Poetry Books

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisHome Radio brings together 75 poems written between 2011 and 2020. These are weathered forms of attention: pocket songs and daybooks, odes and longer workouts, bitter little lyrics and sweet generalisations. It’s all staked on the seasonal, whatever the edge is, where poetry ends and history muscles in. For Fans of: Peter Gizzi, Barry MacSweeney, J. H. Prynne, Frank O'Hara

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Book SynopsisWritten daily throughout the UK's COVID-19 regulatory restrictions, Paul Cookson's new collection picks up directly from his first volume, Fighting Talk. These poems document the period of July to mid-October 2020 - from the pubs re-opening through to the introduction of the 'Three-Tier System'. Compassionate, humorous, political and principled, here is another extraordinary collection for extraordinary times and a continuing discourse on the mood of a nation. "Paul Cookson is on the ball with poetry and life in the here and now. These trying times need poets to help us find a compass. This book is a must." - Michael Rosen "Paul's poetry gives voice to all the things that scare us and all the things that lift us, and everything in between. When we look back at 2020/21 and think what was all that about? his work will help us to remember and to see how far we've come." - Rev. Kate Bottley "A sublime collection of instinctive and honest poems that will undoubtedly serve as a poignant and definitive record of a challenging, turbulent year." - Badly Drawn BoyTrade ReviewPraise for Volume One: "Paul manages to season his cogent observations of COVID-19 with a dash of humour that makes you want to dip in again and again." - Valerie Bloom; "Witty and wise, astute and acerbic." - Tony Walsh; "He's never going to let a worldwide pandemic curb his creativity. COVID-19 will give up before he does. This book takes you on a Corolla-Coaster of emotions, but don't worry - with Paul you are in safe and well washed hands." - Henry Normal. Praise for the author: "Every day should have a Paul Cookson moment." - Simon Mayo; "Simple, direct and poetic. Caring, compassionate and funny." - Ian McMillan; "Wordsmithery of the highest order and wittiest bent." - Mark Radcliffe.

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Book SynopsisThis is a collection about the land. This land. It’s about the politics of the UK, its identity and how it can be re-defined. It’s about the environment, social disquiet, anger, intolerance and the rise of righteousness. It’s about love and intimacy, exploring change and the passing of time. This is a collection which embraces hope and creates the future.Trade Review“Its scathing view on climate, politics and culture is unflinching, but written with care and compassion. A powerful, timely collection … a warning and a carrion call to us all.” – Michael Wilson, poet; “Tony’s words dance off the page and into your bloodstream, leaving you pulsing with anger, humanity and love. This unique and beautiful collection is essential reading.” – Charlotte Oliver, writer; “All true artists are outsiders and any of us can find ourselves feeling as though we are on the outside. Tony’s insightful poetry expresses both the delight and the uncertainty of that position.” – Neil Bell, actor; “These are poems that shouldn’t just be read. These are poems to be belted out, or chanted in unison with our loved ones at protests, or spray-painted on t-shirts for gigs. Read these so loudly you offend the neighbours.” – Geneviève L. Walsh, spoken word artist

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThere was a keen lover named ClaudeWhose technique with women was flawedAnd that's why, you seeHe had turned sixty-threeBy the time he had finally scoredThis book does what it says on the tin and more. It not only provides 366 original ribald rhymes, but with this armoury of new 21st century limericks, it also fights a rearguard action against the forces of political correctness, wokeness, unwarranted respect and decency.Ideal for Baby Boomers, A Leap Year in Limericks is not for the faint-hearted...

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Book SynopsisA Reddish Sky is a reflection of love lost, unrequited and fulfilled. Full of pain and joy, it is the reminisce of those we have found and loved, lost or left. Distant companions, some who seem to still appear daily in fine nuance and soul.Earth, in all its uniqueness, features as our ancient home with its priceless, endless diversity. A thin cloak of life so topical and newsworthy today and under such threat. It changes, it always changes, and it has been said that Eden can be lost in a moment. By looking to the past we can better understand our present. By projecting to the future we may feel and value what we have, to know and to savour, and thereby enhance our being.All of this began conception, for the author, in another era of park sunsets in Reddish Stockport, hence the symbolism. Come the day perhaps, when after knowing and experiencing these simple yet complex milestones of people and discovery we are reminded and se

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Book SynopsisA dinner party during the Second World War unites celebrated writers Agatha Christie, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker, Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas – with a mysterious guest. With copious booze flowing, acid-tongued barbs flying, and the threat of global conflict looming, the guests – and the world around them – are close to boiling point. Everyone has a confession. Someone has a secret. Set in the French Alps in 1940, Steven Carl McCasland’s Little Wars is an enthralling, entertaining and ultimately moving portrait of seven exceptional women – and a thrilling fiction based on truth. It was workshopped Off-Off-Broadway, first performed in 2015, and received an acclaimed digital premiere in 2020, featuring Linda Bassett, Sarah Solemani, Juliet Stevenson and Sophie Thompson. It provides glorious opportunities for an all-female cast to play some of the greatest literary figures of the twentieth century.Trade Review'A high concept play with a lightness of touch... the discussions about collective responsibility, individual action or inaction in the face of moral wrongdoing, and the question of whether to stay silent or speak out, are deeply resonant * Guardian *'The script is smart and witty... admirably bold and asks big questions' * The Stage *'Extraordinary and vibrant... a pertinent play about refuge, safety, hiding, women, survival and love' * BritishTheatre.com *

