Description

Book Synopsis

‘Who said smashing things up was a bad thing?’

Three strangers are about to face their demons head on. Balanced precariously on the tipping point, they might just be able to save one another – if they can only overcome their urge to self-destruct.

Passionate, painful and playful, Stef Smith’s Swallow takes a long, hard look at the extremes of everyday life. The play premiered at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, as part of the 2015 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it received a Scotsman Fringe First Award. It was directed by Traverse Artistic Director Orla O’Loughlin, and featured original music by LAWholt.



Trade Review

'An elegant and glowing piece of 21st-century magic realism… [a] rich mix of drama and poetry, comedy and tragedy'

* Scotsman *

'[A] bloody great bruise of a play which borrows, magpie-like, from Sarah Kane but which is always distinctively itself. It has a shard-like lyricism that tears through the heart. It finds the comic in the tragic... a shattering 80 minutes'

* Guardian *

'In a relatively short space of time Stef Smith has established herself as a remarkably diverse and elusive playwright… her most assured to date'

* The Times *

'Dazzlingly deft… there are so many reasons to love this piece… a must-see'

* Independent *

'Smith's script is dense with tense and memorable imagery… packed with powerful language'

* The Stage *

Swallow

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    £9.99

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    Order before 4pm tomorrow for delivery by Mon 6 Jul 2026.

    A Paperback / softback by Stef Smith

    1 in stock

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of Swallow by Stef Smith

      Publisher: Nick Hern Books
      Publication Date: 06/08/2015
      ISBN13: 9781848425064, 978-1848425064
      ISBN10: 1848425066
      Also in:
      Poetry

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      ‘Who said smashing things up was a bad thing?’

      Three strangers are about to face their demons head on. Balanced precariously on the tipping point, they might just be able to save one another – if they can only overcome their urge to self-destruct.

      Passionate, painful and playful, Stef Smith’s Swallow takes a long, hard look at the extremes of everyday life. The play premiered at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, as part of the 2015 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it received a Scotsman Fringe First Award. It was directed by Traverse Artistic Director Orla O’Loughlin, and featured original music by LAWholt.



      Trade Review

      'An elegant and glowing piece of 21st-century magic realism… [a] rich mix of drama and poetry, comedy and tragedy'

      * Scotsman *

      '[A] bloody great bruise of a play which borrows, magpie-like, from Sarah Kane but which is always distinctively itself. It has a shard-like lyricism that tears through the heart. It finds the comic in the tragic... a shattering 80 minutes'

      * Guardian *

      'In a relatively short space of time Stef Smith has established herself as a remarkably diverse and elusive playwright… her most assured to date'

      * The Times *

      'Dazzlingly deft… there are so many reasons to love this piece… a must-see'

      * Independent *

      'Smith's script is dense with tense and memorable imagery… packed with powerful language'

      * The Stage *

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