules Handbook for Writers is a timely, creative and refreshing antidote to prescriptive guides for writers. It will inspire playwrights, screenwriters and novelists; offer fresh insights toteachers, editors, dramaturgs, directors and producers. Lisa Goldman takes 40 established conventions of creative writing. She explores why these rules persist, how to master them, bend or break them and why the most important rules to overturn are your own. The book weaves together industry experiences, psychological observations and inspirational tips. With practical advice from 40 rule-breaking writers: Hassan Abdulrazzak, Oladipo Agboluaje, Ronan Bennett, Sita Bramachari, Trevor Byrne, Anthony Cartwright, Matthew Greenhalgh, Tanika Gupta, Neil Hunter, M.J. Hyland, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Dennis Kelly, Bryony Lavery, Chris Paling, Stacy Makishi, Neel Mukherjee, Hattie Naylor, Anthony Neilson, Kim Noble, Tom Palmer, Lucy Prebble, Philip Ridley, Paul Sirett, Edmund White, Roy Williams. The No Rules Handbook for Writers will be a valuable read for anyone curious about the craft, context and process of writing.Trade ReviewLisa Goldman's book is like the best of British new writing: it is personal, well-written, clearly thought out and resonant. Its advice is passionately felt but perfectly controlled. And its ideas sing and inspire. * Aleks Sierz (author of In-Yer-Face Theatre) *Feisty, helpful, liberating stuff * The Stage *What emerges is the primacy of the writer's unique voice, a voice that Goldman seeks to liberate rather than stifle... It is a refreshing approach that quite rightly places the writer as individual at its centre. * The Public Reviews *Full of sensible advice * Lyn Gardner, The Guardian *Table of Contents"Introduction: Rules or No Rules? 15 The Practice of Preparation Rule 1 Write what you know 20 Rule 2 Find your authentic voice 26 Rule 3 Start with a strong premise and a compelling pitch 34 Rule 4 Read what you want to write 40 Rule 5 You can't do too much research 42 Rule 6 Write an outline before you write 46 Rule 7 Write what the market wants 56 Principles or Prescriptions? Structure, Character, Dialogue Rule 8 'Story is about principles not rules' Robert McKee 62 Rule 9 'If you would have your play deserve success, Give it five acts complete; nor more, nor less;' Horace (c.18 BCE) 68 Rule 10 Structure is what holds it all together 76 Rule 11 Hit the ground running 85 Rule 12 Know as much detail as possible about your characters 91 Rule 13 Make your main character likeable 97 Rule 14 The antagonist must be big and bad 103 Rule 15 Keep your main character active 109 Rule 16 Your characters must be distinct from one another 115 Rule 17 Put off writing dialogue for as long as possible 118 Rule 18 Create believable dialogue 120 Rule 19 'Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly' Elmore Leonard 125 Rule 20 Keep 'em guessing 129 Rule 21 The ending must resolve 139 Conventions of Style, Economy and Consistency Rule 22 Tone and style must be consistent 146 Rule 23 Keep your language fresh, original and vivid 151 Rule 24 The writer is the invisible hand 159 Rule 25 Less is more 162 Rule 26 Show don't tell 164 Principles of Freedom: Written and Unwritten Laws of Taste and Taboos Rule 27 Obey the arbiters of taste 172 Rule 28 Be balanced 179 Rule 29 Do not offend 182 Rule 30 Stay within the law 189 Rule 31 'The purpose of art is not to change but to delight' David Mamet 192 The Rules of Rewriting Rule 32 Writing is rewriting 196 Rule 33 Have your family or friends read, before submitting professionally 204 Rule 34 Murder your darlings 208 Rule 35 Never argue with feedback 210 Rule 36 The rejection of your work isn't personal 214 The Writing Game: Maxims of process and profession Rule 37 Ignore the saboteurs in your writing life 220 Rule 38 Learn how to be alone 227 Rule 39 You can't teach talent 231 Rule 40 Just Write 237 Rules of being a Rule Breaker 241 Notes 243 References 245 Contributing Writers 251 Index of Names 258"

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Book Synopsis"We have chosen to live lives less ordinary..." Crossing the state border in a stolen Ford V-8 with a trunk of sawn-off shotguns and bootleg whiskey, Bonnie and Clyde have found one last place to hide. Time is ticking - they're on the run from the law and from reality, but which one will catch them first? Based on the true story, and set in 1934 in an unnamed southern state of America, Bonnie & Clyde is an intimate re-telling of the final hours of one of the world's most infamous criminal couples.Trade ReviewThere’s more than a dash of Godot’ to this promising play… Adam Peck’s script has a sparse elegiac beauty”Andrzej Lukowski, Time Out "It is all vividly and hauntingly realized... Fairground is definitely a company to watch."-The Guardian "Commit murder for a ticket. But on'y if ya have to." ****-Venue MagazineTheres more than a dash of Godot to this promising play… Adam Pecks script has a sparse elegiac beautyAndrzej Lukowski, Time Out "It is all vividly and hauntingly realized... Fairground is definitely a company to watch."-The Guardian "Commit murder for a ticket. But on'y if ya have to." ****-Venue Magazine

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Book SynopsisTeachers' Notes by Anthony Banks Sensation Nation is a vocal group founded and led by the unstoppable DD. Her grand plan is for the group to storm next year’s Britain’s Got Talent. But first they need a gig, and more importantly a heartbreaking backstory that will win them votes later on down the line. So she’s booked them in to sing at a funeral. And not just any funeral either. Sensation Nation is to sing at the funeral of Ali Monroe, an older girl from their school who was killed in a car crash. Too Fast is an ensemble comedy for young performers with a strong emotional heart and a huge theatrical reveal in the final scene. It was originally produced as part of National Theatre Connections 2011.

