Plays, playscripts, drama

Book SynopsisIn September 2004, a group of terrorists stormed School Number One in Beslan, Russia, taking hundreds of children, their parents and teachers hostage. The ensuing siege lasted three days and left many dead. Us/Them is not a straightforward account of this terrible tragedy, but an exploration of the entirely individual way children cope with traumatic situations. Originally created for BRONKS, a theatre company for young audiences, Us/Them had a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016, winning a Scotsman Fringe First Award, and transferred to the National Theatre, London, in 2017. It was co-produced by BRONKS and Richard Jordan Productions, with Theatre Royal Plymouth and Big in Belgium, in association with Summerhall.Trade Review'Startlingly powerful… the playfulness has a terrible poignancy... a remarkable, harrowing piece of theatre' * Independent *'While this is an unflinching show, it draws its vitality from curious details rather than graphic confrontation… an intriguing, offbeat look at how young people deal with trauma' * Evening Standard *'Becomes progressively more heart-rending… makes a deep and moving comment about our reductive assumptions regarding childhood innocence * Financial Times *'In its intricate weave of frontline semi-reportage and slyly subversive comedy, writer-director Carly Wijs allows a sense of play to inform at every turn… a shape-shifting, even ticklish piece that suggests what trauma might look like as it is both experienced and recollected from the inside looking out' * The Arts Desk *'Funny, devastating… a heartbreaking story about the indomitability of childhood spirit' * Time Out *'An extraordinarily thoughtful and compassionate play about the way in which the young process trauma and the different filters that children and adults place over the truth… shimmers with a strange double emotional reality, which makes it very funny at times – and awfully painful at others' * Exeunt Magazine *'A remarkable piece of theatre – playful, surprisingly and painfully funny as well as moving' * Guardian *'A truly outstanding piece of theatre for all ages… [makes] an inhuman ordeal somehow understandable, filtered through this very modern, accessible retelling' * The Stage *'Haunting, unforgettable… the highlight of the Fringe' * Telegraph *'Dazzlingly confident and utterly absorbing… presents [its] story masterfully' * Scotsman *'An innovative piece of theatrical storytelling… the bare facts of this terrible episode are well known, but the story is given such bold, off-centre treatment in [Us/Them] that it inspires a much deeper consideration of the massacre, its context and implications, than a simple dramatisation could hope to achieve' * The Times *'Remarkable – powerful and quietly shocking, certainly, but also one that dares to be entertaining and absurd, even playful' * The List *

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Book Synopsis‘They did not understand, you see, that what is stitched with a needle is not always innocent… Needles are dangerous.’ The year is 1569, and in a cold, stone room in a Staffordshire castle, a group of women sew elaborate tapestries. Rich or poor, at home or held against their will, four women’s lives intersect on the point of a needle. Embroidery is their escape, their sanity, and their expression: of love, loss, artistry and power. For these women’s stitches have the power to change not just their own lives, but the course of English history. Inspired by the tapestries created when Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I, The Glove Thief by Beth Flintoff is part of Platform, an initiative from Tonic Theatre in partnership with Nick Hern Books. Aimed at addressing gender imbalance in theatre, Platform comprises big-cast plays with predominantly or all-female casts, written specifically for performance by young actors.Trade Review'Captures the palpable frustration of women who, while strong in mind and will, are nonetheless held back by the machinations of men… tells a good story in a lively way that, if anything, makes [its] message all the more poignant' * Drama Magazine *'Warm, intelligent, exciting and accessible historicised drama… an exciting story refreshingly told which places independent women of all classes centre stage' * Teaching Drama *

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Book SynopsisThis anthology comprises five of the best plays from VAULT 2017, London's biggest and most exciting arts festival. The dark underside of the Greatest Story Ever Told is exposed in Testament by Tristan Bernays. Four lesser-known biblical characters are relocated to modern-day America, and given a chance to tell their side of the story. Previously seen at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Sophia Leuner's Save + Quit shares the stories of how four young people attempt to live their lives in London and Dublin. 'Beautifully observed... perfectly pitched' (Scotsman) In Wretch by Rebecca Walker, an ex-teacher and an ex-junkie meet on a night bus during long, dark nights of homelessness. A year later their lives collide again. Brad Birch and Kenneth Emson's This Must Be the Place offers two short ballads about migration, missed connections, and life on the edge of respectability. Maisie loves Sheldon, but Sheldon's not so sure. He suffers from indigestion. But maybe it's not indigestion, maybe it's love? Jimmy Osborne's Maisie Says She Loves Me is a one-man play about love, inheritance and not letting your feelings show. 'London's answer to the Edinburgh Fringe… offers a whole line-up of treats' Evening Standard on VAULT FestivalTrade ReviewLondon's answer to the Edinburgh Fringe... offers a whole line-up of treats; Evening Standard on VAULT Festival

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Book SynopsisHelen Edmundson's gripping play tells the little-known story of a monarch caught between friendship and duty. 1702. William III is on the throne and England is on the verge of war. Princess Anne is soon to become Queen, and her advisors vie for influence over the future monarch. Who can Anne turn to when even her most trusted friends seem bent on pursuing power? Contending with deceit and blackmail, Anne must decide where her allegiances lie, and whether to sacrifice her closest relationships for the sake of the country. Commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Queen Anne premiered at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in November 2015, and was revived at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, in 2017.Trade Review'A rich and satisfying drama with two splendidly meaty female central characters' * Evening Standard *'As regal and captivating as the best historical royal dramas. One might say it's fit for a Queen' * Radio Times *'Fascinating... Edmundson is particularly good on the intricacies of court politics... it is invigorating to see a play that shows women exercising power' * Guardian *'An intelligent and enjoyable history play' * Financial Times *'Enthralling… provides two absolutely terrific female roles' * WhatsOnStage *'A fascinating history play with uncanny modern parallels' * Telegraph *'A richly textured, modern history play… a truly compelling drama' * The Stage *

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Book SynopsisEx-boxer Taylor Flint wants to put the past behind her. Yet back on the Hull estate where she grew up, she is drawn into running a boxercise class. For Lauren, Jazz, Aneta and Grace, boxercise soon becomes more than a way to lose weight and have a laugh. Life is tough and throwing the punches helps them to face their challenges. The class meet in The Six Bells, which landlady Nora runs as her own community hub. When the pub is threatened with closure, the women refuse to throw in the towel. They commit to an unlicensed Fight Night to raise cash and rally the locals. Yet as the countdown begins, it's Taylor who finds herself on the ropes. Inspired by Hull's original Mighty Atom, Barbara Buttrick, Amanda Whittington's play Mighty Atoms premiered at Hull Truck Theatre in 2017, as part of Hull UK City of Culture.Trade Review'Funny, wise and cleverly crafted… the writing has passion and verve, peppered with witty jabs… if you're looking for a play for girls or women that is raw, warm and emotional with fight and heart, this is it' * Drama Magazine *'Amanda Whittington pulls no punches with this rousing tale of solidarity... [an] immensely likeable play… delivers plenty of heart' * Guardian *'Punchy, funny and poetic' * The Stage *'This knockout show really does pack a punch' * Yorkshire Evening Post *

