Search results for ""aurora metro publications""

When Rosa, an impoverished Filipina domestic worker, finds herself enslaved in London, she is desperate to escape her servitude - her faith and love of Karaoke dancing can only sustain her so far. After two futile attempts, with the help of fellow Filipina Angel, she finds freedom at last, only to be trapped once more within the UK immigration system as an illegal immigrant. Written by Carolyn Lloyd Davies with Franchezka Cunanan, 'Can't See For Looking', opens on 18 October, Anti-Slavery Day, at the Cockpit Theatre and runs until 4 November. This fast-moving and shocking drama is based on extensive interviews with five Filipina domestic workers rescued in London from modern slavery. The play is inspired by these true stories and not only highlights the prevalence of hidden slavery in a village, town or city near you, but also how reluctant we are to report it, because of what it would cost us to confront our neighbours, employers or friends with such uncomfortable truths.

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Acclaimed one-woman play with music that weaves the life and writing of Virginia Woolf with songs by British women composers who were Woolf's contemporaries. It reveals Virginia's troubled childhood, her views on literature, the Bloomsbury group and the challenges women artists face.

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A grime-theatre mash-up. Too black for my white friends, but too white for my Black friends. Growing up mixed race in Newport, I fell into a cloud of grey. Absent Black father, ducking the police, working out what it means to be a man. I was struggling to find my place in the world and in danger of spiralling out of control. Then one moment changed my life. Created from grime culture and inspired by Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, Skepta and Kano, The Making of a Monster is Connor's story. Reviews: "Connor Allen's startling grime-theatre mash-up is as emotionally raw as it is playful and imaginative" - The Stage "Honest...funny and tender" - South Wales Life "Astoundingly raw" - Wales Theatre Review "One of the best things I've watched all year" - Aleighcia Scott, singer "Connor is not only annoyingly talented. He is the thing that most writers try and fail to be: Absolutely genuine." - Bryony Kimmings, performance artist "Connor Allen is one of the most generous, gracious souls I've ever been lucky enough to meet. The story of how he came through tough times to become the man he is today will be an inspiration to ever" - Gary Owen, writer

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To celebrate Aurora Metro's 30th anniversary as an independent publisher, 20% of profits will to go to the Virginia Woolf statue campaign in the UK. This is a revised edition of the publisher's inaugural publication in 1990, which won the Pandora Award from Women-in-Publishing. Inspirational in its original format, this new edition features poems, stories, essays and interviews with over 30 women writers, both emerging authors and luminaries of contemporary literature such as: A.S. BYATT, KIT DE WAAL, CAROL ANN DUFFY, PHILIPPA GREGORY, JACKIE KAY, MADELINE THIEN, CLARE TOMALIN, SARAH WATERS, and the great-niece of Virginia Woolf herself, EMMA WOOLF. Together with the original writing workshops plus black and white illustrations from women illustrators. Guest editor Ann Sandham has compiled the new collection.

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To coincide with a performance at Tara Theatre in March 2018 • Asian play set in post-war Korea • Deals with child sexual abuse • WINNER of the ‘City of Melbourne Award for Original Play’ Production History The Prodigal Daughter of Korea was the recipient of the City of Melbourne Writer’s Grant for best original play, the original production at Trades Hall theatres in Melbourne received strong reviews. Due to public demand, it transferred to Chapel off Chapel for a further run. The play then travelled to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the full thirty days, gaining further praise and broad attendance. The text was then fully revised and is published here for the first time.

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A thought-provoking quest to find a singular voice. The genocide in Rwanda shocked the world. Back then, Ery Nzaramba was only a teenager and his family's escape to Europe turned him into a "survivor". How should he now respond to questions about who he is and where he comes from? In this autobiographical one-man play, performed to acclaim on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the author journeys back to his Rwandan childhood. With the help of a cassette player, he brings to life nearly a dozen characters, exploring memories of kinship, cultural attitudes and personal identity. Both funny and poignant, the play highlights not only the intolerance that can breed violence and war but also the importance of power and privilege in the struggle for survival.