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Book Synopsis“This brilliant collection of re-imagined stories is a perfect introduction to Shakespeare for students of all ages. They are funny, fresh, intriguing and poignant, and use a supreme storyteller’s skill to bring us into the worlds of some of Shakespeare’s best-loved characters and plays. A must for all teachers who want to excite and inspire their students about Shakespeare’s work and the possibilities of theatre.” Jacqui O’Hanlon, Director of Education Royal Shakespeare Company I, Shakespeare brings together Tim Crouch’s take on four Shakespeare classics: Twelfth Night, Macbeth, The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. These solo pieces are written for younger audiences but their originality and strength make them suitablefor any age. Each play in this collection combines the need to tell Shakespeare’s primary story with an opportunity for the secondary characters to finally have their say – Malvolio, Banquo, Caliban and Peaseblossom. Each play is different but all display a formal inventiveness and a philosophical playfulness that make them stand alone as brilliant examples of contemporary theatre.Trade Review"Stunningly simplistic and spankingly brilliant idea…loaded with ideas and stuffed with so much well-intended fun that only the most pompous of purist could dare accuse it of sacrilege."—Venue Magazine "This brilliant collection of re-imagined stories is a perfect introduction to Shakespeare for students of all ages. They are funny, fresh, intriguing and poignant, and use a supreme storyteller's skill to bring us into the worlds of some of Shakespeare's best-loved characters and plays. A must for all teachers who want to excite and inspire their students about Shakespeare's work and the possibilities of theatre."—Jacqui O’Hanlon, Director of Education, Royal Shakespeare Company "An entertaining introduction to the Bard and an invaluable teaching aid, with much to offer both the novice and the enthusiast.... [they] work both as standalone productions and as worthwhile accompaniments to the plays that inspired them." - Exeunt Magazine "Compellingly idiosyncratic portraits of four of Shakespeare's characters... Crouch's drama becomes a provocative examination of the voyeuristic nature of the art form... They left me wanting more I, Shakespeares." - Around the Globe"Stunningly simplistic and spankingly brilliant idea…loaded with ideas and stuffed with so much well-intended fun that only the most pompous of purist could dare accuse it of sacrilege."—Venue Magazine "This brilliant collection of re-imagined stories is a perfect introduction to Shakespeare for students of all ages. They are funny, fresh, intriguing and poignant, and use a supreme storyteller's skill to bring us into the worlds of some of Shakespeare's best-loved characters and plays. A must for all teachers who want to excite and inspire their students about Shakespeare's work and the possibilities of theatre."—Jacqui O’Hanlon, Director of Education, Royal Shakespeare Company "An entertaining introduction to the Bard and an invaluable teaching aid, with much to offer both the novice and the enthusiast.... [they] work both as standalone productions and as worthwhile accompaniments to the plays that inspired them." - Exeunt Magazine "Compellingly idiosyncratic portraits of four of Shakespeare's characters... Crouch's drama becomes a provocative examination of the voyeuristic nature of the art form... They left me wanting more I, Shakespeares." - Around the Globe

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Book SynopsisOne night in January 2010 and an earthquake in Haiti leaves around a hundred thousand people dead and almost two million homeless. Meanwhile, somewhere in a leafy North London suburb, a group of six individuals convene over avocado and prawns, followed by a monkfish stew. They struggle with worries over their mortgages, their mobile phone tariffs, their Facebook friends, their careers, their love lives, their diets, their alcohol intake, their holiday plans and whether or not any of them will be able to make any lasting impression on history.Trade Review"""Torben Betts is one of the most exciting theatre writing talents I have come across in many a year"" - Alan Ayckbourn ""Betts has a profound and highly original theatrical voice"" - Daily Telegraph ""Just about the most original and extraordinary writer of drama we have...a boldly visionary poet... a political Beckett... a flamingly original writer we ignore at our peril.' - Liz Lochhead, National Poet Of Scotland "What starts out as a mildly amusing comedy of social dysfunctionality turns into something altogether darker and less comfortable" - The Stage 'An astute and multifaceted diagnosis of a very modern malaise.' - Time Out (Critics Choice)"