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Book SynopsisA one-man comedy-drama from critically acclaimed writer Alan Harris. When you're a small-time drug dealer in Cardiff, it's tough living up to your family's expectations. Marc spends his time avoiding his mum, disguising his cannabis plants with fake tomatoes, and bailing out his old man, who owes £6,000 to local loan shark Oggy. When Marc meets Lisa for the first time in years, things get even messier. Lisa wants Marc. Only, Oggy wants Lisa. Marc just wants to survive the day. Sugar Baby premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017, in a production by Dirty Protest in Paines Plough's pop-up theatre, Roundabout.Trade Review'Enormous fun… the beauty of the script lies in Harris's loving recreation of the city, from its seedy underbelly to the more salubrious enclaves. The clarity of the writing allows us to feel as though we are walking Marc's journey with him' * The Times *'A great laugh, a chaotic comedy caper set on the streets of Cardiff with a cast of petty criminals and small-time drug dealers. There's a frank dose of socio-political comment squirted in too… stonking good fun' * The Stage *'A comedy cartoon caper that feels a little like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels set in Wales... Alan Harris offers a farcical, heightened view of provincial life, petty crime and never leaving the town you've grown up in' * Scotsman *'The jokes come thick and fast… thoroughly entertaining, provocative' * The Arts Desk *'A piece of theatre that revels in its own ability to entertain' * Exeunt Magazine *

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Book SynopsisA bittersweet and vital play that throws a spotlight on 'Generation Rent' and the lengths they will go to in order to get that first step on the property ladder. Rachel and Ben want to buy a flat in London. And so do their friends, Melanie and Sam. But what with rent, tax, student loans and bills, it's impossible to save for a deposit. So the foursome come up with a fast-track solution to the problem: live together. Sneakily split the rent and bills on a tiny one-bedroom flat for a year. But with paper-thin walls and space growing sparser by the day, which will they sacrifice first – the friendship, the relationship, or the dream of buying their own property? Matt Hartley's play Deposit premiered at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs in 2015, and was revived there (in this revised and updated version) in 2017.Trade Review'A quiet corker… as a snapshot of a moment in time, the play truly matters' * The Arts Desk *'Compelling, urgent... It's remarkable how much Hartley has packed into a lightning-quick 90 minutes. His play is a test tube, delectably colliding the personal and the political, then chucking in glances at class privilege, a sprinkling of sitcom laughs and a hefty emotional clout, too... A modest, state-of-the-nation mini-masterpiece' * The Stage *'Matt Hartley's play laces comedy with some tough philosophising... an unexpectedly moving account of how property is theft in more ways than one' * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisFunny, fresh and packed with razor-sharp wit, Kevin Elyot’s landmark drama questions the nature of fidelity and the limits of love. Winner of the Samuel Beckett Award. Tony and Greg have love all figured out. They’re in a committed relationship, with room for a little sex-on-the-side whenever it takes their fancy. Their only rule? Never sleep with the same man twice. Then drop-dead gorgeous Robert walks into their lives, and nobody plays by the rules. Coming Clean was first seen at the Bush Theatre, London, in 1982. This edition was published alongside the thirty-fifth-anniversary production, headlining the King’s Head Theatre’s 2017 Queer Season, and directed by Artistic Director Adam Spreadbury-Maher.Trade Review'Hilarious in its honesty and openness... funny and deeply human' * Broadway World *'An honest and accurate depiction of gay lives before the blight of HIV and AIDS… the dialogue is explicit, naturalistic and very, very funny' * WhatsOnStage *'A very funny and acute comedy about the gay life' * Sunday Times *'In time, it will be recognised as the first mature play about homosexuality' * Mail on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis‘Do you feel lucky, Monk?’ Luke left his high-flying City life to discover serenity in the Scottish Highlands, but he can't escape his past. Is Tony, his brother, everything that's wrong with Luke's old life, or is he the only one who can really see into his soul? Sam Bain's play The Retreat premiered at Park Theatre, London, in 2017, in a production directed by Kathy Burke.Trade Review'Sam Bain's comedy drama smart-bombs spirituality-lite… filled with good one-liners' * Independent *'Sam Bain's comic genius is evident throughout' * Broadway World *'Bain’s first theatre script has all of the hallmarks of the merciless, close-quarters character comedy his TV work thrives on… jokes fly like machine-gun fire' * Time Out *'A funny, cathartic take-down of middle-class mindfulness' * The Stage *'Few writers can claim to be as zeitgeisty as Sam Bain… [sits] in the great British sit-com tradition of Fawlty Towers, Rising Damp, Porridge and Blackadder' * Telegraph *'Both amusing and biting… some laugh-out-loud lines' * Evening Standard *'Very funny, with an unusually high line-by-line hit rate and some stalls-convulsing gags… Bain's writing is astute on the imperfect, giddily grasping ways we try to solve our modern malaises' * Whatsonstage.com *

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Book SynopsisA collection of five plays by Alexi Kaye Campbell. The premiere of The Pride at the Royal Court Theatre in 2008 marked the emergence of Alexi Kaye Campbell as a distinctive new talent. With its bold and ingenious structure and its daring take on sexual politics in the 1950s and today, the play combined thrilling dramaturgy with profound insight into the affairs of the human heart. It went on to win an Olivier Award, the Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright, and the John Whiting Award for Best New Play, and was revived in the West End in 2013. Published here alongside that remarkable debut are Alexi’s four subsequent plays, which together demonstrate his rare ability to harness theatricality in pursuit of emotional truth. Apologia (Bush Theatre, London, 2009; revived in the West End in 2017), a perceptive look at what has happened to 1960s idealists and their children. ‘Sharp, funny, wise and humane, Alexi Kaye Campbell is a writer to cherish’ Telegraph The Faith Machine (Royal Court, 2011), an exploration of the relationship between faith and capitalism that asks fundamental questions about the true meaning of love. ‘An urgent play of expansive ambition and largeness of spirit’ Guardian Bracken Moor (Tricycle Theatre and Shared Experience, 2013), a haunting tale of grief and denial, set against the economic crisis of the 1930s. ‘A superior kind of ghost story… intellectually as well as emotionally haunting’ The Stage Sunset at the Villa Thalia (National Theatre, 2016), a passionate and deeply personal play about the impact of foreign influence, planned and unintentional, on a nation and its people. ‘This play is a winner, a thought-provoking slow-burn story that works on many levels’ The Times Also included is an introduction by the author.