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Stage adaptation of the classic tale with songs and original music by Conor Mitchell. In this theatrical version of the much-loved tale, we follow Mowgli, the boy-cub, as he meets Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther and fights the terrifying tiger Shere Khan. After life in the jungle, can Mowgli ever return to his village?

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Artists, painters, writers and discerning travellers from royalty to rock stars have long been attracted by the region’s bright light, perfect climate and joie de vivre. Take the road less travelled as you find out more about the extraordinary range of places and people who’ve found inspiration in the mountains and valleys, rocky coves and verdant islands.

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The quality and range of Theatre for Children and Young People in the UK is one of our greatest cultural assets. This essential book provides the first ever guide to the wealth of talent and creativity displayed by over 150 professional companies involved in theatre for young audiences.

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Takes the art of acquiring the freebie to a whole new level of absurdity. Rejoice as the customer service departments of multinational corporations are fed ridiculous stories to make them part with T-shirts or other logo-bearing bounty. Whether he’s playing the system or just playing games, James Spence demonstrates his comic genius via his uniquely entertaining emails.

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The astonishing women involved in the Actresses Franchise League set up their own theatre companies and engaged with the battle for the vote by writing and performing campaigning plays all over the country. They launched themselves onto the political stage with their satirical plays, sketches and monologues whilst at the same time challenging the staid conventions of the Edwardian Theatre of the day. The legacy of their inspiring work to change both theatre and society has survived in the political theatre, agitprop and verbatim theatre we know today. Introduced and set in an historical context by Dr Susan Croft together with a chronology of suffrage drama.

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Now Kathryn Bigelow has made history as the first woman to win an Oscar for directing, is this a new era for women filmmakers? The figures suggest otherwise. Seeking to redress the imbalance between male and female film directors, Celluloid Ceiling explores inspiring new work appearing in the USA, the UK and globally. Highlighting emerging women directors alongside ground-breaking pioneers, this is a one-stop guide to the leading women film directors in the 21st century and those who inspired them. From Oscar-winning action director Kathryn Bigelow to emerging strong voices from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Laos, particular attention is paid to women making films in traditionally male-dominated areas such as action, sci-fi and fantasy and to works with a new take on the violence and pornography of the horror genre. This book shows that the changes overturning current business and artistic processes are opening up new opportunities for women film directors who are determined make the most of these. The contributors represent women making film Africa, Latin America, Europe, USA, Asia and India, with new voices in Japanese and Middle Eastern cinema, the women directors working in TV, as well as the first woman director Alice Guy Blache, the rise of the independent and the horror aficionados the Soska Sisters, Celluloid Ceiling includes numerous interviews and b/w photographs.

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These powerful, contemporary monologues share the courage, conflicts and joys of characters facing difficult decisions. Developed through consultation with young people, they offer a range of authentic, memorable voices to stimulate discussion and participatory drama work.

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A taut political drama that asks questions about identity, faith and compassion in a society waging a war against terror. • Tony, a policeman, wishes he could turn the clock back. • Jack knows that what’s done is done. • Parvez, a young Asian man, can’t believe that Sara is back from beyond, and this time she seems to have all the answers. How do we live today?

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Inspired by the experiences of refugees in the UK, and set in a refugee centre in London, I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Given To Me by a Young Lady from Rwanda, is a funny and moving story about the bittersweet relationship between a I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document.... (Production shot; Finborough Theatre) young Rwandan woman and a British poet as he tries to help her write her story. Juliette is a young Rwandan asylum seeker, determined to write a book on the genocide that killed her family; Simon is a poet whose job is to help people write. I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document... was a Time Out Critics' Choice and was broadcast by BBC World Service as well as touring nationally and internationally. Following a London run and National UK tour, the play received its American premiere at Kansas City Rep in March 2005 and has subsequently gone on to receive more than 30 productions across the US.