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Book SynopsisIncludes the plays A Bitter Herb, Absolution, Identity, The Far Side, Mary Seacole, and Urban Afro-Saxons This second and sister volume to Hidden Gems showcases a further range of plays by Black British writers whose work reaches beyond themes too-often perceived by mainstream theatre commissioning as defining Black people's experiences. The plays, monodrama and libretto represent subject-matter from woman-centred history, revolutionary politics, trans-racial adoption and African-diasporic familial heritage, as contoured by the writers' boundary crossing profiles as poets, playwrights, performers and directors. The accompanying critical introductions are provided by people committed to recognising the aesthetic and political significance of the work, and its necessary inclusion in British theatre and literary history.Table of Contents"INTRODUCTION TO VOLUME II Deirdre Osborne (Goldsmiths, University of London) A BITTER HERB Shady Adoptions: the One-way Traffic of Children in Care Fiona Peters (Goldsmiths, University of London) A Bitter Herb by Kwame Kwei-Armah THE FAR SIDE Laying Ghosts to Rest Winsome Pinnock (Kingston University) The Far Side by Courttia Newland IDENTITY Revealing the Revolution: a Few Home Truths Chris Searle (University of Manchester) Identity by Paul Anthony Morris URBAN AFRO SAXONS Putting it Together: An interview with Kofi Agyemang and Patricia Elcock ed. Deirdre Osborne (Goldsmiths, University of London) Urban Afro Saxons by Kofi Agyemang and Patricia Elcock THE LIBRETTO OF MARY SEACOLE SuAndi's Mary Seacole: A Hybrid Cartography in Libretto Mina Karavanta (National & Kapodistrian University of Athens) The Libretto of Mary Seacole by SuAndi ABSOLUTION 'The Waltz Gone Mad: the Poetics of Departure and Arrival in Absolution Imanie Wilson Absolution by Malika Booker APPENDIX I Will Not Put Another Dead Young Black Man on Stage Patricia Cumper References and Bibliography of Indicative Critical Studies

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Book SynopsisBorn on a slave ship in 1729, later becoming the fellow actor and friend of David Garrick and the first black person of African origin to vote in Britain, the life of Charles Ignatius Sancho was full of surprising, moving and funny twists.As Thomas Gainsborough paints his famous portrait, we are given an insight into the forgotten but true story of an African man who dared to act, write, sing, dance and voice his political opinion with wit and charm. One of the UK’s finest actors, Paterson Joseph (Peep Show, Emperor Jones, Survivors) brings Sancho to life in this world premiere at the Burton Taylor Studio.Trade ReviewThis book deserves a place on every actor’s, director’s and playwright’s shelf. * The New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisThis collection of energetic, fun and emotionally honest, tragi-comic plays explore the turbulent journey from childhood through adolescence towards eventual adulthood. DECKY DOES A BRONCO ‘One of the finest plays to emerge from a Scottish working-class story in the last ten years...the sheer force and depth of Maxwell’s study of an end of childhood and an abrupt loss of innocence brings tears to the eyes.' The Scotsman 'A good deed in a naughty world… Ten years on, Decky Does A Bronco has lost none of its ability to excite the senses and stop the heart.' Sunday Herald HELMET ‘Douglas Maxwell’s impeccably observed little script transcends the everyday to tap into what moves the young and the troubled. The Glasgow Herald ‘This extraordinary chronicler of youth.’ Scottish Daily Mail MANCUB ‘A near perfect encapsulation of the world of a troubled teen.' The Glasgow Herald 'A corker of a show that I’d urge everyone to see as soon as they can.' The Mail On Sunday 'Amazingly engaging...a must see’ The List THE MOTHER SHIP Winner of the Brian Way Award 2009 for Best Play for a Younger Audience. TOO FAST Performed by 25 Youth Theatres in 2011 as part of the National Theatre’s NT Connections Project.Trade ReviewThis extraordinary chronicler of youth. * Scottish Daily Mail *Table of Contents"Them and Us 7 Decky Does A Bronco 11 Helmet 65 Mancub 113 The Mother Ship 167 Too Fast 253"

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Book SynopsisIncludes the plays Ernest and the Pale Moon, The Terrible Infants and The Vaudevillains Les Enfants Terribles: Collected Plays presents a thematic trilogy of plays from one of Britain’s most innovative theatre companies. As a document of the company’s progress over its ten-year history, the collection also features production photos, design sketches and introductions to each play. The Terrible Infants (2007) blends puppetry, live music, performance and storytelling to present a series of twisted tales for children and adults. Inspired by the likes of Edgar Allan Poe and Alfred Hitchcock. Ernest and the Pale Moon (2009) is a noir horror based upon a tale of murderous envy. The Vaudevillains (2010) is a dark miniature musical whodunnit…when the owner of The Empire music hall is murdered, everyone’s a suspect…

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Book SynopsisSet in the midst of the Cold War, Lee Blessing’s powerful and startling play dramatises a stand-off between U.S. and Soviet arms negotiators as they battle for supremacy. Full of tension and humour A Walk in the Woods shows how the relationship between the two experts evolves as they stroll in the woods above Geneva, away from the glare of the negotiating table. But will this escape lead to a true breakthrough or just more posturing? In this revised version of the play, originally performed at Northern Stage, Vermont, and directed by Nicholas Kent, a woman plays the role of the U.S. negotiator. Opened at The Tricycle Theatre 12th October- 12th November 2011.