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Book Synopsis'We're not here forever. You've got to take a chance from time to time. Sometimes you've got to see something you like and grab hold. Don't let it go.' Harry feels like life is beginning to tick down, his autumn years spent quietly caring for the community he loves. Denise thinks life begins in retirement and she’s dancing like she’s still at high school. When their paths cross at the village hall, their understanding of the time they have left changes irrevocably. What do community, growing old, and falling in love really mean? And who gets to decide anyway? Stewart Pringle's play Trestle tenderly but truthfully explores love and ageing, asking how we choose to live in the face of soaring life expectancies. It won the 2017 Papatango New Writing Prize and premiered at Southwark Playhouse, London, in November 2017.Trade Review'A tender and observant piece that's at once a tribute to the idea of community and a sensitive vision of the perils of isolation… a touching portrait of mature affection, quietly truthful about its rewards and difficulties' * Evening Standard *'Brimming with gentle humour and bursting with heart… the restraint and social realism of Pringle's writing lifts it above saccharine glibness, towards something far more elegiac and far richer dramatically... a gently funny and genuinely adorable not-quite love story' * The Stage *'Wittily and cleverly written… it is closely and lovingly observed, creating a sense of these people and their lives' * Whatsonstage.com *'Offers a sympathetic view of a pair of senior citizens and suggests that age offers no immunity to passion… a gift to older actors' * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisCicero, the greatest orator of his age, devotes all his energy and cunning to preserve the rule of law, and defend Rome’s Republic against the predatory attacks of political rivals, discontented aristocrats, and would-be military dictators. Imperium is a backstage view of Ancient Rome at its most bloody and brutal, told through the eyes of Tiro, Cicero’s loyal secretary. Adapted by Mike Poulton from Robert Harris’s bestselling The Cicero Trilogy, it was premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon in November 2017 in an epic event comprising six plays presented in two performances. Mike Poulton is an award-winning dramatist whose many adaptations include Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, The Canterbury Tales and Morte d’Arthur (all for the Royal Shakespeare Company), A Tale of Two Cities (Royal & Derngate, Northampton), Luise Miller (Donmar Warehouse), Don Carlos (Sheffield Crucible/West End) and Wallenstein (Chichester Festival Theatre).Trade Review'A riveting epic for our time – The West Wing in sandals' * The Times *'One of the finest achievements of the Royal Shakespeare Company in recent years… an exhilarating and timely political drama… provides both an intriguing character study and a demonstration of politics in action' * Guardian *'The sheer scale of the enterprise inspires awe… Poulton distils the original trilogy with his customary combination of verbal dexterity, clear storytelling and hefty doses of leavening wit, [which] only serves to accentuate the brilliance of the undertaking… puts these dense historical epics onto the stage with all the panache and pace of a Netflix box set' * Whatsonstage.com *'The West Wing in blood-soaked togas… this turbulent story of bitter rivalries and criminal conspiracy is both timely and entertaining… an instructive and entertaining vision of one of history’s great self-made heavyweights' * Evening Standard *'Ambitious, intricate and compelling… an epic undertaking… Poulton’s adaptation expertly condenses and makes clear all the complex machinations and power plays, the conspiracies, shifting loyalties and betrayals. In his hands the intricate, multi-stranded narrative moves fluidly and is never less than engaging' * The Stage *

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Book Synopsis'Tonight I need you to understand the difference between fiction and the truth. Tonight you will discover that Bram Stoker’s Dracula, is in fact… fact.’ Travelling across Europe, from the dark and sinister Transylvanian mountains to the charming seaside town of Whitby, Professor Van Helsing and his three amateur actors stage a life-changing, theatrical production of Dracula – hoping to establish, once and for all, the bloody truth. The result is a delightfully silly, fast-paced and faithful (-ish) adaptation by John Nicholson (Hound of the Baskervilles, Peepolykus) of Bram Stoker’s novel, originally performed by physical-comedy theatre company Le Navet Bete on a UK tour in 2017. Performed by four actors playing forty characters, Dracula: The Bloody Truth is a full-blooded adaptation offering abundant opportunities for any theatre company or drama group to sink their teeth into.Trade Review'Dracula: The Bloody Truth is side-splittingly funny and is, by far, the best new comedy I’ve seen this year' * Broadway World *

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Book Synopsis‘The only words are to do with adoption. But that’s not what happened to us. What happened to us was something quite different.’ Being a young mum is supposed to be hard – but for Hanna, the only thing she’s ever been brilliant at is raising her beloved daughter, Ellie. Until a DNA test reveals staggering news. Ellie is not Hanna’s child. And now her ‘real’ parents want to meet. How can an accidental mix-up in an overstretched maternity ward be explained to a three-year-old? Is Hanna supposed to let these strangers into her daughter’s life? Forced to question what being a parent really means, Hanna makes a drastic decision that will change all their lives. This funny, heartfelt and compelling one-woman play Hanna asks what family means in a modern society, delicately weaving in questions of racial identity, economic privilege, and the lottery of birth. It was premiered by Papatango at the Arcola Theatre, London, in 2018.Trade Review'Gripping… a memorable and moving look at nature and nurture and what family really means' * The Times *'Gripping... raise[s] a whole series of questions about class, race and nature versus nurture... I found myself hanging on every word' * Guardian *'Sam Potter constantly keeps the audience on their toes. Her unpredictable text encourages curiosity. The tightly woven script explores themes of race, class and identity, and each notion gets unpicked with a high level of delicacy… bleak and humorous in equal measure' * Broadway World *'A well-constructed, absorbing monologue... there’s a lovely naturalness to the writing, which allows Hanna to develop its themes – on the impact of parenting, race, and class – with a light touch' * Time Out *'Compelling and rich' * Exeunt Magazine *

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Book SynopsisHow far would you go for what you believe in? Kat gets up one morning, leaves her family behind and travels to London to carry out an act that will change her life and, she hopes, everyone else’s. Raw, disturbing and compassionate, James Fritz’s searingly powerful play forces a confrontation with some of the most urgent questions we face. What can one individual do to effect change? And where do we draw the line between absolute commitment and dangerous obsession? Parliament Square won the Judges’ Award in the 2015 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. It premiered at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, in October 2017, before transferring to the Bush Theatre, London.Trade Review'A hugely original, intricate work… a harrowing exploration of the void between feeling something, and taking action... fast-paced and almost physically painful to watch' * Time Out *'This intense, sprawling play is a call to action… [has] such a timely vitality... there are few playwrights working in Britain today whose work is as slick and unsettling as James Fritz’s' * Exeunt Magazine *'Powerful and satisfying… James Fritz is quietly building himself a powerful reputation as a young playwright to watch, and Parliament Square gives an idea of his range and ambition' * British Theatre Guide *'Powerful' * Guardian *'Thought-provoking… Fritz's writing is strong throughout' * The Stage *

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Book SynopsisSomeone has seen a wolf. Where did it come from? How many are there? Someone must be able to do something about them. Otherwise, how will our children get to school? And how will we all get to line-dancing in the village hall? Set over one extraordinary day in an ordinary village, Wolves Are Coming For You is a play for two actors – or many more – exploring just how much wild we're comfortable with. Joel Horwood's play was first performed in a co-production between Pentabus Theatre Company and Everyman Theatre Cheltenham in 2017, on a tour of the UK.