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Book Synopsis'We are here to make sense of it all.' From the everyday to the astonishing, and the ordinary to the miraculous, the Roman poet Ovid's stories of epic impossibilities explore the power of transformation, the resilience of humans, and the wonder of life. The myths of Metamorphoses have inspired generations of writers, including Shakespeare. Over two thousand years later, they are reimagined for our world by three leading British playwrights, and feature anarchy, shape-shifting and a burning chariot of fire. This entertaining and provocative new play, by Sami Ibrahim, Laura Lomas and Sabrina Mahfouz, was written for the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe, London. It was first performed by four actors in 2021, and directed by Globe Associate Artistic Director, Sean Holmes and Associate Artistic Director of Headlong, Holly Race Roughan.Trade Review'Gloriously fun... delves into the depths of the Greek gods' cruelties and the unfortunate humans who happened to get in their way... a gallivanting piece of storytelling... Many of the stories will be familiar, but no prior knowledge is required to enjoy it... these are eternal stories, beautifully and accessibly told' * Guardian *'Both a subversive and educational whistlestop tour of these canonical tales... storytelling in its purest form' * Whatsonstage *'Tales that predate #MeToo by millennia, but they are still potent and they are served up delightfully' * British Theatre Guide *'A real treat... fresh and sparky... it's brilliant: haunting, surprising, stirring, shared – and a lot of fun' * Time Out *

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Book SynopsisWhen Rob was twelve, they attempted a full-blown Disney parade in their house for their Grandma. As Rob donned wigs and played Mary Poppins, Ariel, Mickey Mouse and Belle, their Dad doubled as Stage Manager, Sound Technician and Goofy. Unfortunately, Dad missed all his cues and pushed all the floats in the wrong direction. Mum mistook Aladdin for Ursula. The costumes went awry. And Ariel's bubble gun didn't work properly. Grandma had a nice time, though. My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?) is the joyous, chaotic, autobiographical story of actor, writer and social-media sensation Rob Madge as they set out to recreate that parade – and this time, nobody, no, nobody is gonna rain on it. It was first performed at London's Turbine Theatre in June 2021, directed by Luke Sheppard, with music by Pippa Cleary – and starring Rob Madge as Rob Madge. It was a critical and commercial hit at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and later that year transferred to the Garrick Theatre in London, to make the West End that little bit more queer. The play won Best Off-West End Production at the 2022 WhatsOnStage Awards, the Theatre Award at the 2023 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards and was nominated for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play at the 2023 Olivier Awards. Rob Madge was joint winner of Best Creative West End Debut at the 2023 Stage Debut Awards. This revised edition features the complete text of the play as performed in Edinburgh and the West End, including links to and transcriptions of the video footage, colour photographs and extra bonus content from the RDM* Productions Archive. It concludes with an afterword by Mum and Dad about the joys to be found in championing the creativity of children – and why playing Tinker Bell, with a smile, might be the best thing you can do for your kids, and for yourselves. * Robert Dennis MadgeTrade Review'A gorgeous celebration of what it's like to grow up queer with a supportive family... It will have you laugh, shed a tear and make you remember the magic that once took place in your childhood living room' * Whatsonstage *'Richly comical and very moving... My Son's a Queer offers something for everyone. A coming-of-age gay narrative... A pop culture love-in for fairytale fanboy/girls and everyone in between... And, most compellingly of all, a cri de coeur for parenting that, rather than splicing children into preordained pinks and blues, embraces them in their infinite expressive variety' * Guardian *'An affectionate, uplifting story with a strong, surprisingly universal message about pride, self-esteem and acceptance... a hilarious and deeply moving love-letter to the parents who embraced [Madge's] choices from an early age and encouraged them to soar' * The Stage *'Magical... will leave even the dourest Disney-phobic pessimist having a Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah sort of day' * Reviews Hub *'A blast of daft joy... carnivalesque, fantastical, theatrical, over-the-top and down the other side with a splash' * TheatreCat *'Equal parts joyful and profound... a five-star production packed with heart' * Broadway World *

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Book SynopsisJohann Sebastian Bach, irascible and turbulent, writes music of sensuous delight and deep religious fervour. He's touchy, he's fabulously rude, he has impossibly high standards (he stabs a bassoonist for playing badly), and he's constantly in trouble with his patrons. Music is the family business – but the burden of their father's genius weighs heavily on his sons. Wilhelm is brilliant but self-destructive. Tense, industrious Carl is more successful than his father, but knows he is less talented. As the years pass, their rivalry provokes furious arguments about love, God and above all music. What is it for – to give pleasure, like a cup of coffee in the sun, or to reveal the divine order that gives life its meaning? Beautiful, profound and funny, Nina Raine's play Bach & Sons is a gripping family drama and an anthem to the art that draws us together and sings of our common humanity. It premiered at the Bridge Theatre, London, in June 2021, directed by Nicholas Hytner, with Simon Russell Beale playing J. S. Bach.Trade Review'Fascinating... volcanic stuff as sweary, sensual Bach is brought to life' * The Times *'[Bach is a] magnificent monster... a family drama filled with envy, greed, rage and lust' * Evening Standard *'Nina Raine's new play is typically sly, in the know and phenomenally eloquent' * Independent *'A bold play of ideas, but also an invitation to tears... stirring and unmissable' * Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis'On the way over I saw three vipers copulating… I know what you're thinking… monogamy is under threat.' 1943. Four months into the Nazi occupation of Tunisia. You're imprisoned in a labour camp. You're buried up to your neck in earth. You're dying of thirst, you miss your wife, and your best friend just pissed on your face. How could things possibly get any worse? Josh Azouz's Once Upon A Time in Nazi Occupied Tunisia is a brutally comic play about home and identity, marriage and survival, blood and feathers. It was first produced at the Almeida Theatre, London, in August 2021, directed by Eleanor Rhode.Trade Review'A brave, hilarious and singular play... something pretty special' * Time Out *'A lesser known side of Nazi history, delivered with nuance... the play keeps both its strains of humour and horror running side by side until the end' * Guardian *'A slow-burning absurdist thriller [with] precisely applied doses of bleak black humour' * The Stage *'Funny, dark, and entirely original... you never quite know which way [Azouz's] bold imagination is going to lead him' * Whatsonstage *