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Winner of the Writers' Guild Best Children's Play Award. Holly has to spend New Year with the grumpiest pair of farmers who ever ploughed a field. Luckily, she meets a faery called Tom, whose magic and mischief brighten up her days and transform her stay into a real adventure.

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Shortlisted for the Saga Award for Wit. A darkly satirical vision of a society in which a political party conspires to stay in power at all costs . Grace Fry, bold and beautiful Minister for Women, discovers a plot to suppress the truth by means of spin, murder and manipulation. And what is going on right under her nose in her own constituency? With her own life in danger, will she dare to speak out or be seduced by the promise of a post at the top table?

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Ryan has just got his licence. He's in the car with his mates. Tara likes to go running. She's on her way back home. Neither of them is paying much attention... The harrowing accident that follows impacts many lives. A moving and compelling story of recovery, told by one of New Zealand's foremost children's writers.

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Filmed as Kadosh by Amos Gitai; Selected for the Cannes Film Festival Sacred is the moving love story of a young woman, living in the ultra-orthodox community in Jerusalem. Spurned by her community for failing to conceive a child in ten years of marriage, her husband is forced by custom to reject her. Should she tell the truth about his infertility - or watch while her husband, the son of the Rabbi, marries another?

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Featuring five plays by Dutch women writers (Hella Haasse, Matin Van Veldhuizenm, Suzanne Van Lohuizen, Inez Van Dullemen and Judith Herzberg) this play collection showcases the best plays by women writing in the Netherlands at the time of publication. The Plays A Thread in the Dark by Hella Haasse: This is a profound retelling of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, from the viewpoint of Ariadne. Winner of the Visser Neerlandia prize. “[W]e cannot rephrase it for you. If we Could, why would we trouble to show you the myth?” Eat by Matin Van Veldhuizen: A darkly comic exploration of the lives of three sisters who come together to eat, drink and celebrate the anniversary of their mother's death. Dossier: Ronald Akkerman by Suzanne Van Lohuizen: A two-hander, detailing moments between a patient suffering from AIDS and his nurse. “...the moving story of a relationship between a young man in the final stages of AIDS and his nurse, Dossier: Ronald Akkerman ... tackles the epidemic full-on.” Gay Times Write Me in the Sand by Inez Van Dullemen: A poetic portrayal of a family where layer upon layer is removed to reveal the painful secrets within. The Caracal by Judith Herzberg: A comic one-woman show about a teacher whose complicated love life is revealed through fragmentary telephone conversations.

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Winner of the 4th Virginia Prize for Fiction • A thought-provoking new novel from Dipika Mukherjee, Virginia Prize for Fiction winner, Aurora Metro Books' biennial prize to encourage and promote new writing by women. • Mukherjee's debut novel was long-listed for the Man Asian Literary Prize (2011) and republished as Ode to Broken Things (Repeater, 2016).

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This collection features four new plays about war, tyranny and discrimination by Eastern and Central European writers. Includes the plays The Body of a Woman as a battlefield in the Bosnian war by Matei Visniec, Cordon by Nebojsa Romcevic, When I want to whistle, I whistle... by Andreea Vălean, Soap Opera by György Spiró The title of this volume alludes to the history of political double-dealing in a troubled region within southern Europe, surrounded by the Adriatic, Aegean and Black Seas. G.B. Shaw wrote Arms and The Man about a small Balkan plot in the 19th century. It's in this tradition, rather than in a geographical sense that we use the title Balkan Plots. The plays in this volume are dramatic works which have emerged from, or which take as their subject matter, the struggle of individuals within societies affected by recent political upheaval. The writers explore aspects of freedom and rebellion, ethnicity and discrimination, loyalty and betrayal in situations where conventional attitudes and beliefs are severely tested. In some plays, the conflict is between traditional socialist attitudes and western capitalism. In others, the values and beliefs of the younger generation collide with and challenge those of the older generation. Within each of the plays, the way in which the personal and the political interacts, is very much in evidence.