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Book SynopsisAmericans Zack and Abby are bright, young and recently married. He’s a doctor combatting infant disease. She’s an actress, who also teaches yoga. It’s just before Christmas and they’re living the expat high life in bohemian Belleville, Paris. It’s all a little too perfect. Belleville was first produced at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2011, and transferred to New York Theatre Workshop in 2013. The play received its UK premiere at the Donmar Warehouse, London, in 2017, in a production directed by Michael Longhurst. Amy Herzog’s other plays include Mary Jane, Pulitzer Prize finalist 4000 Miles, After the Revolution and The Great God Pan.Trade Review'The beauty of Belleville is that while it arrives at a place of horror, which in lesser hands might smack of implausible melodrama, it never slackens its grip on truth… what makes it so disquieting – and accomplished – is that we're witness to the accumulative power of subtle nudges – each eggs the other on, wittingly and unwittingly, towards a primeval forest of fear, hurt and rage' * Telegraph *'A psychological thriller dressed up as a sitcom… the tension keeps ratcheting up' * The Times *'At times it's hard to watch, but impossible to tear your eyes away… a heart-wrenching, stomach-churning portrayal of a marriage in crisis' * Radio Times *'An exacting look at American millennials… an emotionally enervating psychological thriller [in which] Herzog ratchets the tension from homely to horror with real integrity and restraint' * Whatsonstage.com *'Riveting… a Hitchcockian study in physical and emotional displacement' * The Arts Desk *'Exerts a potboilerish grip on your attention and doesn't let go' * Time Out *'A quietly devastating play... Both a perceptive drama depicting the sudden fraying of a young marriage and a nail-biting psychological thriller... Belleville is among the most suspenseful plays I've seen in years' * New York Times *'Masterly... Among the new crop of young American playwrights, Herzog is in a class by herself' * Time *

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Book SynopsisIt’s May 1997. Tony Blair has won the election and Katrina and the Waves have won Eurovision. Channel 5 is a month old. No one knows who Harry Potter is. Britain is the coolest place in the world. At the local secondary school it’s a different story. Miss Belltop-Doyle can’t control her Year 10s, Mr Pashley has been put in charge of a confiscated Tamagotchi, and Miss Turner is hoping that this muck-up day goes smoother than the last. Tobias, the German language assistant, watches on. Things can only get better. Education, Education, Education is The Wardrobe Ensemble’s love letter to the schools of the 1990s and asks big questions about a country in special measures, exploring what we are taught and why, and where responsibility lies. Inventively theatrical and irreverently funny, Education, Education, Education was co-produced with Royal & Derngate Northampton and Shoreditch Town Hall. It premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017, where it won a Fringe First Award, before touring the UK.Trade Review'A great mix of energy, chaos and passion' * The Times *'Canny, slick work from a company that knows exactly what it is doing' * Guardian *'Brilliantly handled...superbly drawn...I was riveted' * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisA celebrated war photographer, whose audience with Osama bin Laden prior to 9/11 shaped his career. A young Syrian, six months pregnant, on an ageing fishing boat in the Mediterranean, sinking fast under the weight of refugees. Through two alternating monologues, Borders provides an urgent, moving and occasionally hilarious commentary on one of the great crises of our time. Henry Naylor's play premiered at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it won the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Fringe Award and a coveted Fringe First, before North American performances at the Spoleto Festival, Charleston, and New York Theatre Workshop in 2018.Trade Review'A profound reminder of the power of art and culture' * Evening Standard *'Pure and captivating' * Independent *

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Book SynopsisNew York City - open for business 24/7. Private equity fund manager Rick has just thrown a lavish engagement party – the same week that his firm forced layoffs in a supermarket chain it owns, causing a PR nightmare. His business partner Seth jumps to the rescue with a publicity-friendly investment that will save an American company and promote job growth. But Jenny – the firm's third partner – has other ideas. She wants maximum returns, no matter what the critics say… Dry Powder is a razor-sharp comedy about the people who shape – and skew – the economy. It was first performed at the Public Theater, New York, before its UK premiere at Hampstead Theatre in 2018, starring Hayley Atwell, Aidan McArdle and Tom Riley.Trade Review'Pretty capital… refreshing and provocative' * Daily Mail *'Has a hint of early David Mamet in its ability to both critique the corporate ethos and spring narrative surprises… suggests there is something rotten in the state of contemporary capitalism' * Guardian *'A deliciously dark comedy… sharply provocative and dangerously funny' * Broadway World *'A slyly wicked comedy… it is barkingly funny, and has at its heart not some jejune fury at "fatcats" but a serious observation: it is about the distinction between the warm breath of business – creating objects, services, value – and the icy mathematical chill of those who finance it… pitiless mirth and Swiftian wit' * TheatreCat *'A coruscating satire that pokes fun at the private equity community, while barely covering its gleeful subtext about the joys of living in the United States while Donald Trump is in his presidential pomp… funny, savvy and deeply cynical' * British Theatre Guide *'Frighteningly funny… timely play' * Variety *'Burgess writes smart dialogue that crackles' * Deadline *

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Book Synopsis1968. A time of political upheaval the likes of which has not been seen since. Until - perhaps - now. In a new age of radical leftism and global politics, this new version of David Edgar's 1983 award-winning hit play, Maydays, has startling parallels to the political revolution of the Millennial Generation. It's 1968. David is 20. It is the height of the worldwide student revolt. The Vietnam war rages. Enoch Powell delivers his 'Rivers of Blood' speech. Martin Luther King is assassinated. These events will define David's politics and give focus to his writing. It's 50 years on. The 70-year-old is confronted by the 20-year old. Do they share the same beliefs? If not, is it the world that's changed, or him? Trying It On is a new play, written and perfromed by David Edgar. It premieres at the RSC in October 2018.Trade Review'An epic, decades-spanning story of youthful idealism colliding with human nature... this timely revised version draws out moments of resonance between the seismic political shifts of the late sixties, and the polarising uncertainty of the present' * The Stage (on the 2018 revival of Maydays) *'One of distinguished playwright David Edgar's most coruscating gems... an invaluable historical treatise, Maydays undoubtedly possesses a timely resonance' * Telegraph (on the 2018 production of Maydays) *'David Edgar's magnificent new play for the Royal Shakespeare Company is an epic, brilliantly plotted piece of writing that takes revolution as its theme' * The Financial Times (on the 1983 production of Maydays)) *'Witty, but never cynical… as charming as it is challenging' * The Times on Trying It On *

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Book SynopsisGreen Shield Stamps, a million of them, and Ger Lawless has won them all. It’s Ballymun, it’s 1974, and she has fifteen friends round for a stamp-sticking party. Over one fateful night, fifteen determined women bring you into their lives in this funny and furious new version of Michel Tremblay’s fêted Québécoise comedy, Les Belles-Soeurs. Deirdre Kinahan’s The Unmanageable Sisters premiered at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in March 2018. Deirdre Kinahan’s other plays include Wild Sky, Spinning, Halcyon Days, BOGBOY and Moment.Trade Review'Lays bare a heartlessness at the heart of the so called salt of the earth... extremely enjoyable' * The Arts Review *'Exploding the myth that tight-knit, working-class communities are female sanctuaries, this play does for Dublin Corporation flats of the 1970s what John B Keane did for 1950s rural Ireland: exposing a greedy, judgmental cruelty at odds with misty-eyed nostalgia' * The Times *'A rollicking free-for-all... One million Green Shield stamps. Fifteen delightful characters. 130 minutes of rib-tickling comedy... an absolute joy' * Broadway World *