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Book SynopsisAnne Elliot fell deeply in love with a handsome young naval officer, Frederick Wentworth, at the age of nineteen. But because he had neither fortune nor rank to recommend him, Anne’s mentor and friend, Lady Russell, persuaded her to break off the engagement. Eight years later, Anne has lived to regret her decision. She never stopped loving Frederick – and when he returns from sea a Captain, she can only watch as every eligible young woman falls at his feet. Can the pair rekindle a love that was lost but not forgotten? This new adaptation was commissioned and first produced by Salisbury Playhouse in 2011.Trade Review“It is very Austen: handsome, literate, eloquent, repressed” – The Times“It is very Austen: handsome, literate, eloquent, repressed” – The Times

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Book SynopsisThe King James Version of the Bible (KJV) is a foundation stone of the English language. The KJV was composed as a collective project and written to be spoken. Sixty-Six Books has been created, in the spirit of the original, in the same way. Pulpit to print; stage to page; mediated through many forms oral and written this is a work that has travelled to every continent of the globe. It has been shared as a melodic instrument of inspiration, illumination and mutual understanding; and it has also been wielded as a tool of colonial oppression. Sixty-Six Books is a fresh interpretation of the KJV for the new millennium, celebrating and challenging the traditions and achievements of this great work on the occasion of its 400th anniversary. The curators of this project have gathered together a formidable and inspiring line-up of the best established and emerging writing talent to respond to create a new a book of the KJV, speaking back to the KJV with untrammelled inventiveness of the imagination. The voices of Sixty-Six Books, drawn from across five continents, innovate, transmute, transpose, reinvent and talk back to four hundred years of history. Authors include: Kwame Kwei-Armah, NeilBartlett, Billy Bragg, Laura Dockrill,Carol Ann Duffy, Stella Duffy, David Eldridge, Naomi Foyle, Nancy Harris, Jackie Kay, Neil LaBute, Nick Laird, Stewart Lee, Kate Mosse, Andrew Motion, Paul Muldoon, Anya Reiss, Tim Rice, Michael Rosen, Wole Soyinka, Enda Walsh, Rowan Williams, Jeanette Winterson and many more.Trade Review“Nothing short of miraculous. The written word has turned into the flesh of living theatre.” – The Times “It’s a confection that embodies the ethos of the Bush, drawing together the talents of a fantastically wide spectrum of creative artists… Intelligently conceived... This is truly "event theatre”...this colossal homage is deliciously varied and inventive.” –Evening Standard “It’s a tremendous idea… You get intensely felt pieces; stories told from a new perspective; and thoughtful personal interpretations, such as Neil Bartlett’s lovely little monologue from a middle-aged man who recalls reading from Numbers as a child” – Financial Times “It’s a fantastically ambitious project, proving the Bush has lost none of its chutzpah” – Time Out “It’s a heroic, slightly mad enterprise… Neil Bartlett’s ‘The Opening of the Mouth’ is a moving masterclass in how to incorporate the old within the new” – Independent “Scattered with gems: some richly poetic, some delicately capturing the inarticulacies of modern-day speech and bewildering pain at cruelties human or divine.” –Independent on Sunday “Fantastic, mesmerising, funny, unsettling, bewildering… an impressive collection which says much about our 21st century world.” – Magnet “a big, bold enterprise.. it makes you want to go to the book” – The Guardian “such a welter of writers and styles in short 15-minutes-or-less slices…. All were brilliantly performed. As Rourke remarked, in 24 hours we had seen more writers, directors and actors pass through the stage than we would see in four years. Seeing only one play in a night is going to seem very small beer after this.” 4 stars – The Arts Desk “a memorable achievement.. a major piece of work… not only celebrates this great piece of English literature [King James Bible] but is a wide ranging comment on our own times.” – British Theatre Guide “In the beginning was the Bush and the Bush created Sixty-Six Books, an epic act…this was a thing you would remember being part of…. [an] appropriately hefty playtext” 4 stars – Exeunt Magazine "Sixty-Six Books is an incredible achievement and a one off experience that it would be sacrilegious to miss." 4 stars – What’s on stage “Whether on stage or page, this is a mighty work. When it played at the new Bush Theatre and Westminster Abbey, the "evening" lasted a full 24 hours. Read on the page, it will give an equal quantity of enjoyment… a good read and in terms of play script pricing, excellent value for money.” – British Theatre Guide“Nothing short of miraculous. The written word has turned into the flesh of living theatre.” – The Times “It’s a confection that embodies the ethos of the Bush, drawing together the talents of a fantastically wide spectrum of creative artists… Intelligently conceived... This is truly "event theatre”...this colossal homage is deliciously varied and inventive.” –Evening Standard “It’s a tremendous idea… You get intensely felt pieces; stories told from a new perspective; and thoughtful personal interpretations, such as Neil Bartlett’s lovely little monologue from a middle-aged man who recalls reading from Numbers as a child” – Financial Times “It’s a fantastically ambitious project, proving the Bush has lost none of its chutzpah” – Time Out “It’s a heroic, slightly mad enterprise… Neil Bartlett’s `The Opening of the Mouth’ is a moving masterclass in how to incorporate the old within the new” – Independent “Scattered with gems: some richly poetic, some delicately capturing the inarticulacies of modern-day speech and bewildering pain at cruelties human or divine.” –Independent on Sunday “Fantastic, mesmerising, funny, unsettling, bewildering… an impressive collection which says much about our 21st century world.” – Magnet “a big, bold enterprise.. it makes you want to go to the book” – The Guardian “such a welter of writers and styles in short 15-minutes-or-less slices…. All were brilliantly performed. As Rourke remarked, in 24 hours we had seen more writers, directors and actors pass through the stage than we would see in four years. Seeing only one play in a night is going to seem very small beer after this.” 4 stars – The Arts Desk “a memorable achievement.. a major piece of work… not only celebrates this great piece of English literature [King James Bible] but is a wide ranging comment on our own times.” – British Theatre Guide “In the beginning was the Bush and the Bush created Sixty-Six Books, an epic act…this was a thing you would remember being part of…. [an] appropriately hefty playtext” 4 stars – Exeunt Magazine "Sixty-Six Books is an incredible achievement and a one off experience that it would be sacrilegious to miss." 4 stars – What’s on stage “Whether on stage or page, this is a mighty work. When it played at the new Bush Theatre and Westminster Abbey, the "evening" lasted a full 24 hours. Read on the page, it will give an equal quantity of enjoyment… a good read and in terms of play script pricing, excellent value for money.” – British Theatre Guide