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A unique and essential guide to Media Labs. Gives advice on where they are, what they offer and how to apply. Includes history and discussion of Media Labs and how they will play a key part in the digital world of the future for both film and games development.

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Breathless is a funny, honest and stylish exploration of the knife-edge of hoarding, from the joy of purchasing new fashion, to the addiction and suffocating shame of having way too many clothes. What happens when the things we covet, hide us from ourselves? Opening up to new experiences in her late-thirties, Sophie is exploring long-repressed sides of herself. When a secret she's keeping from those she loves, and even from herself, threatens to unravel it all, she has to make a choice. Who or what will she decide to give up?

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"I have lived with these trees and watched them grow. You have been away from here for too long, you don't see it. Or you have simply forgotten..." Responding to a call-out, a repairman finds himself inexplicably drawn to an old woman and her house in the woods. At first it seems like a simple fix, but as a storm starts to close in, he is forced to confront the ghosts from his past. A tale of guilt and childhood memory - can we ever really mend what is already broken?

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When Adi leaves his village in Indonesia to take up an art scholarship in Australia, he arrives in the bewildering Sydney art world, determined to succeed. Following his first solo exhibition at a notable art gallery, Adi dares to reveal his true feelings for his outgoing friend, Lisa, and a passionate relationship unfolds. But will their differing expectations of one another drive them apart? This is a deeply felt love story between people -- of different nations, cultures and religions -- and the unseen impact of local and global events on individual lives.

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Original by Arthur Ransome Adapted by Nick Wood Father is away and mother brings Roger, John, Susan and Titty to stay at Pin Mill where they can spend the summer messing about in boats. Their adventure begins when they go out with Jim on his boat Goblin. But disaster strikes when the boat is becalmed and Jim goes ashore to fetch petrol. Fog descends over the Harwich estuary and, as the tide turns, the boat begins to drift away ...

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• A play about the increasing influence of pornography on the sex lives of teens. • From Laid Bare Theatre, who explore the social and political issues that affect everyday lives. • The result of a two-year workshop series with young people.

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What is Counterculture? – It’s an alternative lifestyle... – The ideas that spark a revolution... – A movement that changes the world... This new collection of essays celebrates the incredible originality of British post-war culture. British art, film, theatre, dance, literature and music have attracted international recognition, from the Angry Young Men to the Sex Pistols to Grayson Perry. Now gaming, the internet and social media enable creative communities to flourish and either fight for social justice – or just be entertained. Can we find the creative inspiration to succeed in a postcapitalist future?

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Sleeping Beauty | Cinderella | Beauty and the Beast Three sparkling adaptations of classic fairytales. Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast: three timeless tales retold for the stage by one of the UK's most renowned writers of plays for children, Charles Way. Winner of the Writers Guild Best Children's Play Award, Way's plays appeal to audiences of all ages, are translated into several languages and performed internationally. Each of the three plays explores the journey from childhood to adulthood, but each takes a specific angle. These are plays which know no boundaries, are great fun to produce, and at the same time, are utterly serious.

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A satire on the export trade in live organs from the Third World to the West. Om is driven by poverty to sell his body parts for cash. Guards arrive to make his home into a germ-free zone. Jeetu, his brother returns unexpectedly and is taken away as the donor. Om can't accept this, so he follows his brother. Jaya, his wife is left alone. Will she too be seduced into selling her body for use by the rich westerners? Winner of the Onassis International Play Competition. Broadcast on the BBC World Service and now a feature film.