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Book Synopsis‘There is no shame in deriving pleasure from this little world.’ Siblings Fanny and Alexander are growing up amidst the gilded romance and glamour of 1900s Sweden. But their world is turned upside down when their widowed mother remarries the iron-willed local bishop. As creative freedom and rigid orthodoxy clash, a war ensues between imagination and austerity in this magical study of childhood, family and love. Legendary film-maker Ingmar Bergman’s 1982 masterpiece Fanny & Alexander was adapted for the stage by Stephen Beresford. It premiered at The Old Vic, London, in 2018, in a production starring Penelope Wilton and directed by Old Vic Associate Director Max Webster. Stephen Beresford is the BAFTA award-winning screenwriter of Pride. His other plays include The Last of the Haussmans, which premiered at the National Theatre.Trade Review'A sprawling family saga… a Chekhovian fairytale with cautionary moral extremes and dollops of life-affirming merriment' * Daily Mail *'A richly nourishing saga' * Evening Standard *'A pretty tremendous achievement... possessed of a surging emotional swoop and visual audacity that bursts its way into your heart' * Time Out *'A sumptuous stage representation of Ingmar Bergman’s classic movie' * British Theatre Guide *'Engrossing and rewarding… a truly effective slice of theatre' * WhatsOnStage *'A fast-moving family saga… a faithful adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's celebration of theatre, fantasy and family life' * Guardian *'Colourful and involving… what casts a glow is the evocation of love – flawed, fallible people taking risks, making sacrifices and suffering hurts for one another – and the joys and consolations of fantasy... a touching family drama, and a profane hymn to dreamers, players and tellers of tales' * The Stage *

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Book Synopsis‘We talkin’ about life. We talkin’ about being treated as equals. We talkin’ about not being shot down in the streets and motherfuckers gettin’ off scot-free.’ Lynchburg, Virginia, on the former site of a cotton mill. Fourteen-year-old Ruffrino is struggling to make sense of his place in an impoverished world filled with seemingly random killings of young black men. As his anger towards reality grows, he moves further away from his family. Losing himself online, Ruffrino’s world sinks around him while he battles to wake up the zombies and prove by any means necessary that Black Lives Matter. Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm's play Br’er Cotton was first seen at Kitchen Dog Theatre, Texas, in 2017, and received its UK premiere at Theatre503, London, in 2018. It was shortlisted for both the Theatre503 Playwriting Award 2016 and the Relentless Award, and won the 2019 Off-West End Award for Best New Play.Trade Review'Bold, brave and very, very funny… an important play, and a great one, that will leave audiences thinking for a long time' * Guardian *'An ambitious play [with] fiery dialogue, surging metaphors and questions about progress… astute about current battles around race, identity and the thunderous burden of history' * Evening Standard *'Remarkable play… as current as this morning. Powerful and passionate. Builds in power throughout the show, surging to a stunning climax' * Theatre Notes *'Acutely contemporary… an intricate consideration of the complexities of present-tense race relations' * WhatsOnStage *'Powerful… Chisholm's writing is light and naturalistic when it needs to be but also shot through with knotty and impassioned poetry' * Time Out *'A bold new voice' * The Stage *

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Book Synopsis"You've endangered us. You've endangered your family." During an attack on London, 20 year old Imogen joins a campaign offering refuge to victims. Before her family have even had a chance to have a reasonable discussion, John is at their door. He is different to them. He isn't what they expected. And although they'd never admit it to themselves, he isn't necessarily what they want. "You will do anything, in the end, to keep the people you love safe." One for Sorrow is Cordelia Lynn's second play to have its world premiere at London's Royal Court Theatre, following her acclaimed debut Lela & Co.Trade Review'A riveting, quicksilver, subtly manipulative thriller… electrifyingly plugged into our socio-political moment… a rich, fascinating work that sends you out into the night challenged and troubled' * The Stage *'Lynn wrings the pettiness of the petty bourgeois for an uneasy comedy… a scathing illustration of liberal hypocrisy and prejudice… Lynn deploys a slippery ambiguity that makes everything uncertain – and all the more unsettling' * WhatsOnStage *'Cleverly challenges a range of liberal assumptions' * Financial Times *'Lynn's writing is funny and astute in sending up the modern manners of the middle class and skewering family dynamics' * Time Out *'Intelligently explores the culture of fear in an age of terrorism... frequently laugh-out-loud funny, and the dark shades of violence and the impact of fear and terror on our psyches is recognizably real' * The Arts Desk *

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Book Synopsis1665. As the plague runs rife through London, Reverend William Mompesson arrives in Eyam, Derbyshire, to lead the parish. But Eyam is no sleepy backwater; it is a village at war with itself. The community has dissolved, and neighbour feuds with neighbour under the watchful eye of a ruthless landowner bent on maintaining his grip on the village. When the plague arrives in Eyam, the villagers are tasked with examining their civil responsibility, as they must decide whether to stay quarantined, or flee and risk spreading the deadly disease. Matt Hartley is an award-winning writer whose work has been produced by Hampstead Theatre, Paines Plough, Pentabus and the Royal Shakespeare Company.Trade Review'Hartley’s writing is the true star of Eyam. With formidable skill he uses the spirit of 17th-century drama to create a masterpiece of theatre that intoxicates the imagination through its exploration of how people are capable of working together in the face of a terrifying catastrophe' * The Upcoming *'A compelling story of plague-era England' * The Stage *'The sheer magnitude of [the villagers'] sacrifice echoes down the ages.' * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTwo women from very different worlds: Karen has built a picture-perfect life while Gail struggles to keep hers together. When Gail re-enters Karen’s life from out of the blue, she brings with her everything Karen has been running from… Katherine Chandler's tense, revealing play explores what it means to care for one another and asks who, in a time of increasing disconnect, we expect to look after us. Thick As Thieves was premiered at Theatr Clwyd, Mold, in October 2018, in a co-production between Clean Break and Theatr Clwyd. Acclaimed theatre company Clean Break produces ground-breaking plays with women writers and actors at the heart of its work. Founded in 1979 by two women prisoners who needed urgently to tell their stories through theatre, the company today has an independent education programme delivering theatre opportunities to women offenders and women at risk, in custodial and community settings.Trade Review'Brutal and heartbreaking... a shattering examination of family relationships and motherhood' * The Stage *