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Book SynopsisMeet Aurora and Orion: Sister and Brother. Constellations in time. More than blood. More than just fam. They look after each other in their small London flat, filled with the memories of their parents' Black Love. When that love is threatened, they must confront their own worst fears as they find their way back to each other and to what it means to love whilst Black. Black Love by Chinonyerem Odimba, with music by Ben and Max Ringham, is an explosion of form-busting storytelling, combining real-life stories, imagined worlds, and new songs inspired by an R&B heritage. It was premiered in July 2021 in Paines Plough's the Roundabout as a co-production between Paines Plough and Belgrade Theatre in association with tiata fahodzi, co-directed by Odimba and Katie Posner, as part of Coventry City of Culture 2021, before touring the UK. Black Love won Best Musical Theatre Bookwriting at the 2022 Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards.Trade Review'A refreshingly original piece of theatre, provocative but suffused with affection. It's a celebration and a cry of pain, and it's not like anything else currently on any London stage' * WhatsOnStage *'A lesson in the complexities of family relationships... manages to find humour even in the most uncomfortable of problematic comments... a powerful reminder of everyday Black existence... a beautiful ode to Black society and home' * Guardian *'A jubilant celebration of black culture and family ties that oozes wit and warmth... upfront and intimate: a gorgeous paean to black love... the show is a thing of beauty, playful and poetic, gliding between the spiritual and the raw, street-level daily reality... intensely moving and fiercely lovable' * iNews *'A powerful and very raw expression of the struggle to identify and understand what it means to be a Black family, and to share Black love together' * Musical Theatre Review *'A jubilant celebration of black affection and identity' * Evening Standard *'A true celebration of life and love' * Broadway World *

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Book Synopsis'I am the slave ship. Wrecked. Empty. I am a shark, livid with the desire for blood. I am the sea, boiling with fury.' On the set of a new film about Victorian artist J.M.W. Turner, young actress Lou is haunted by an unresolved history. Meanwhile, in 1840, Londoners Lucy and Thomas try to come to terms with the meaning of freedom. Moving between London past and present, Winsome Pinnock's astonishing play retells British history through the prism of the slave trade. Fusing fact with fiction, and the powerfully personal with the fiercely political, Rockets and Blue Lights asks who owns our past – and who has the right to tell its stories? Winner of the 2018 Alfred Fagon Award, the play opened at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, in 2020, directed by Miranda Cromwell. It transferred to the National Theatre, London, in 2021. 'Rockets and Blue Lights places at its center one of the nineteenth century's most famous paintings: J. M. W. Turner's "The Slave Ship". Moving between several sets of characters and ranging from the 1800s to the present, this intricately plotted drama compels us to confront the horrors of our shared past. It does so with compassion and wit, never once compromising Pinnock's vision of theater as the communal creation of new, stranger, and perhaps truer histories' Windham-Campbell Prize committee, on awarding Winsome Pinnock a Windham-Campbell Prize for Drama in 2022Trade Review'A swirling journey through the light and shade of black history' * Guardian *'A deep dive into the murky waters of the legacy of Britain's role in the slave trade... The rich depth of Pinnock's writing... It is an ugly truth, but, somehow, Winsome Pinnock has made it beautiful' * The Stage *'Ambitious and complex... beautifully held together by the poetry and quality of Pinnock's writing... an astonishingly beautiful and emotional coup de theatre... conjures the ghosts of the past and makes them powerful and engrossing in a theatre, here and now' * Whatsonstage *'Powerful, hard-hitting... urgent and important... also startlingly funny in parts' * Evening Standard *'Inspirationally ambitious and all-encompassingly humane... Bravo' * Independent *

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Book Synopsis'There is a war coming... A war that will last for a hundred years... I think it is already here. I think we've been fighting it a long time.' A young Jewish physicist and an activist poet meet at a party and fall in love. As society splinters around them, the couple's struggle to survive erupts into violence. Cordelia Lynn's play Love and Other Acts of Violence is a subversive and intimate love story about inheritance and the cycles of politics and history. It premiered at the Donmar Warehouse, London, in October 2021, directed by Elayce Ismail.Trade Review'Audaciously jagged... mesmerising moments' * Guardian *'Gripping' * Evening Standard *'Cordelia Lynn is a young playwright with a distinctive voice. She's serious, and poetic and comes at problems and ideas from unusual angles' * Whatsonstage *'A stunning piece of theatre... feels chillingly prescient' * British Theatre Guide *'Superbly written... a very powerful piece of drama' * London Theatre 1 *

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Book Synopsis'There were fish, And then there weren't fish, Simple as that' Nobody knows where the fish went, and nobody knows why the fish went – but ever since they did, things just haven't been the same. In a committee room on Capitol Hill, three senators have a job to do: they must question a man on charges of trading rare marine commodities, and they must find out what he knows. Politics and the planet collide in a fiercely original play about the limits of science, the power of myths, and the things we can't control. Marek Horn's Yellowfin was premiered at Southwark Playhouse, London, in October 2021, directed by Ed Madden.Trade Review'Horn's satirical take on the crisis in our seas is a reminder that we have little time to waste before the damage is irreversible. You'll never look at a tin of tuna in the same way again' * The Stage *'Shocking testimony from a world with empty oceans... With the same whip-smart dialogue as Horn's brilliant debut, Wild Swimming' * Guardian *'Sharp new satire... manages to find the balance of being both urgent and genuinely entertaining... the climactic moments are superbly well constructed, leading to a delicious denouement' * Whatsonstage *'Horn's language dips and soars... this is a playwright to watch' * Broadway World *'Darkly believable... the play wraps up to perfection' * Reviews Hub *