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Book SynopsisKerrie sets about her daily task of preparing Mum’s heroin… Jakey has had enough of life in the crew… Cameron is too scared to step outside the front door… One morning, the three teenagers discover a note in the Frosties. Mum has abandoned them: they have been left home alone… Blackberry Trout Face is a bold, gritty and funny play, which explores the universal themes of family, loyalty and ambition. With sharply-drawn characters, crackling dialogue, and plenty of humour, we follow three young people as they struggle to cope in exceptional circumstances. Blackberry Trout Face was comissioned and developed by award-winning theatre company 20 Stories High. Winner of the 2010 Brian Way Award - the UK's best new play for young audiences Shortlisted for the Manchester Evening News Best New Play Award 'An amazing show that opened my eyes' - Sam, aged 17, audience member 'A brave new voice in British Theatre' - Manchester Evening News on Laurence Wilson

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Book SynopsisHEROIN by Grace Dyas, Trade by Mark O’Halloran, The Art of Swimming by Lynda Radley, Pineapple by Phillip McMahon, I ? Alice ? I by Amy Conroy, The Big Deal edited by Una McKevitt, Oedipus Loves You by Simon Doyle & Gavin Quinn, The Year of Magical Wanking by Neil Watkins Edited and introduced by Thomas Conway This anthology comprises eight new plays by Irish playwrights premièred between the years 2006 and 2011. These playwrights ride, however, in no slipstream of the identifiably Irish play. Here, the enterprise of playwriting itself is being re-imagined. Here, above all else, is a commitment to becoming in the theatre. For all that, each play is concerned with what is unfinished business in Ireland. How astonishing, then, that these plays should revolve for the most part around identity and, in particular, sexual identity. How identity comes into play, how we open up the field of play, how we raise into collective experience the exercise of that play – the urgency in the playwriting would appear to lie precisely here. We can read from the historical moment – from a narrative emphasizing an economic bubble and its hangover – into these plays. Or we can take these playwrights at their word and observe lives lived at the contour of identities in the making. It is for us as readers, just as we have as theatre-goers – frequently scandalized, enthralled, shamed, appalled, unburdened, tickled pink – to decide.Table of Contents"Introduction 7 HEROIN 15 by Grace Dyas Trade 47 by Mark OA f Halloran The Art of Swimming 83 by Lynda Radley Pineapple 113 by Phillip McMahon I oe Alice oe I 185 by Amy Conroy The Big Deal 221 Edited by Una McKevitt Oedipus Loves You 251 by Simon Doyle and Gavin Quinn The Year of Magical Wanking 291 by Neil Watkins Contributor Biographies 329"

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Book SynopsisWith translation assistance and a foreword by Karen Juers-Munby First produced in 1998 at the famous Vienna Burgtheater, the remarkable and provocative Sports Play by Austrian playwright Elfriede Jelinek is a postdramatic theatrical exploration of the making, marketing and sale of the human body and of emotions in sport. It explores contemporary society’s obsession with fitness and body culture bringing into sharp focus our need to belong to a group, a team or a nation. Sport is seen as a form of war in peacetime.Trade ReviewBristling with ideas and fierce feeling. a text and production with much to admire, but that remains cool and clever * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisI, Cinna (The Poet) has one short scene in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar where he is mistaken for someone else and killed by the mob. Now, in a new play by Tim Crouch, this unlucky man is given a chance to tell his story. Written for ages 11+, I, Cinna (The Poet) is a fusion of theatre, multimedia and creative writing tasks. Cinna asks his young audience to consider the relationship between words and actions, art and politics, self and society. During the performance he asks us to write alongside him: a small poem on a big theme. Originally commissioned for the World Shakespeare Festival which is produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company for London 2012 Festival. Shortlisted for the Writers' Guild Award for Theatre Play for Young People 2013.Trade ReviewA schoolkid-friendly contemporary response to that pivotal Act 3 Scene 3 lynching - nifty * Telegraph *Michael Gove, our rote-obsessed Education Minister, should be frog-marched to see this brilliant amalgam of theatre and education in Tim Crouch's latest in a series of dramatisations of Shakespearean characters - Far more than a theatre-in-education exercise, audiences of any age would find this an engaging and thought-provoking deconstruction of a Shakespearean bit part enlightening. * Morning Star *It's a very powerful piece indeed * The Stage *Shakespeare and Crouch are woven seamlessly together to create both an introduction to Julius Caesar and a thought provoking piece about the ease with which an ordinary person, a passerby can get caught up in things beyond his control. * What's On Stage *