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Book SynopsisWill truth out? Set over one evening, Rathmines Road by Deirdre Kinahan is a play that rages in a tiny room. Fraught, funny and ferocious, this new drama testifies to the pain of carrying the memory of sexual assault throughout a lifetime. A play about secret trauma and public revelation, Rathmines Road bristles with tension and interrogates catharsis to ask: when and how do we take responsibility?Trade Review'Kinahan's rollercoaster script has an awful lot of important and necessary things to say. Thought-provoking and uncompromising, Rathmines Road is a scream against the silence surrounding sexual assault' * The Arts Review *'A compassionate imagining of one woman's private torment' * The Irish Times *'A riveting distillation of accusations and denials since #MeToo' * Exeunt Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe only two children born in a North Yorkshire village for a generation cannot imagine ever being apart, but as their lives shift, so too do the ties that bind them. A contemporary, lyrical love story, Blackthorn explores the changes and choices that pull us from the places and people we love. First seen at Leeds Playhouse (formerly the West Yorkshire Playhouse) in 2016, the play was a finalist for the 2017 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and was revived at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival.Trade Review'A striking and sensitive debut, with an important and authentic story… it’s tender, at times heart-burstingly so, but it’s also much more than that… something a little bit special' * The Stage *'A sad, sweet story about the things we can’t let go, the things we leave behind, and the things that won’t let us go… beautiful and wonderful' * Broadway Baby *'An arresting debut… a compact but complex thing, which tackles the complexity of lifelong friendships, gentrification and the fundamental question of what is home... a tender and sharp evocation of the ache of time' * Time Out *'A terrific debut… has almost Chekhovian overtones as the protagonists decide whether they should stay or go. It feels like a play written straight from the heart and one which questions our and its characters’ relationship with the countryside and whether it is based on reality or nostalgia' * Independent *'A tender debut… skipping through an inconstant friendship, Blackthorn charts Britain's rural decline and its urban rise: a widening chasm at the country's heart...keenly felt and delicately done' * WhatsOnStage *'Achingly honest... Charley Miles’ debut play is, on the surface, sweet and gentle, yet contains a pointed message about the gentrification of farming communities' * The Skinny *

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Book Synopsis‘The history of Manchester jumps off its axis. The history of England jumps off its axis. 2 a.m., 8th July, 1981, all the major cities of England burn.’ Crackling with anger, humour and authenticity, Ed Edwards’ play The Political History of Smack and Crack chronicles the fallout for communities crushed by the heroin epidemic at the height of Thatcherism. Shot through with home truths about the road to recovery, this is an epic love song to a lost generation inspired by the playwright’s own personal experience. The Political History of Smack and Crack was shortlisted for the Theatre503 Playwriting Award. It was first performed in Paines Plough’s Roundabout at Summerhall at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018, before transferring to Soho Theatre, London, produced by Most Wanted and Offstage Theatre in association with W14 Productions, Alastair Michael and Soho (co-commissioners). ‘A terrific honest, funny, moving firecracker of a play’ Roy Williams OBETrade Review'There is maybe nothing better at the whole [Edinburgh] festival… a riotously entertaining and deeply moving drama-cum-documentary… it's stylishly done, burning with a broad, Northern humour and a galvanising anti-Tory bite. It's energetic, too. Effervescent almost. Think Trainspotting, relocated 200 miles south and injected with a bitter dose of politics' * The Stage *'An unsparing portrait of addiction… a desperate love story is set against a broader picture of government hostility in Ed Edwards' gritty two-hander' * Guardian *'Not since Trainspotting has addiction been so entertaining… Edwards treats his characters with both affection and dignity' * Independent *'Deftly and persuasively puts the story of the titular opiates' rise in popularity in this country into perspective... Edwards' points are compelling and shocking, but what's most affecting is the characters' story. Even if you've never come near the sort of world they inhabit, it's not hard to understand their journey, or how easy it could be to get to where they each are' * WhatsOnStage *

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Book Synopsis‘um yes we’ve been a community since since stonewall certainly harvey milk probably ancient greece maybe’ Equality is here – now what? In a supposedly ‘post-gay’ America on the brink of passing marriage equality, a first date at a New York bar starts two men on a fearless, funny and fragmented journey leading up to a historic moment of change. Jordan Seavey's play Homos, or Everyone in America is a raw and provocative portrait of a love story, exploding attitudes, emotions and prejudices that sit at the heart of relationships across the world. This dazzling kaleidoscope of a play asks us all the question – are personal and political choices really all that different? Homos, or Everyone in America won numerous awards on its premiere Off-Broadway in 2016, and received its European premiere at the Finborough Theatre, London, in 2018.Trade Review'Powerfully combines smart wit and smarting pain… these are as closely, delicately realised individuals as you could imagine... intellect comes to chime with emotion in a story told with a deep level of engagement and often unflinching intimacy' * The Arts Desk *'A brilliantly provocative modern-day romance' * Time Out *'A poignant, intimate portrait of modern gay life… a valuable reminder that hearts and minds – not just the law – need to change for equality to be achieved' * The Stage *'A play that everyone should see' * The Reviews Hub *'There's huge ambition in Jordan Seavey's epic American odyssey… even though it focuses in on one couple, it could be seen as an overarching depiction of love, life, homosexuality and relationships in the noughties… there is truth in the piece about what it means to be gay in modern America – or anywhere really – and the characters are realistically human' * WhatsOnStage *'A daringly frank, funny and affecting new play. Seavey’s portrait of young gay New Yorkers negotiating the sometimes thorny nature of love and intimacy has an arresting, even bruising honesty' * New York Times *'A blisteringly fine and hilarious play with devastatingly pointed intelligence' * New York Magazine *

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Book SynopsisA selection of the best work of Stephen Jeffreys, whose career stretches from an award-winning play at the National Student Drama Festival in 1977 through to an adaptation of The Alchemist for the RSC in 2016. Included here are his first big success, Valued Friends, a comedy of manners about the property market which won both the Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Awards; a riotous farce set in the time of Elizabeth I, The Clink, in which a stand-up comedian becomes involved in the political skulduggery surrounding the ailing queen; an autobiographical drama set in 1966, A Going Concern, about a washed-up family business; and Jeffreys' smash-hit, The Libertine, a Restoration romp about the licentious Earl of Rochester, much revived and also filmed with Johnny Depp. Rounding off the volume are two previously unpublished plays: Interruptions, inspired by Jeffreys' interest in the collective aspect of politics and his fascination with the Japanese aesthetic principle of Jo-ha-kyu; and a very likable, short autobiographical monologue, Finsbury Park. Together, all six plays represent the impressively wide range of topics and styles that Jeffreys can embrace. Above all, each one of them is intensely and enjoyably theatrical to its very core.