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Book SynopsisA time to learn. A time to rebel. A time to love. A time to burn. A group of teenagers – silenced and controlled by a censorious society – discovers a new world of feeling and freedom, with beautiful and devastating consequences. Inspired by German playwright Frank Wedekind's once-banned and groundbreaking play from 1891, Spring Awakening tells a story of adolescent anarchy, set to one of the best-loved musical scores of the twenty-first century. Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's musical opened in New York City in 2006, and London in 2009, and won eight Tony Awards and four Olivier Awards, including both prizes for Best New Musical. This new edition of the complete book and lyrics – the first to be published in the UK – features four pages of colour photographs and exclusive bonus material by writers Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, and members of the original Broadway and West End casts: Aneurin Barnard, Jonathan Groff, Evelyn Hoskins, Lea Michele and Iwan Rheon. It was published alongside the first London revival at the Almeida Theatre in 2021, directed by Rupert Goold, which won the 2022 Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical. Trade Review'Here it is at last, the answer to one's prayers - a new musical, bursting with ambition and achievement... It's a blast' * Telegraph *'An absolute must-see and by far the best new musical in London for ages' * Whatsonstage.com *'With a ravishing rock score by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, this brave new musical, haunting and electrifying by turns, restores the mystery, the thrill to that shattering transformation that stirs in all our souls, some time around the age of thirteen' * New York Times *'Once in a generation, if we're lucky, an unexpected new musical comes along and changes everything. That is the thrilling achievement of Spring Awakening' * New York Observer *'Filled with powerful and poetic intelligence! The awakening here is not just to sexuality but to musical storytelling' * New Yorker *'A show that bristles with rawness, vitality and urgency. Sater's book and lyrics seem to capture from within the uniquely teenage feeling that every emotion is the most tempestuous, frightening, passionate or exciting one ever experienced' * Variety *'Exquisite... a musical masterpiece... I was blown away by [it]... dark and sophisticated... feels raw and dangerous and honest in a way few musicals really are... pure poetry, a howl of adolescent rage that sings like an angel, a teenage riot that floors you with its beauty' * Time Out *'A tidal wave of surging adolescent hormones... feels powerfully current' * Evening Standard *'An explosion of anarchic energy and pent-up frustration... throbs with passion and ingenuity... thrilling' * iNews *'A triumph, a piercing beam of light into the way that the adult world simultaneously ignores and suppresses young people... the themes of the piece speak with loud contemporary clarity... devastating... punchy and lyrically expressive... a triumphant achievement' * Whatsonstage *'Probably the best thing I've seen this year: it moves me; it chokes me; it thrills me' * British Theatre Guide *

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Book SynopsisAn anthology of five of the best plays from VAULT Festival 2023, London's leading festival of live performance. Fanboy by Joe Sellman-Leava is a love-hate letter to pop culture and nostalgia. A five-star hit at the Edinburgh Fringe, it's the story of a thirty-something, self-confessed nerd – obsessed with Star Wars and Nintendo – asking why his generation can't let go of their childhoods. Five Years with the White Man by Eloka Obi and Saul Boyer is a startling account of satirist ABC Merriman-Labor – the greatest Black Briton ever to have been forgotten – whose dreams of becoming the greatest writer of his generation lead him on a defiant journey from Sierra Leone to Edwardian London. Honour-Bound by Zahra Jassi is a powerful solo show about family, anti-Blackness, and what we're willing to sacrifice for love. After Simran loses her friend to honour-based violence, she has to answer some life-changing questions: will she and her boyfriend be able to live safely ever after? How We Begin by Elisabeth Lewerenz is a tender exploration of love, queerness and identity. Helen and Diana are perfect for each other: they've both got good degrees, busy jobs and nice flats. There's just one small problem – Diana's got a boyfriend. I Fucked You in My Spaceship by Louis Emmitt-Stern is a razor-sharp comedy-drama about sex and relationships. Two couples each invite a stranger into their homes with the hope of sparking new life. Instead, they find themselves threatened by alienation, abduction and invasion... 'A major London festival... showcasing new and rising talent' Independent on VAULT Festival

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Book Synopsis'A working-class woman inside the walls of Westminster? If that is not espionage, I do not know what is.' Forever on the right side of history, but on the wrong side of life, Labour MP Ellen Wilkinson is caught between revolutionary and parliamentary politics as she fights for a better world. Battling to save Jewish refugees in Nazi Germany; campaigning for Britain to aid the fight against Franco's Fascists in Spain; leading two hundred workers in the Jarrow Crusade against unemployment and poverty... she pursues each cause with a passionate, reckless conviction. And yet – despite a life spent running into the likes of Albert Einstein and Ernest Hemingway, serving in Churchill's cabinet, having affairs with communist spies and government ministers – she still finds herself, somehow, on the outside looking in. Caroline Bird's play Red Ellen is the remarkable true story of an inspiring and brilliant woman. It was first produced by Northern Stage, Nottingham Playhouse and the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in 2022.Trade Review'An inspiring and remarkable new play... deeply compelling, often humorous and very moving... It will blow you away' * WhatsOnStage *'Not just a tribute to a pioneering woman, independent and sexually liberated, but also an analysis of the left's fraught struggle for equality. Red Ellen crackles with modern day resonances' * Guardian *'Often moving and not afraid to tackle big subjects, with humour and playfulness' * The Stage *'You'd go a long way to beat Caroline Bird's new play about the legendary North East politician and heroine of the Jarrow March, Ellen Wilkinson... It brings to life the flesh and blood of the woman, her strengths and foibles, her personal triumphs and disasters' * British Theatre Guide *'A three-dimensional portrait that is as believable as it is compelling... Funny, fiery and compassionate' * Reviews Hub *

