Plays, playscripts, drama
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) Women Beware Women
Book SynopsisThomas Middleton (1570-1627) was an English dramatist, who excelled in both comedy and tragedy. Whilst his so-called 'city comedies' provide insight into 17th-century London life and manners, his tragedies are noted for their richly poetic verse, their emphasis on guilt and corruption, and their understanding of feminine psychology. He often worked in collaboration with other dramatists for the theatre owner Philip Henslowe, including Thomas Dekker and William Rowley. Middleton's works include A Trick to Catch the Old One (1604-05), A Chaste Maid in Cheapside (1619), the tragedy Women Beware Women (1621) and the political satire A Game of Chess (1624).Trade ReviewThomas Middleton's Jacobean drama spreads like a web around the the black- widow figure of Livia... it is clear that Livia's deviousness is a profoundly cynical response to the hipocrisy of a society in which women are powerless and men do as they please.' Sarah Hemming, Financial Times, 29.04.10 'Thomas Middleton's 17th- century study of self- survival and the destruction of innocence' Clare Allfree, Metro (London), 29.04.10 'A sardonic masterwork that admits one to the world of fuliginous cruelty.' Michael Billington, Guardian, 29.04.10 'Dark, decadent and immensely stylish, Women Beware Women makes you laugh even as you shiver.' Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph, 29.04.10 'A fiercely felt, finely wrought, seldom-seen play by one of Shakespeare's contemporaries.' Susannah Clapp, Obcerver, 02.05.10
£14.61
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) Epicoene or The Silent Woman
Book SynopsisThis text is part of the New Mermaids series of modern spelling, fully-annotated editions of English plays. Each volume includes a critical introduction, biography of the author, discussions of dates and sources, textual details, a bibliography and information about the staging of the play.
£12.28
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) The Recruiting Officer
Book SynopsisThe editor, Tiffany Stern, is Professor of Early Modern Drama at Oxford University. She is a General Editor of the New Mermaid Series, and is author of Rehearsal from Shakespeare to Sheridan (2000), Making Shakespeare (2004), Shakespeare in Parts (co-written with Simon Palfrey, 2007), and Documents of Performance in Early Modern England (2009).
£11.99
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) Major Barbara
Book SynopsisThe Editor, Nicholas Grene, is Professor of English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin. His books include Bernard Shaw: a Critical View, Shaw, Lady Gregory and the Abbey Theatre (co-edited with Dan H. Laurence), and The Politics of Irish Drama.
£11.67
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Saint Joan
Book SynopsisThe Editor, Jean Chothia, is a Fellow of Selwyn College and Reader in Drama and Theatre in the University of Cambridge. Her books include Forging a Language: A Study of the Plays of Eugene O'Neill; English Drama of the Early Modern Period, 1890-1940, and, as editor, The New Woman' and Other Emancipated Woman Plays.
£11.67
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) The Revengers Tragedy
Book SynopsisThe Editor, Brian Gibbons has been a General Editor of The New Mermaids since 1974 and also a General Editor of The New Cambridge Shakespeare since its inception. He is the author of many articles about English Drama, of two books, Jacobean City Comedy and Shakespeare and Multiplicity, and editor of editions in The New Mermaids as well as The Arden Shakespeare and The New Cambridge Shakespeare. Trade Review"How well our barbarous and sex-crazed times relate to the horrors and refined cruelties of Thomas Middleton's extraordinary Jacobean masterpiece...A drama that makes grim, poetic fun of lust-filled aristocrats and lesser folk up to plenty of bad, some of them steaming hot for sex, adultery, murder and revenge." Nicholas de Jongh, Evening Standard, 05.06.08 "There's a sardonic and even sadistic glee in his poetry and...a lot of dark, dangerous laughter to be found in the play." Benedict Nightingale, The Times, 06.06.08 "Middleton certainly had a sardonic eye for twisted and compromised morals...His poetry is a vibrant mix of the ornate and the blunt. His so-called tragedy boldly veers into morbid farce, sparking explosive laughter." Kate Bassett, Independent on Sunday, 08.06.08 "The Elizabethan and Jacobean revenge tragedies had more nasty killings and a higher body count than almost anything written by today's young pretenders, as well as a similarly steamy interest in perverse sex, too." Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph, 06.06.08 "[Middleton] is black-blooded, foul-mouthed, casual, uncaring - a pioneer of our common tongue, Ossuary English." Ian Shuttleworth, Financial Times, 10.06.08
£13.39
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Closer Student Editions
Book SynopsisCloser is a play which views love and sex like politics: its not what you say that matters, still less what you mean, but what you do.