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Book SynopsisYou have to laugh. It is a tragedy in three movements: The Thighs, The Dick, The Fame and a counter-movement: Italy. An actress creates a physical and vocal mask challenging a provocative, scandalous and beastly text. Words might be sung, howled and shrieked but a chant never emerges. In her naked physicality she tells a personal story in an unbroken flow of thoughts/words rendered as sounds and movement. The deafening screams being choked. Appeased. Imploded. This female onstage offers herself up in a feast, ready to be torn apart by anyone. A poetic piece born of the flesh that returns to the flesh, captured in a tightly-sealed aesthetic. Applause required. The Shit is driven by a desperate attempt to pull ourselves out of the mud, the latest products of the cultural genocide aptly described by Pasolini since the modern consumer society began taking form. A totalitarianism, according to Pasolini, even more repressive than the one of the Fascist era, because it's capable of crushing us softly. Si deve ridere. E' una tragedia in tre tempi: Le Cosce, Il Cazzo, La Fama e un controtempo: L’Italia. Nella sua nudità e intimità pubblica, l'attrice costruisce una maschera fisica/vocale sfidando un testo scandaloso, provocatorio e rabbioso. La scrittura è cantabile, ma il canto non emerge mai, ed è invece preponderante la chiave dell’invettiva, del grido, del corpo che sussulta la sua storia personale in un flusso di pensieri/parole raccontati come suoni. Strazianti. Urla assordanti e contratte. Sopite. Implose. La femmina si offre dal vivo come in un banchetto, pronta a venire sbranata da tutti. Una partitura poetica che nasce così dalla carne e alla carne ritorna, pur dentro a una rigidissima confezione estetica. Applausi obbligatori. La Merda ha come spinta propulsiva il disperato tentativo di districarsi da un pantano o fango, ultimi prodotti di quel genocidio culturale di cui scrisse e parlò Pier Paolo Pasolini all’affacciarsi della società dei consumi. Quel totalitarismo, secondo Pasolini, ancor più duro di quello fascista poiché capace di annientarci con dolcezza. Since its world premiere in Milan in 2012, #LaMerda, written by Cristian Ceresoli and embodied by Silvia Gallerano, has brought its poetic and shocking stream of consciousness on the human condition around the world with sell-out seasons in Edinburgh, London, Berlin, Copenhagen, Adelaide and across Italy (where a subtle censorship is still applied), winning six major international awards including the coveted Scotsman Fringe First Award for Writing Excellence and The Stage Award for Best Performance. The play has already been translated and produced in Italian, English, Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, Spanish and Czech, and will shortly be translated into German and French.Trade Review'A startling satire on body image, fame and politics. A piece so literally and metaphorically naked, raw and angry that you leave the theatre feeling as if you've had all your skin scraped off.' Lyn Gardner, Guardian; 'Extraordinary, uncompromising and entirely unforgettable.' Sam Marlowe, The Times; 'Devastating stream of consciousness. One of the most wonderfully full-on performances ever seen.' Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman; 'Raw, touching, intelligent and mesmerising, Cristian Ceresoli's The Shit is an unforgettable piece of theatre that reveals our universal inner thoughts, fears, desires and memory with almost frightening accuracy. Brash, brutal, beastly, yet beautiful, The Shit is a near-perfect recreation of humanity, and indeed, society at its most powerful, most desperate, most vulnerable and most cutting.' The List; 'Utterly compelling verbal symphony. Somewhat perversely, the compelling honesty of what follows is simply irresistible.' The Herald; 'You'll leave feeling Italy's anger in your bones.' The Stage; 'The rage is nude.' Vogue; 'This is skin in the tradition of Artaud and it is powerful, political and poetic.' Examiner