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Book Synopsis'The world is stacked against women like me. But things are different now.' 1912. In an isolated house on the Sussex salt marshes, Connie Gifford lives with her father. Robbed of her childhood memories by a mysterious accident, she is haunted by fitful glimpses of her past – whilst her father has become a broken man, taking refuge in the bottle, since the closure of his once-legendary Museum of Avian Taxidermy. A strange woman has been seen in the graveyard – and a few miles away, two patients have, inexplicably, disappeared from the local asylum. As a major storm hits the coastline, old wounds are about to be opened as one woman, intent on revenge, attempts to liberate another from the horrifying crimes of the past. The Taxidermist's Daughter is a thrilling Gothic story of violence, retribution and justice, adapted for the stage by Kate Mosse from her own internationally best-selling novel, and first performed at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2022, directed by Róisín McBrinn. 'A superb, atmospheric thriller, its Gothic overtones commanding attention' Daily Mail on Kate Mosse's novel Trade Review'Mosse's adaptation of her blood-soaked novel delivers on chills' * Guardian *'Atmospheric and riveting... There are surprises and shocks at every turn' * British Theatre Guide *'Dark but thrilling' * Everything Theatre *

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Book Synopsis'They say Pericles caught democracy from you in bed.' Today, Socrates is revered as the founding father of Western philosophy. But in 399 BC Athens, he was a pain in the neck. The plague is over, democracy is (just about) restored, and everyone would like to get back to normal. How hard is it for one ageing firebrand to stop asking questions? It's time to shut him up... Based on eyewitness accounts, Howard Brenton's Cancelling Socrates is a provocative and witty play about an uncompromising voice in dangerous times. It was premiered at Jermyn Street Theatre, London, in June 2022, directed by the venue's Artistic Director Tom Littler.Trade Review'A fascinating chamber play, an inspired combination of ancient and modern, high-flown rhetoric and gutter speech' * The Times *'A sly, smartly written new play that explores the limits of free speech and moral absolutism' * The Stage *'A cerebrally comedic look at the cryptic personality of Socrates and his ironic, deftly challenging approach to the law and life itself... a gripping and surprisingly funny play' * Broadway World *'A rich play of ideas... Brenton's script combines the ancient and modern so well that everyday profanities sit next to talk of slaves (ever so subtly ironised) and big philosophical ideas to create sparky, bathetic moments... [there are] clear, clever parallels to today... arresting and fiercely intelligent' * Guardian *'Howard Brenton's [play] looks delightfully like Up Pompeii! and has plenty of smart things to say... a buzzy hive of intellectual activity, swarming with witty repartee... asking big questions about faith and existence, the individual and the state, with the lightest of touches... a resonant warning from antiquity' * Telegraph *'Smart and sparkily topical... a sharp interrogation of the dangers of easy certainties' * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisIt’s club night and the tracks are spinning. Set against a backdrop of precarious lives in urban London, two headliners crossfade between stories of love, sex, and losing their creative spark. Bangers follows the highs and lows of two strangers as they struggle with their own pasts, while hurtling towards each other’s futures. All the while, the DJ continues to play, dropping samples and words of wisdom. In the end, it’s not the last track that counts, but the one coming up next... Featuring original music inspired by early noughties and present-day R&B and Garage, Danusia Samal’s exhilarating play was first co-produced by Cardboard Citizens and Soho Theatre. It toured community venues across London, before a run at Soho Theatre, London, in 2022.Trade Review'A joyous party of a play... Galvanising and effortless, this is a must-see for music heads and non-music heads alike' * Guardian *'Samal is nothing short of a genius. Her writing is poetic, funny, lyrical and sharp. She cuts to the core of the most painful and exciting human experiences, dealing with love, sex, death, and all that comes with the struggle of being alive, with a deep kindness to the people whose stories she tells. Her writing is uplifting – it bubbles and fizzes, and the feeling she pours into it is infectious. You come away with a love of humanity and a grin on your face, humming the songs as you go.. a true masterpiece' * WhatsOnStage *'A fantastic night of lyrical and energetic storytelling' * The Stage *

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Book Synopsis'We all live under the same sky. It's just that, beneath that sky, there's some arsehole saying, "Don't stand here, stand over there and shut your mouth."' Elif shears sheep for a rich landowner. Every other waking hour she spends queuing outside the palace, hoping that the King will let her live within the city walls. She comes from a faraway land. She is searching for sanctuary. And this is what we call a 'hostile environment'. Sami Ibrahim's play A Sudden Violent Burst of Rain is a poetic fable about an impenetrable immigration system that mirrors our own. It premiered in Paines Plough's Roundabout in 2022, including a run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as a co-production between Paines Plough and Rose Theatre, Kingston, in association with the Gate Theatre, London.Trade Review'A stunning, devastating excoriation of the Home Office's hostile environment policy that never forgets the human lives at its core' * Observer *'A captivating story... powerful, heart-wrenching and mesmeric' * The Skinny *'Resonant, at once recognisable and heightened... a modern-day story of emigration [that] has no happily ever after certainty' * Guardian *'A slyly told story, one which is buoyantly playful and yet undercut with sadness... a lovely show and a sobering one' -- Lyn Gardner * Stagedoor *