£10.99
Manchester University Press Sejanus His Fall By Ben Jonson The Revels Plays
Book SynopsisThis new edition of Jonson's great Roman tragedy provides fresh information on the play, its author and the Jacobean text. The text is based on extensive collation of the 1605 and 161 version and takes the earlier version as "copy-text".Table of ContentsIntroduction1. The text2. Date, and place in Jonson's career3. Sources, influences and characterisation4. Sejanus and the Privy Council5. Critical assessment6. Jonson's way with Roman history7. Stage HistorySejanus
£999.99
Manchester University Press Staging the Old Faith Queen Henrietta Maria and
Book SynopsisExamines Caroline theatre as a space where the concerns of the English Roman Catholic community are staged. This title juxtaposes an analysis of Queen Henrietta Maria's performances which showcased to an elite audience her role as defender of English Catholics, against an exploration of how this community responded to such a startling vision.Trade Review‘In this energetically argued and imaginatively illustrated book Rebecca Bailey examines the interplay of religion, politics and theatre in the England of Charles I and Henrietta Maria. Her study explores in unprecedented depth and with rich archival contextualisation the ‘fears and hopes’ of the English recusant community following the arrival of the French Catholic queen consort.’Sophie Tomlinson, Literature & History, Vol. 19, No. 2 (October 2010)‘In six tightly argued chapters Bailey sets out the case for Henrietta Maria’s effectiveness, directly and indirectly, in pursuing her religious goals. While paying some attention to the Caroline masques, the main thrust of the argument is centred on plays […]no future discussion of Caroline drama, particularly that of Shirley and of the 1630s, should ignore this finely written and innovative study.’Kenneth Richards, University of Manchester, Theatre Research International, Vol. 35, No. 2 (July 2010)‘Rebecca Bailey’s reading of Henrietta Maria’s Catholic influence on Caroline public and court drama complements rather than contradicts earlier work on patronage, faction, and the intricate political negotiations refracted in the drama of the 1630s initiated by Martin Butler. At the same time, it extends the studies by Erica Veevers, Sophie Tomlinson, and Karen Britland of the Queen’s role in the Caroline court and the translation of its feminocentric culture into play and masque. One of the strengths of this work is Bailey’s detailed and nuanced exploration, through corres - pondence and reading matter, of the identities of the English Catholic community in the decades leading to the civil wars. As such, not only does Staging the Old Faith expand the range of meaning of Caroline drama, it offers the historian fresh in - sights into the religious dynamics of court culture.’Janet Clare, New Theatre Quarterly, Vol. 27, No. 3 (August 2011) -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction - Counter-Reformation politics and the Caroline stage1. The public discourse of religion in Stuart England2. James Shirley: the early texts, 1625-293. 'A case for conscience': Issues of allegiance and identity, 1630-334. William Davenant: the chimera of religious reunion, 1634-375. 'A broken time': The tempering of an international Catholicism, 1637-40Conclusion
£63.75
Manchester University Press The Family of Love
Book SynopsisThe Family of Love is a rumbustious citizen comedy. Delivering farcical twists on familiar dramatic situations, it offers a glimpse of spiritual freedom in paraperopandemical times.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTIONThe TextLording Barry: Playwright, Pirate, GentlemanThe ‘Moment’ of The Family of Love, 1605-1606 The Authorship DebateSources and IntertextsStaging and StagecraftThe Play Genre ‘I hope my body has no organs’ (3.2.25): Language and Style ‘Efficacy in carnal mixtures’ (3.2.45): Marriage and Sexuality The Death of MelancholyTHE FAMILY OF LOVEAPPENDICES A Marginal Annotations in The Familie of LoveB ‘ “Marstonian? ’ Features of The Family of Loveidentified by Charles Cathcart C Representations of the Family of Love in King James I, Basilicon Doron (1603) and John Rogers, The Displaying of an Horrible Sect (1578). INDEX