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Book SynopsisContains: one confused alien, two brave kids and a busted spaceship. What do you do if you think your aunt is an alien? Twelve-year-old Jelly and her brother, Jonjo, have their suspicions. She won't let them leave the house. Or ask questions. And she definitely won't let them in the attic. Join Jelly and Jonjo on their quest to discover the truth in a rip-roaring adventure through space, full of friendship, fun and flying saucers. Georgia Christou's play How To Spot An Alien is ideal for space cadets age five and up to watch, read and perform. It was first produced in 2018 by Paines Plough in their pop-up theatre, Roundabout, in a co-production with Theatr Clwyd.Trade Review'Absolutely captivating, filled with plenty of humour… whimsical and just a little bit wacky, older children will love this slightly gruesome tale' * Edinburgh Festival for Kids *'Captivating… a wild, high energy adventure' * British Theatre Guide *'Boasts a great storyline, thoughtful script, a pinch of silliness and some spot on physical humour' * Three Weeks *'An absolute romp... the children in the audience spent a lot of time on the edges of their seats, but there was also some excellent messaging about the importance of truth-telling, getting to the bottom of things, and integrity' * Broadway Baby *

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Book SynopsisA young actress meets a powerful film producer in his hotel suite. A revolutionary leads an attack on a colonial club in India. A bereaved mother defends herself against charges of infanticide. Snatches: Moments from 100 Years of Women's Lives documents, remembers and bears witness to a century of struggle for progress and equality for women in the United Kingdom. Moving, funny, tragic and empowering, these eight monologues address the constant efforts of women to carve out their rights both in domestic and public spheres – from the criminalisation of marital rape to the first Reclaim the Night march – proclaiming a history of perseverance and resilience shown by women’s rights activists in this country. Curated by Royal Court Artistic Director, Vicky Featherstone, the monologues for Snatches were commissioned to mark the centenary of women's suffrage in the United Kingdom. They were broadcast on BBC Four in 2018, directed by Vanessa Caswill, Vicky Featherstone and Rachna Suri, and starring Jodie Comer, Siobhan Finneran, Romola Garai, Shirley Henderson, Liv Hill, Corinne Skinner-Carter, Kiran Sonia Sawar and Antonia Thomas.Trade Review'What links [these plays], apart from their quality, is a vibrant vein of righteous anger. These are voices and stories that will be silenced no more' * The Times *'A stellar line-up' * Telegraph *'A striking series of monologues' * Mirror *

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Book Synopsis‘I expect the plummet, I brace, but no. The wind is now a breeze is now a whisper and I’ve stopped; suspended in the sky…’ Greasy fish’n’chips, sticks of rock and a pot-bellied Spider-Man throwing himself off the pier; the annual ‘Birdman’ competition is in full flight. It’s the busiest weekend of the year in this faded seaside town, but Bayview B&B is somehow closed for business. A finalist in the Theatre503 Playwriting Award, Alison Carr's play Caterpillar is a darkly funny, searing and tender drama about those moments when we find ourselves teetering on the edge. Caterpillar was first performed at Theatre503, London, in September 2018 before transferring to the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, produced by Small Truth Theatre in association with Theatre503 and Michelle Barnette Productions.Trade Review'Alison Carr's writing blisters on impact... it is as unflinchingly open about its discussion of depression, motherhood and family relationships, as it is funny and symbolic' * A Younger Theatre *'Alison Carr's ear for natural, funny dialogue distinguishes it from the outset' * The Stage *'Carr's writing has much to commend it - not least its boldness in taking on contemporary issues head on' * Broadway World *

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Book SynopsisA motley crew of four friends gather every week in their village hall to practise their a capella singing, under the watchful eye of their choirmaster. Whatever their differences, whatever the problems they may have at home, they are happily bound together in their shared love of music. Until one day Maggie knocks on the door… Soon she is urging them to enter Talentfest, a potentially life-changing route to Britain's Got Talent. In the weeks that follow, loyalties will be tested, tempers will fray and lives will indeed be changed – but not in the way that any of them had quite anticipated. Funny, touching and thought-provoking, William Gaminara's play The Nightingales was first seen at the Theatre Royal Bath in 2018, before a UK tour.Trade Review'While keeping the laughter count high, [Gaminara] interrogates today's standard sentimental tropes about communality... a stirring drama' * Telegraph *'Gaminara's script has spark and pace… the dramatic moments are charged, the comedy tickles and the intrigue is sustained' * Guardian *'Charming... the writing is so polished it shines' * The Stage *

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Book Synopsis'Once you’re a woman doing as she pleases with her body, in someone’s eyes you qualify for hoe status.' Bim, Alex and J have been best friends since school. Loud, funny, inseparable – they are the epitome of girls who just want to have fun. But now they’re twenty-five, life is starting to get in the way. Careers, relationships, expectations... What better way to escape than a trip to Ibiza for a week of sun, sea and selfies? But there’s trouble in paradise when reality catches up with them, threatening to derail their holiday as they are forced to accept no amount of partying will let them escape themselves. The Hoes is a riotous celebration of sisterhood, showing that while life may throw up unexpected turbulence, friendships will last the course. It premiered at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, London, in 2018. The Hoes is Ifeyinwa Frederick’s debut play. It was longlisted for the Verity Bargate Award, and shortlisted for the Tony Craze and Character 7 Awards.Trade Review'Ifeyinwa Frederick's ferociously funny debut play exudes black girl magic' * The Stage *'A lewd, loud and lively three-hander' * Evening Standard *'A joyous celebration of millennial womanhood and friendship that's unafraid to show the darker side of growing up... Frederick's debut as a playwright is momentous' * Broadway World *'Irreverently noisy, and often hilarious… from the start, The Hoes is so amply alive: it gives a thrillingly vivid and highly charged account of what it feels like to be part of a mid-twenties sisterhood… a very impressive debut' * The Arts Desk *'A brutally honest, devilishly funny account of millennial sisterhood and female sexuality with the power to make you laugh, cry and cringe' * British Theatre Guide *

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Book Synopsis'Round ma way, the boys would drive tay the top of the car park; right tay the edge full speed. I wanted tay get involved. They said, "Oh aye Sarah, no bother, if you sit on Gerro's knee, he'll hold you nice an tight." Well, I thought tay mysel, that sounds like a full breach of health an safety regulations. I drive the car now lads. An get paid to do it.' Stationed on the tense border between Estonia and Russia, Cormack, Findlay and Davies are the first generation of women to ever serve in the British infantry. They've aced physical tests only five per cent of female soldiers can pass – they've been trained to shoot, fight and kill. But everyone around them questions whether they should even be allowed to serve. And now they're about to be tested to their limits. Kate Bowen's taut, funny and powerful play follows three pioneering young women in the world's most dangerous workplace. Close Quarters premiered at Sheffield Theatres in 2018, in a co-production between Sheffield Theatres and Stockroom, and directed by Stockroom's Artistic Director Kate Wasserberg. It was chosen as one of the Observer's Top 10 Theatre Shows of 2018.Trade Review'A measured portrait of women in the military... ribald and often very funny' * The Stage *'A timely new play... explore[s] not only what it is to be female but also the ways in which individual and group identities are constructed, threatened, maintained, how they can be challenged and reconstructed... [an] intelligent, dramatic script... set it in your sights' * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe funniest and most magical Nativity you will ever see. A travelling troupe of two actors and an opera singer arrive by donkey to masterfully, movingly and miraculously enact the greatest story ever told. The absurdly talented Maurice Rose, the alarmingly unpredictable Ronald Bream RAC, and the distinguished diva Mrs Leonora Fflyte play a cast of thousands in a Christmas comedy that conjures up the sublime, the ridiculous and the truly angelic. Patrick Barlow's The Messiah was first performed to universal acclaim by the National Theatre of Brent in 1983, and revived at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2000. This new version, with additional material by Julian Hough, Jude Kelly and John Ramm, was published alongside a major touring production in 2018, starring Hugh Dennis, John Marquez and Lesley Garrett, which was seen at venues around the country including Birmingham Repertory Theatre and The Other Palace, London.Trade Review'I haven't laughed so much at any other show this festive season… an appealing sprinkling of the old-fashioned magic and, dare I say it, message of Christmas' * Evening Standard *'Splendidly silly' * The Stage *'Ridiculously funny yet gloriously exhilarating' * Guardian *'Inspired silliness... unalloyed pleasure' * Independent *