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Book SynopsisFive insomniacs try to make it through the night. From dusk to dawn, they struggle with a crisis in their lives which they must resolve by morning. Increasingly conscious of their shortening futures and lengthening pasts, they fill their nights with distracting activities, desperate sleep techniques, evaluations of their lives, delusions, fears, panics and utter foolishness as they prepare to face the day. Five Characters in Search of a Good Night's Sleep was conceived in response to the current public-health crisis of insomnia, with 30% of the UK population suffering from some form of sleep disturbance. It was created through a series of workshops, and first produced by ViSiBLE Theatre Ensemble at Southwark Playhouse, London, in 2022, directed by acclaimed director Mike Alfreds. ViSiBLE is dedicated to creating performance work that throws fresh perspectives on later life and living longer. Their work is created collaboratively, drawing on the creativity and talent of Britain's huge wealth of experienced older actors. The play is a fascinating insight into a condition that is widely experienced but little understood, and will provide valuable material for other actors – especially older ones – to perform.Trade Review'A masterclass in monologue… an interesting piece of theatre that encourages you to consider the torment of insomnia' * Upper Circle *'The writing is beautifully candid… it's refreshing to see older characters portrayed in a multi-faceted way that explores existentialism and humanity rather than stereotyping and defining them by their age' * North West End UK *'A great example of storytelling, with five sound monologues' * London Theatre Reviews *

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Book SynopsisIn 1988, two Birmingham school friends tentatively come out to one another: Edward as gay; Peter, even more daringly, as an ABBA fan. Nearly thirty years later, they meet again – and take a chance by forming the world's first ABBA tribute band in drag. It's a riot of platform boots and dodgy beards, 'Waterloos' and 'Chiquititas', and they couldn't escape if they wanted to. But can Edward and Peter's friendship survive the tribulations of a life on the road? Ian Hallard's The Way Old Friends Do is a tender, laugh-out-loud comedy about devotion, desire and dancing queens. It premiered at Birmingham Rep in 2023, directed by Mark Gatiss, before touring the UK, including a run at Park Theatre, London. The play offers every theatre company and drama group all the ingredients to give their audience the time of its life.Trade Review'Camp, funny and jolly good fun' * Sunday Times *'A super-trouper of a show that reminds us all of the part music can play in our lives and our friendships... Hallard's script is keen-edged and perceptive, rapidly creating characters and imbuing them with life views that make the audience both laugh and feel a tinge of sadness' * WhatsOnStage *'Hilariously funny... a positive joy to watch from start to finish... bang on the Money, Money, Money' * Reviews Hub *'Side-splittingly funny... the easy comedy of the first act gives way to a dramatic series of genuinely surprising twists in the second ahead of a touchingly sentimental conclusion... a genuine love letter to ABBA with plenty for the die-hard enthusiasts to enjoy, but when all is said and done it is ultimately a story about enduring friendship' * Broadway World *'A gorgeously realised super trouper of a play that's well worth taking a chance on' * West End Best Friend *'A fun, frothy comedy with heart-stopping moments... incorrigibly entertaining... [Hallard is] a comic writer who brings big dollops of warmth to his work, and abounding joyfulness too. A must-see for Abba fans; fun and laughs for the rest of us' * Guardian *'Hilarious... you don't have to be an ABBA aficionado to enjoy it' * British Theatre Guide *'Wonderfully funny' * LondonTheatre1 *'A sweet, juicy, peach of a show that is physically impossible not to savour... a veritable goldmine of deliciously funny one-liners. But it also a touching, tender, and brilliantly executed meditation on the nature of enduring friendship, and of the challenges involved in coming out late in life... this show really is an awful lot of fun' * Reviews Hub *'Full of heart, and enough witty one-liners to lift the spirits, whether or not you're an ABBA fan' * The Stage *'Extremely endearing... a refreshing twist on the conventional rom-com... Hallard's real-life love of ABBA shines through in his script' * Time Out *'Abbasolutely a delight! Warm but a bit rude, affirmative but absurd, with sudden big laughs and many, many treasurable lines' * TheatreCat *

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Book SynopsisTwo powerful plays about the shattering impact of war, and the astonishing resilience of those living through it, written by two of Ukraine's leading playwrights. 'They've mobilised all the living now, the fifth call took the last of the living. But the war keeps on. So high command asked us.' Sasha, a Colonel in the Ukrainian Army, has died suddenly of a heart attack, leaving his relatives Katia and Oksana to mourn for him. But a year later, as war intensifies, the army has resorted to recruiting the dead. Sasha is anxious to be resurrected so he can rejoin the fight, but can his family bear to lose him all over again? Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha by Natal'ya Vorozhbit blends reality and the supernatural in a startling exploration of the effects of war and conflict. 'I want to report a robbery... I was robbed. What was stolen from me? Almost everything... Home, land, car, work, friends, city, faith in goodness...' Donbas, 2014. A nameless woman stands in the street, trying to sell a basket of kittens. She has lost everything else she holds dear. Her only remaining hope is to find a home for the kittens, since she cannot offer them one herself. Pussycat in Memory of Darkness by Neda Nezhdana is an unflinching examination of Russia's war on Ukraine through the brutalised eyes of one woman. The two plays were translated by Sasha Dugdale and John Farndon, respectively, and performed in English at the Finborough Theatre, London, as part of their #VoicesFromUkraine season in 2022. 10% of the proceeds from sales of this book will be donated to the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation, a Ukrainian charity providing urgently needed psychological and psychosocial support to children affected by the war in Ukraine.Trade Review'An extraordinary double bill of Ukrainian plays, which remind us of what is at stake in the conflict... Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha blends initially recognisable feelings of gut-wrenching grief, with the surreal sensation of what it must feel like to be at war. This is in part achieved through a beguiling magical-realist quality to Natal'ya Vorozhbit's writing. More than anything, though, this is a story of family and community, brought together by unbearable events... Pussycat in Memory of Darkness offers a potted recent history of Ukraine through the life of one nameless woman... extraordinary... a complex knot of emotion, moving from love and patriotism to pain and cynicism and, finally, overwhelmingly, to hate for her oppressors' * The Stage *'A masterful framing of a nation's tragedy... Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha is almost unbearably emotive... Vorozhbit's mix of naturalism and the supernatural, comedy and tragedy, works well... Neda Nezhdana's Pussycat in Memory of Darkness is an hour-long howl against the betrayals of Ukraine by Russia and Nato... A double bill that, for those unable to see it, also makes a revealing and affecting read in the paperback play-text' * Guardian *'Timely, enterprising, emotionally shattering, politically shaming' * TheatreCat *