£81.00
Josef Weinberger Plays The Sleeping Beauty Play
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Josef Weinberger Plays Aladdin Pantomime Josef Weinberger Pantomimes
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Arizona Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies,US Henry IV Part 2
Book SynopsisThe two-part tale of King Henry IV, rewritten with new language for the twenty-first century. Shakespeare's two Henry IV plays follow the exploits of King Henry IV after usurping the crown from his cousin Richard II. Featuring some of Shakespeare's most recognizable characters such as Prince Hal and the roguish Sir John Falstaff, Henry IV, Part 1 delves into complicated questions of loyalty and kingship on and off the battlefield. Henry IV, Part 2 follows Prince Hal as he grapples with his eventual ascent to the throne and his increasingly strained relationship with Falstaff. As the king falls sick and Hal's ascent appears imminent, Hal's decisions hold significant implications for all those around him. Modernizing the language of the two plays, Yvette Nolan's translation carefully works at the seeds sown by Shakespearebringing to new life the characters and dramatic arcs of the original. These translations of Henry IV were written as part of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's PlTable of ContentsAct 1Act 2Act 3Act 4Act 5
£9.81
Arizona Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies,US Loves Labours Lost
Book SynopsisShakespeare's early comedy reimagined for modern audiences. Love's Labour's Lost is a wacky comedy of disguise and mischief, following the King of Navarre and his companions as they attempt to swear off the company of women. Focusing on bringing new life into the musicality of Shakespeare's language, Josh Wilder's translation of Love's Labour's Lost brings out the play's romp and sass for a contemporary audience. This translation of Love's Labour's Lost was written as part of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Play On! project, which commissioned new translations of thirty-nine Shakespeare plays. These translations present the work of The Bard in language accessible to modern audiences while never losing the beauty of Shakespeare's verse. Enlisting the talents of a diverse group of contemporary playwrights, screenwriters, and dramaturges from diverse backgrounds, this project reenvisions Shakespeare for the twenty-first century. These volumes make these works available for the firs
£9.81
Broadway Play Publishing Inc.,U.S. 70 Scenes Of Halloween
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Broadway Play Publishing The Great Filter
Book Synopsis
£10.40
University Press of the Pacific Teahouse A Play in Three Acts
£17.95
Aurora Metro Publications Lovers Dancing
Book Synopsis
£8.99
PBSK Partnership Hamlet The Undiscovered Country
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£12.74
Sa'id Salaam Presents Bad Cop 3 3
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£12.34
Colenso Books Karaghiozis Three Modern Greek Shadowplay
Book SynopsisThe scripts of three shadow-plays translated from recollections of mutliple performances in Greek withnessed by Theodore Stephaides in various places in the years 1920-1940. These playscripts are essentially recreations, complete with stage directions.
£9.75
Legare Street Press Le Barbier De Seville Ou La Precaution Inutile
Book Synopsis
£14.96
LEGARE STREET PR King Arthur
Book Synopsis
£11.35
LEGARE STREET PR Théâtre Complet Des Latins Comprenant Plaute
Book Synopsis
£35.96
Routledge Greek Tragedy Education and Theatre Practices in the UK Classics Ecology
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£999.99
Routledge Black Women Centre Stage
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Salamander Street Limited Going for Gold
Book SynopsisInspired by the true story of Frankie Lucas, a young black boxer navigating the vibrant yet challenging world of 1970s London.