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Book SynopsisAm I a virgin? I think I am. I mean it went in her but it was floppy and it wasn’t very nice so I think I am a virgin. I’m going to say I am. Will look better on me uni applications. Liverpool, 1989. Greg is thirteen. He has just started secondary school. He earns pocket money sweeping up hair in a barbers. Girls are aliens. Liverpool FC are everything. Edinburgh, 2012. Greg has an extraordinary story to tell you. Bottleneck is a vibrant coming-of-age story about becoming a man through adventures both big and small. It is about a notorious city; Liverpool. How the outside worlds views it. And how it views the outside world. Botleneck was first presented by HighTide Festival Theatre at the Edinburgh Festival, August 1 2012, directed by Steven Atkinson.Trade Review"An explosive tale of the tricky journey to manhood - [Luke Barnes] emerges from this year's Fringe as a red-hot writing talent to watch.' Independent 'An impressive emerging talent - in its strongest moments, it completely engrosses. Its climax is an eye-watering account of the terrifying events of that day from the point of view of a boy whose life is irrevocably changed thereafter. This is poignant, unflinching stuff.' Daily Telegraph 'This coming-of-age tale, set in Liverpool 1989, is full of verve and fizz - It's a simple and moving story, but Barnes crams it with detail about working-class scouse life' - Guardian 'The mood darkens convincingly throughout Luke Barnes's piece as a world of innocence is shattered irrevocably' Evening Standard 'An all-too-familiar scar becomes lived experience - it pops with vivid, expressionist details' Financial Times 'Devastating and complex. The writing is nuanced and intelligent - urgent, fresh, full of rage - razor-sharp writing - [a] furious snarl of a play' Exuent"

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Book Synopsis“I don’t think we’ll get to Mars… not really…not normal people. Scientists might… it’ll end up a scientific outpost like Antarctica… but it won’t be for people like you and me.” Maggie has found a warm patch of ground on Horsell Common. She believes something is buried in the dirt. This is the site of the Martian invasion in H G Wells' The War of the Worlds and she sneaks out of the house in the dead of night and dances on the warm spot. Here she meets Behrooz, an amateur astronomer who spends his nights mapping the surface of Mars. Cartographer John is remapping the streets of Woking. He's about to become a father and is terrified by the thought. He finds an ally in Corinne, Maggie's mother - a woman struggling to keep her sex life separate and secret from her daughter. Kiph, who everyone thinks is gay, is madly in love with Maggie, his best-friend. He attends a book signing to meet his hero, Richard Bleakman - star of cult 80s sci-fi show John Carter of Mars. Richard has problems of his own. A stunning new play about fantasy and sexuality, and about the blurry and indistinct linesbetween reality and desire.Trade Review""a crisply written piece" - The Arts Desk "tightly-constructed, familiar and truthful - when it hits it really hits" - A Younger Theatre"

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Book SynopsisIt’s January 28th 2011 and Egypt stands on the brink. For Layla and Hisham, a young couple living in downtown Cairo, a dictatorial and corrupt government is only one of their problems. As the world shifts, cataclysmically, around them, some long hidden secrets threaten to emerge and tear them apart. Based on extensive interviews in Cairo with revolutionaries and soldiers, journalists and cab drivers, this new drama depicts both a revolution in progress and the society from which it sprang.Trade ReviewVisceral, verbally dextrous, edgy, exciting, darkly humorous and downright riveting... not to be missed * What's On Stage *The text of The Prophet is bright, sexy, dirty, critical, sarcastic and beautifully wrought. It buzzes with psychological insight and radical references; Abdulrazzak's confident storytelling is faultless, and this play about betrayal and moral courage comes in the guise of a thriller. * Aleks Sierz, The Arts Desk *Employs some of the techniques of documentary theatre, incorporating testimony from protesters and witnesses... vividly delivered... gripping * Evening Standard *A gripping non-stop ninety minutes that mixes humour with visceral excitement - [Abdulrazzak's] writing brilliantly captures the feelings and the fears that accompany the Arab Spring * British Theatre Guide *

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Book SynopsisA new play inspired by the true story of a miner who became entombed in a tunnel during World War One. As the horror threatens to engulf him, he discovers another world beneath the mud and death. Setting off on an epic journey of salvation, the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur as he questions what’s real, what’s not and whether it even matters? The Trench blends Les Enfants Terribles’ acclaimed brand of physical storytelling, verse, puppetry and live music from Alexander Wolfe.Trade Review"'engrossing intensity - truly original and powerful' - The Stage 'the most moving and visually stunning performance I have seen on the Fringe so far - lyrical and poetic - dark and moving - Impressive a masterly piece of theatre.' - 5 stars 'The overall vision stays with you like a strange, significant dream.' - The Times"

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Book SynopsisWhen little Conrad Van der Bosch claims he has an invisible tiger called Sigmund hiding on his wardrobe, his child-psychologist father sees the ‘lie’ as a deliberate act of juvenile defiance. Doctor Van der Bosch is concerned that the boy is mentally maladjusted and in an attempt to terrify Conrad into admitting that there never was an invisible tiger, creates the terrifying figure of Mister Holgado, a child-eating monster who is apparently hiding inside Conrad’s wardrobe, waiting to consume the little boy. This triggers a battle for supremacy, as Conrad and his father struggle to manipulate the myth of Holgado. In desperation, as the Doctor fails to curtail his son’s imagination, he realises he has no choice but to become the child-eating Holgado. Shortlisted for the Writers' Guild Award for Theatre Play for Young People 2013.Trade Review"gloriously ghoulish fun in [this] mouthwatering fantasy for the over-eights - a real romp...and one that bubbles with laughter, blood and psychological acuity.' Guardian 'a Kafka story with a whiff of Brecht and Roald Dahl - Like all the best drama for young audiences, Mister Holgado is a celebration of the power of a child's imagination. And a very enjoyable one.' The Stage 'frighteningly funny' British Theatre Guide 'A delightfully sinister tale' Time Out"