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Book Synopsis'If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers also.' A series of random nocturnal assaults in the back streets and alleyways of Victorian London are spreading fear and panic. Meanwhile, the friends of a highly respected doctor are beginning to wonder why he goes missing on exactly the same nights… Neil Bartlett's inventive, brilliantly theatrical adaptation cuts right to the heart of Robert Louis Stevenson's darkly fascinating tale of male violence, guilt and privilege. It premiered at Derby Theatre in 2022, directed by Artistic Director Sarah Brigham, before transferring to Queen's Theatre Hornchurch. Written for an ensemble and with several key roles for women, this adaptation will appeal to any theatre or company looking to thrill their audiences with a bold new take on this classic tale of murder and mayhem.Trade Review'Satisfyingly creepy... Neil Bartlett's adaptation is a bold one, emphasising themes of male power and privilege... it's eerily engaging' * The Stage *'Lays bare the rot at the heart of a beastly boys' club... this is a Jekyll and Hyde with all the Victorian creepiness you'd expect, but it is also a bitter commentary on the "slow cancer of disgrace" that eats away at a closed male society' * Guardian *'A clever interpretation... eerily sinister... retains some of Stevenson's classic lines and speaks to a contemporary audience... admirably succeeds on a number of levels' * British Theatre Guide *

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Book SynopsisJohn Gabriel Borkman, once an illustrious entrepreneur, has been brought low by a prison sentence for fraud. As he paces alone in an upstairs room, bankrupt and disgraced, he is obsessed by dreams of his comeback. Downstairs, his estranged wife plots the restoration of the family name. When her sister arrives unannounced, she triggers a desperate showdown with the past. Henrik Ibsen's most contemporary play and his penultimate, John Gabriel Borkman is gripping, penetrating and savagely funny. This version by Lucinda Coxon premiered at the Bridge Theatre, London, in September 2022, directed by Nicholas Hytner, with a cast led by Clare Higgins, Simon Russell Beale and Lia Williams.Trade Review'A staggering, dark portrayal of family dynamics that have been warped by misplaced values and the denial of love... full of difficult emotions and fierce feeling' * WhatsOnStage *'Weird, funny, bleak... a blackly humorous piquancy... [the play] has a whipsmart humour and wonderful momentum to it: a depiction of frozen lives finally experiencing one last calamitous thaw before the end of their days' * Time Out *'Riveting... a penetrating character study of highly flammable, alpha masculinity' * Guardian *'One of Henrik Ibsen's richest plays, full of penetrating sounds and images – and of writing that vaults... a remarkable study of a charismatic personality' * Observer *'Astonishing... the most dramatic passion we've seen on stage all year... Never a false note... shockingly funny... devastating one-liners... holds you riveted' * TheatreCat *

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Book SynopsisFrantic Assembly's electrifying take on Shakespeare's tragedy of paranoia, sex and murder, firmly rooted in a volatile twenty-first century. In a world of broken glass and shattered promises, of poisonous manipulation and explosive violence, Othello's passionate affair with Desdemona becomes the catalyst for jealousy, betrayal, revenge and the darkest intents. As relevant today as it ever was, Othello exposes the tension, fear and paranoia buried beneath the veneer of our relationships and how easily that can be maliciously exploited. Frantic Assembly's touring production was first performed in 2008, with revivals in 2014 and 2022. This edition of Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett's muscular, radically adapted text also features articles and interviews about the production and Frantic Assembly's revolutionary work.Trade Review'Frantic Assembly breathe new life into Shakespeare's tale... in Scott Graham's pulse-racing production' * Time Out *'A fierce reimagining of Shakespeare's tragedy' * The Times *'Pulsating... hurls Othello well and truly into our times' * Independent *'There is nothing polite about Frantic Assembly's Othello. No prettified classic, it is vulgar, tough and fractious... brings out the primal passions in Shakespeare's play... it is urgent, abrasive and thrilling' * Guardian *'Exhilarating... explodes into life... The visual storytelling is sharp and contemporary without ever losing the essence of the story itself... an adaptation done right... an excellent introduction to Shakespeare' * Reviews Hub *