£10.44
Melric Publishing A Kaleidoscope Of Love
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£12.99
John King Fall of the Angels
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£20.89
British Library, Historical Print Editions Eva OConnor a poem in three cantos by an author
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£14.24
British Library, Historical Print Editions The Pilgrims of the Sun a poem Superstition A
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£15.19
British Library, Historical Print Editions Nug A rhyming medley
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£13.29
British Library, Historical Print Editions Fragments in Prose and Verse
Book Synopsis
£17.09
British Library, Historical Print Editions The Wedding and Bedding or John Bull and his
Book Synopsis
£13.29
British Library, Historical Print Editions Ballads and sonnets
Book Synopsis
£17.99
British Library, Historical Print Editions The Comical Revenge or Love in a Tub etc
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£13.29
British Library, Historical Print Editions The Female Prelate being the history and the life
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£13.29
British Library, Historical Print Editions The Works of Alexander Pope Esq in nine volumes
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£18.04
British Library, Historical Print Editions The Virtuous Wife or Good Luck at last A comedy
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£13.29
British Library, Historical Print Editions The Dramatic and Poetical Works of Joanna Baillie
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£28.76
British Library, Historical Print Editions The slave a musical drama in three acts in prose
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£13.29
British Library, Historical Print Editions Symphonie symbolique Poems Illustrated by Stella
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£14.24
British Library, Historical Print Editions The Political Works in verse of C E S consisting
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£14.24
Forgotten Books A Woman Killed With Kindness Classic Reprint
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£11.62
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Contemporary Plays by African Women
Book SynopsisThis volume uniquely draws together seven contemporary plays by a selection of the finest African women writers and practitioners from across the continent, offering a rich and diverse portrait of identity, politics, culture, gender issues and society in contemporary Africa.Niqabi Ninja by Sara Shaarawi (Egypt) is set in Cairo during the chaotic time of the Egyptian uprising. Not That Woman by Tosin Jobi-Tume (Nigeria) addresses issues of violence against women in Nigeria and its attendant conspiracy of silence. The play advocates zero-tolerance for violence against women and urges women to bury shame and speak out rather than suffer in silence.I Want To Fly by Thembelihle Moyo (Zimbabwe) tells the story of an African girl who wants to be a pilot. It looks at how patriarchal society shapes the thinking of men regarding lobola (bride price), how women endure abusive men and the role society at large plays in these issues.Silent Voices Trade ReviewA rare treasure chest of dynamic and challenging new plays. For theatre practitioners, this book offers diverse works with opportunities for interesting staging and sharp direction. For female actors, there is a selection of strong, unique and complex lead roles … For scholars these works are a rich source of material for critical reflection and debate. * South African Theatre Journal *This volume is an important one for the voices of African women playwrights. The theatrical information it contains should be invaluable to directors, companies and festivals interested in producing the work it features. * Critical Stages *Table of ContentsNiqabi Ninja by Sara Shaarawi Bonganyi by Sophie Kwachuh Mempuh Unsettled by JC Niala Silent Voices by Adong Judith I Want To Fly by Thembelihle Moyo Mbuzemi by Koleka Putuma Not That Woman by Tosin Jobi-Tume
£24.69
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Labour of Love
Book SynopsisLabour MP David Lyons cares about modernisation and electability... his constituency agent, Jean Whittaker cares about principles and her community. Set away from the Westminster bubble in the party''s traditional northern heartlands, this is a clash of philosophy, culture and class against the backdrop of the Labour Party over 25 years, as it moves from Kinnock through Blair into Corbyn... and beyond?This razor-sharp political comedy from James Graham was produced by Michael Grandage Company and Headlong and received its world Premiere at the Noël Coward Theatre in September 2017.Trade ReviewIt is in fact startlingly funny, peppered with one-liners and jokes... -- What's On StageIn the last five years James Graham has established himself as British playwriting's prolific new wunderkind, and here he once again probes the thorny relationships that are the essence of political life. **** -- The Evening Standard...diligently researched and informative...in its brightest moments this nearly three-hour show is an inventive hybrid of Much Ado About Nothing, Yes Minister and Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along. -- The Evening Standard...unexpectedly proven to be box office gold. -- Time OutAt the age of 35, James Graham is currently Britain's busiest playwright. With his new play Labour of Love, he continues to stake his claim to be one of its very best. -- What's On StageAnd what makes this such a good and gripping piece of theatre is that it doesn’t preach us sermons about press ethics but leaves us to draw our own conclusions ...It strikes me as a first-rate play...**** * Ink review, Guardian *Graham is so good at this kind of thing, mining recent political and social history to create compelling theatre...**** * Ink review, The Stage *What's striking is just how coherent this up-to-the-minute response is. **** -- The Telegraph