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Book SynopsisCommissioned to paint a vast canvas celebrating the triumphant Battle of Lepanto, the free-spirited Galactia creates instead a breathtaking scene of war-torn carnage. In her fierce determination to stay true to herself, she alienates the authorities and faces incarceration. Her younger lover Carpeta is approached to take over and seizes the assignment for himself. Howard Barker's Scenes from an Execution makes sixteenth-century Venice the setting for a fearless exploration of sexual politics and the timeless tension between personal ambition and moral responsibility, between the patron’s demands and the artist’s autonomy. Art is opinion, and opinion is the source of all authority. This edition includes a new essay by Howard Barker, entitled The Sunless Garden of the Unconsolled: Some Destinations Beyond CatastropheTrade Review"Barker’s work remains emotionally true, poetic psychologically and full of startling insights." – The Arts Desk "A major triumph for playwright Howard Barker… There’s a pugnacious tone, and a liberated style, about Barker at his best that is unlike anything else on our stages today.’ - WhatsOnStage “A modern study of the meaning of art and the truth of war… this play has a timeless power and truthfulness.” – The Stage “Witty and insightful … a highly enjoyable tour de force” – British Theatre Guide “Accessible and stringently witty… [mixes] austere intellectual rigour and knockabout, anachronistic humour.” 4 stars - Independent “Shows Barker's poetic talent at its most disciplined and has the feel of a contemporary classic.” - 4 stars Guardian “Fiercely impassioned and as subtle as a quizzically raised eyebrow, its also adorned with teasing, Blackadderish humour.” 4 stars - Metro"Barker’s work remains emotionally true, poetic psychologically and full of startling insights." – The Arts Desk "A major triumph for playwright Howard Barker… There’s a pugnacious tone, and a liberated style, about Barker at his best that is unlike anything else on our stages today.’ - WhatsOnStage “A modern study of the meaning of art and the truth of war… this play has a timeless power and truthfulness.” – The Stage “Witty and insightful … a highly enjoyable tour de force” – British Theatre Guide “Accessible and stringently witty… [mixes] austere intellectual rigour and knockabout, anachronistic humour.” 4 stars - Independent “Shows Barker's poetic talent at its most disciplined and has the feel of a contemporary classic.” - 4 stars Guardian “Fiercely impassioned and as subtle as a quizzically raised eyebrow, its also adorned with teasing, Blackadderish humour.” 4 stars - Metro

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Book SynopsisA modern-day version of Euripides' anti-war play, The Trojan Women has been rewritten and is set in a mother-and-baby unit of a prison. The war is over. Beyond the prison walls, Troy and its people burn. Inside the prison, the city’s captive women await their fate. Stalking the antiseptic confines of its mother and baby unit is Hecuba, the fallen Trojan queen, whilst the pregnant Chorus is shackled to her bed. But their grief at what has been before will soon be drowned out by the horror of what is to come, as the Greek lust for vengeance consumes everything – man, woman and baby – in its path. This caustic and radical new version of Euripides’ classic tragedy comes from one of the UK’s most exciting young poets, Caroline Bird. It is an intense, gripping look at what happens when the world collapses.Trade Review"'Some of the writing is pin-sharp - does away with reverence, rips up the rulebook' - The Telegraph 'This fine new modern-day version by poet Caroline Bird is set in the mother-and-baby unit of a prison. It's an ingenious idea of sparkling sensitivity,' - Evening Standard Caroline Bird's new version has both bleak beauty and sardonic humour.' - The Financial Times"

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Book SynopsisMoving, powerful, ethereal; Mind Walking is a celebration of the life of one extraordinary man, the enduring love story of a mature couple and their family. Bobby has led a remarkable life. Migrating from India as a young man he found love in the UK with his with wife Moira, but as a Parsi Bobby was expected to marry within the community. His family disowns him and as a result he cuts them, their religion and their culture from his life forever… until his mind starts to wander. As secrets and hidden stories tumble out of Bobby’s mouth, his family start to question the truth about their ancestry and shared history. Mind Walking explores what happens to a family when the mind of an old, Indian man, Bobby starts to unravel. This delicate, poetic play tumbles and traverses through Bobby’s memories on an intergenerational journey of family ties, religious dogma and cultural expectations.Trade Review"'Moments of irresistible humour and tenderness, together with the airy and unorthodox stage perspective, leaven the troubling subject matter to create a drama that's moving in every sense of the word.' The Stage 'A simple story told in a way that is transcendental' Hindu Times 'intriguing' Time Out 'a warm, humorous and poignant celebration of the life of one extraordinary individual - Mind Walking is an intergenerational story of family ties, religious dogma, cultural expectations and the role the past plays in defining the present' Indie London 'Mind Walking has moments of lucidity and others that are a mystical tangle of sights, sounds and memories' British Theatre Guide "

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