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Book Synopsis'I know it's difficult. You've obviously been a good friend to her but it's time to let us take over now.' Es and Flo fell fiercely in love in the eighties. They've been living as secret lovers ever since. As Es becomes more forgetful around their home, an unexpected carer arrives. Who sent this woman? Why? And can they trust her? As the outside world comes crashing in, Flo fights to protect the life they've built together over forty years behind closed doors. And faces the hardest battle of her life – to hold on to the woman she loves. Jennifer Lunn's play Es & Flo is a sharply observed, deeply compassionate drama, coloured with memories of the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp. It celebrates an older lesbian relationship, women coming together to fight for what's right, and the healing power of chosen family. The play was produced by Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, and opened there in 2023 before moving to Kiln Theatre, London, directed by Susie McKenna. It won the Popcorn Group Writing Award and the Nancy Dean Lesbian Playwriting Award.Trade Review'A deeply moving play about love and dementia... poignant, with a finely honed script... brimming with nuance, sentiment and pathos' * The Stage *'A tender portrait of a woman caring for her love, in sickness and in health... Es & Flo has heart and soul... the characters are so charming and funny, and their dedication to each other so complete, that joy and affection seep through at every turn' * Guardian *'A ray of sunshine... a moving dementia drama that left me in happy tears' * The Times *'Tender and moving... sharply observed... captivating and truly powerful' * Queer Review *'Moving and authentic... emotionally piercing... written with refreshing expertise... a rich and rare tale of two women sharing their lives' * Time Out *'A tender drama by an accomplished playwright... packs emotional punch... a deeply moving love story' * WhatsOnStage *'A complex, glorious celebration of senior queer women... tender and multifaceted... written with storytelling verve' * Broadway World *'Warm, funny and full of love' * Reviews Hub *'A beautiful lesbian love story, and a heartbreaking picture of the onset of dementia... not only moving but often touchingly funny' * British Theatre Guide *

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Book SynopsisAfter the breakout success of his early work for stage and screen, Jack Thorne turned for inspiration to his own family for a series of plays about hope, idealism and domestic politics. The work in this collection – five full-length plays and two shorts – showcases his extraordinary ability to combine electrifying dialogue with heartfelt warmth, candour and humour. Hope (Royal Court Theatre, 2014) is a funny and scathing fable about the leaders of a local council faced with savage funding cuts. 'A surprisingly entertaining state-of-the-nation drama' The Stage The Solid Life of Sugar Water (Graeae/Theatre Royal Plymouth, 2015) is an intimate, tender play about loss, hurt and rediscovery. 'Startlingly good... an adult play in the very best sense' The Times Junkyard (Headlong, 2017) is a joyful celebration of imaginative play, a musical drama about a group of young people tasked with building a playground out of junk. 'Genuinely funny and poignant' WhatsOnStage the end of history... (Royal Court, 2019) is a moving and sophisticated portrait of the impact of political idealism on a family. 'Clever and highly intriguing' Independent Also included are Burying Your Brother in the Pavement, written for the National Theatre Connections Festival in 2008, which tackles complex themes of grief, violence and sexuality with fierce compassion and wild imagination; and two short plays: Whiff Whaff and Boo. 'I think these plays are about love, about heroes, about trying to understand how to be heroic, about trying to understand how to lead a good life' Jack Thorne, from his Introduction 'Jack Thorne is Britain's hottest playwright and screenwriter' The Times 'Jack Thorne never ceases to stimulate and entertain' Evening Standard 'Thorne is a writer of immense emotional intelligence and his dialogue regularly devastates' The Stage

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Book Synopsis'Where's Robin? Where's Robin? Where's Robin?' In a cottage by the sea, four women live in a house made for five. Meals are prepared, stories are shared and the waves break on the shore. When only one of their two expected guests arrives for the summer, life is about to change for all of them... Cordelia Lynn's Sea Creatures is a haunting play about grief, loss and the power of storytelling. It opened at Hampstead Theatre, London, in March 2023, directed by James Macdonald. Trade Review'Bewitching and otherworldly... a languid meditation on grief, resilience, and the primal forces of creation and destruction' * The Stage *'A rough jewel of a play... an audacious study of family grief and love' * Guardian *'Deeply evocative' * Time Out *'Raw and gripping' * The Upcoming *'Wildly atmospheric and intriguing... leans into fables of the sea and eerie archetypes with powerful poetry... hypnotic, funny and thought-provoking – an exciting new play' * LondonTheatre1 *'Adventurous, witty and given wings by wonderful sights and sounds... marvellous' * Observer *

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Book Synopsis'If you can cook, if you know flavour and taste and texture, people will pay you to do it. People always need to eat. Always.' They don't seem an obvious match. Joanne is spiky, defensive, a survivor; Paul is quiet, considered – and hiding profound grief for his father. But the pleasure he takes in cooking – and the astonishing food he prepares – creates a bond between them. When the hotel where they both work closes and they start to spiral into poverty, it throws everything up in the air – first their plans for a cookbook and a restaurant, and, eventually, even their dreams of a future together... Gareth Farr's play Biscuits for Breakfast is a tender, heartfelt drama about families – the ones we inherit and the ones we create – and the struggle to survive when times get tough. It opened at Hampstead Theatre, London, in 2023, directed by Tessa Walker.Trade Review'Sparks fly in a foodie love story... Gareth Farr's two-hander has energy and passion and fire' * The Times *'Powerful... a stirring two-hander about love of food and lack of food' * The Stage *'Compassionate and heartbreaking' * WhatsOnStage *'A deeply touching, yet defiantly unromantic relationship drama... paints a picture of a society in which ambitions are thwarted and ordinary working people are driven into poverty... Everything about Farr's play rings true and it should serve as a wake up call to anyone who is prone to taking comfortable lifestyles for granted' * Reviews Hub *'Stunning... an indelible experience that drips with raw emotion' * The Upcoming *'Very powerful... a vibrant, caustic explosive two-hander that takes no prisoners... a thoroughly entertaining and deeply moving show' * LondonTheatre1 *

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