£999.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime
Book SynopsisThis abridged edition is designed for schools and has been adapted for 10 actors playing all of the roles. With a running time of just 90 minutes it is suitable for performance in non-theatre spaces, with minimal technical requirements.The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time brings Mark Haddon''s best-selling novel to life on stage, adapted by two-time Olivier Award-winning playwright Simon Stephens. Winner of seven Olivier Awards including Best Play, along with the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League and Tony Awards for Best Play, this remarkable and exhilarating theatrical masterpiece originated at London''s Royal National Theatre in 2012 before going on to transfer to the West End for multiple seasons, followed by its acclaimed Broadway run. The play has now been seen on five continents around the world with major productions ranging from Mexico, Australia, Canada, Seoul and Japan. This brand new edition of the play has been abridged specifically with schTrade ReviewPlaywright Simon Stephens . . . not only frames the action, but also sets up a rich tension between fiction's invention and the obsession with facts, forensics and systemised data that is a symptom of Christopher's autism . . . this is a highly skilful adaptation -- Michael Billington * Guardian *A curiously successful case of a hit novel turned into a play . . . This is a profoundly moving play about adolescence, fractured families, mathematics, colours and lights -- Michael Coveney * Independent *This adaptation by the acclaimed playwright Simon Stephens is intensely, innately theatrical; it is also funny and extremely moving -- Laura Thompson * Daily Telegraph *Seeing an adaptation of a book that you have loved can inspire a certain nervousness but fans of A Curious Incident should have no such worry when going to see the National’s faithful and imaginative adaptation. It is a triumph, capturing the depth and touching nature of the original text and adding theatrical sensibilities to great effect. Highly recommended. * Londonist *As adaptations of much-loved fiction go, Simon Stephens' perky and imaginative version . . . is an instant classic * What's On Stage *Simon Stephens' clever adaptation of Mark Haddon's bestselling novel about a teenage boy with Asperger's syndrome is like a cute dog that leaps up and wants to lick you all over. There's no point in resisting – and there's no need ... The novel gets you inside Christopher's head, but the stage version does more, giving Christopher's internal response to the world an external manifestation -- Lyn Gardner * Guardian *This is a really superior stage adaptation. Instead of just transposing the book. Stephens has recreated it for the stage. . . It doesn't shirk the discomfort of being a child with special needs, but –as Christopher learns to believe in himself- it also quietly illustrates some of the excitement of living in your own world -- Aleks Sierz * Tribune *A bittersweet story told with verve and passion -- Siobhan Murphy * Metro *
£12.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Vespers
Book SynopsisHave you ever struggled to find the perfect monologue?Do you want to lose yourself in an unforgettable story?Do you want to betransported?Philip Ridley's The Vespers is a major work by a major writer. 100 original, self-contained monologues for actors (and readers) of all genders, all ages, and all levels of experience. Varying in length, style and structure from the surreally comic to the heartbreakingly tragic this is an essential toolkit for any actor (or anyone who enjoys a good story) with an introduction by Cath Badham, Lecturer in Performance at the University of Derby, UK.Trade ReviewThe Vespers is utterly amazing. Ridley’s writing is marvelously precise and constantly surprising in its twists and turns. At every point he manages to evoke ideas and feelings that are both thrilling and true. It’s a supreme achievement by the most innovative and exciting contemporary British writer, whose words dazzle, make you think of the unthinkable, and tune you into wild and wonderful emotions that seem to echo from beyond the text. Read and be transported. * Aleks Sierz *Ridley is delving into a sulphurous imagination for some of the most potent and indelible images you’re likely to find this side of sleep * Scotland on Sunday *Philip Ridley doesn’t write plays so much as dark hallucinations in which the world is skewed through his penetrating vision, so we look at it through new eyes * Guardian *Table of ContentsThe Vespers 1-100 Production Notes
£18.99