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Book SynopsisIn 1919, Badgersbridge Village Hall is Margaret's domain and the last place she expected to come face to face with Grace, who knew and loved Margaret's brother. This chance meeting results in an unlikely pairing that will change the course of both of their futures. Fast-forward to 2019. Mirjana from the care company is waiting to meet Sean's mother to help her stay in her own home. Mirjana is from Sarajevo, but has lived in the village since escaping the war there as a teenager. The village hall has been her solace and proves an unlikely link between them. With music, waltzing and unexpected connections, Deirdre Kinahan's play Crossings dances through a century, exploring how we return, resettle and adapt. The play was first seen on a UK tour in 2018, in a co-production between Pentabus Theatre Company and New Perspectives.

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Book Synopsis'My mam's always saying, the best thing to do with new things is just chuck yourself in at the deep end.' Liam is fifteen and he's just signed up for Bev Road Baths' first ever synchronised swimming team. It's for his best mate Caz really. She needs to get a team together to win the annual Project Prize at school. She tries every year. She always loses. But Liam's an optimist, he's determined to help. There's just one problem. Liam can't swim… A one-man musical comedy by award-winning duo Tom Wells and Matthew Robins, Drip was first seen as part of the Back to Ours programme for Hull UK City of Culture 2017. The play subsequently toured the UK in 2018, including runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Bush Theatre, London, in a production by Boundless Theatre and Script Club. This edition includes Matthew Robins' original sheet music.Trade Review'A really sweet show... enchants its audience... Tom Wells' script is beautifully written... full of joy, sorrow and unshielded honesty. It's a refreshing watch' * Broadway World *'An unalloyed delight... genuinely sweet and fun to watch' * The Times *'There's charm by the bucketload... as cockle-warming as they come' * WhatsOnStage *'Full of warm, generous humour and wry observation… it will leave you with a warmed heart and a spring in your step' * Exeunt Magazine *'Matthew Robins' music and Wells' lyrics feel like Victoria Wood for a new generation' * The Stage *

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Book Synopsis‘We’re in a hotel. We’re always in a hotel. And each room is exactly the same as the last room, and the one before that, and the one before that…’ Leila wants to inspire global change. John needs to get his shit together. They have an arrangement. But managing an affair isn't easy when the world around you is falling apart. Rose Lewenstein's Cougar is a play about what – and who – we consume. It was premiered at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, in February 2019, in a co-production with English Touring Theatre.Trade Review'An intriguing new play about climate change' * The Stage *'An unsettling portrait of a world and a relationship in crisis... the form itself is striking' * Guardian *'An ambitious play about sex and climate change' * Time Out *'A powerful dissection of how we live today that raises many questions about individual responsibility in an increasingly complex world' * Exeunt Magazine *

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Book SynopsisJesse is paranoid and frightened, and it's messing up his relationship, his job, his son and his life. But Jesse has every reason to be frightened; he is increasingly feeling the sting of rising prejudice in every part of his life. Stephen Laughton's play One Jewish Boy explores key moments over an eight-year relationship between a nice Jewish boy from North London and the nice, not-so-Jewish woman with whom he falls in love. An urgent response to anti-Semitism, this bittersweet comedy focuses on one young family's struggle against prejudice, and asks if the fear of hatred could be worse than hate itself? It was first produced at the Old Red Lion Theatre, Islington, in 2018, before transferring to Trafalgar Studios in London's West End in 2020. This edition also includes the short play Three.Trade Review'Moving… shows how race, gender, class, culture, and, perhaps most importantly, fear, impact on the characters' lives' * The Stage *'Does what good theatre should do – it begs questions and provokes thought which linger in the mind long after... provocative, urgent and powerful' * Attitude Magazine *'The writing is sharp, with timely references to pop culture and millennial angst, with smartly-observed and funny discussions of white privilege, left-wing politics, Israel, and arguments over who had it worse... necessary viewing' * Everything Theatre *'Wonderful and brilliantly written' * Exeunt Magazine *

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Book SynopsisSarah gets spat at in the street. Frankie doesn't go to her lectures. In the aftermath of the accident that brought them together, neither expects to find solace in the other's company. Between hate mail and novelty teddy bears, the two women become something like friends. They want to punish themselves. They might save each other. Holly Robinson's debut play soft animals is a tender and unflinching story about motherhood, self-destruction and the way women help each other heal. It was shortlisted for the Tony Craze Award in 2017, and premiered at Soho Theatre, London, in February 2019.Trade Review'Packs a serious punch at every turn... Robinson has written a striking debut with a story which doesn't skip a beat' * A Younger Theatre *'A delicate debut play' * The Stage *

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Book SynopsisIt's 1972. An era of possibility and polyester and pubic hair. While Ziggy Stardust is on Top of the Pops, Penny is writing an essay on Lady Chatterley's Lover, Christine is watching Deep Throat and Brian is confused. Devised by The Wardrobe Ensemble, 1972: The Future of Sex incorporates the company's trademark theatricality, irreverent humour and ensemble ingenuity to tell the story of three couples having sex for the first time – and a country on the brink of a sexual awakening. Commissioned by Shoreditch Town Hall, the play was first seen there in 2014, before a UK tour in 2015, including performances at Bristol Old Vic and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It was revived at the Bristol Old Vic in 2019.Trade Review'[Has an] emotional underpinning that turns an entertaining romp full of spot-on period detail into something deeper and more poignant' * Guardian *'A witty, energetic and sympathetic celebration [of] adolescent sexuality' * The Stage *'Terrific work… Funny, true and a little bit heartbreaking' -- Lyn Gardner * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis‘Lock up your sons. And your daughters if the mood fits. Tonight we are getting destroyed.’ Nate's coming to the end of his career, Yaz hasn't the means to get herself one, and Josh's injury could finish his before it's even started. Today's been a bad day – and bad days need great nights out. But when things get out of control, someone might get hurt. A fast and wild ride into the darker side of our celebrity-obsessed culture, with three people who share a single goal: to lose themselves in the night. Written as intertwining monologues, Katherine Chandler's play Lose Yourself premiered at Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, in May 2019.Trade Review'A devastating night out... Katherine Chandler's potent new play about hedonism, violence and toxic bantz confounds expectations at every turn' * Guardian *'Tense and gripping exploration of aspiration, opportunity and celebrity' * The Stage *

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