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This collection of award-winning plays features works from the cutting edge of Central and Eastern European theatre. With a foreword by Gerald Lidstone, Eastern Promise brings together seven women writers who have all experienced living at a time when their countries were part of a larger political entity. For Gabriela Preissova, it was the Austro-Hungarian Empire, for the others, the soviet bloc. Some of the moral and political dilemmas their characters face range from the killing of a child, to the betrayal of a comrade, to reinventing oneself as a way of living in exile. Includes the plays: Belgrade Trilogy, The Tender Mercies, Tulip Doctor, The Chosen Ones, Jenufa (Her Stepdaughter), Nascendo, and, The Umbilical Cord. The Plays Belgrade Trilogy by Biljana Srbljanovic (Yugoslavia): Set in Sydney, Los Angeles and Prague on New Year’s Eve, the everyday life of young exiles from the Balkans, winner of the Slobodan Selenic Prize. The Tender Mercies by Sladjana Vujovic (Montenegro): Edinburgh Fringe First winner. “...dazzling play upon the savagery of war.” The Scotsman Tulip Doctor by Vera Filo (Hungary): Set against the background of war, life becomes a cartoon, where anything can happen and will. The Chosen Ones by Elena Popova (Belorussia): Winner of the European play competition, described as “poignant portrayal of post-communist society”. Jenufa (Her Stepdaughter) by Gabriela Preissova (Czech): Portrays a secret birth and infanticide, the play aroused controversy when first written in 1890. It was the basis for Janacek's opera Jenufa and is translated into English now for the first time. Nascendo by Alina Nelega (Romania): Set in a Maternity ward on the eve of the revolution patients and staff reflect the divided nature of Romanian society. The Umbilical Cord by Krystyna Kofta (Poland): An intense family relationship, where ritual has replaced real life, interrogates “... A generation suffering moral defeat”.

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Women have been at the dawn of the blues since Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey were singing about hard knocks and tough love in smoky bars. This book gives an overview of the early days of the blues and its development from the Mississippi Delta to the home of electric blues, Chicago, to becoming the vibrant global musical movement it is today. In addition, there are exclusive interviews with dozens of the women leading the Blues today. With an introduction by acclaimed music writer Zoe Howe, this book explores the pioneers who created the blues from the 1920s onwards, as well as providing exclusive interviews with around 30 extraordinary women who take the blues to new heights today.

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Based on true events, the play follows the stories of Anna, a rape complainant, and Sean, the defendant, with insight and sensitivity. This heart-breaking, multi-layered play jolts the audience into exploring the implications of consent, focussing on the impact of toxic coercive relationships, the power of social media and the need for healthy sexual boundaries, especially when alcohol or drugs blur the lines. The play deliberately takes no specific moral or legal standpoint, forcing you to question long-held beliefs and inherent prejudice. A socially provocative play, which is of particular significance in the light of recent shocking reports about the low incidence of convictions for rape and sexual assault in the UK.

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Reversing the usual refugee story cliches, Homing Birds shares the hopes, fears and aspirations of a young man searching for a place in which he feels he truly belongs. Young Afghan refugee Saeed desperately wants to reconnect with his roots and find his long-lost sister. So he leaves his adoptive family in London and returns home to Kabul to work as a doctor, eager to contribute to rebuilding a new Afghanistan. But as past and present collide, Saeed must face up to the reality of his changed world. This captivating and evocative play asks if a place can ever be home without a connection to family and roots?

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A landmark collection of Indonesian plays in English. Seven contemporary plays by established playwrights in Indonesia exploring topics such as the aftermath of political clampdown, gay lives, sex trafficking and the effects of urban redevelopment. Provides insight into a nation and its people at the centre of ASEAN growth.

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The frustrated wife of a French-Tunisian plantation owner, a mysterious older woman, a world weary tomboy, an unhappy mistress, a Parisian factory worker destined for tragedy, an acrobat turned cabaret sensation – these are the women whose lives are linked by their relationship with one man – Ștefan Valeriu. Divided into four separate stories connected by one man, Women takes us from Ștefan’s amorous entanglements at an Alpine lake resort, to his life in Bucharest and Paris, as each of the women in his life opens up new worlds for him. Women is a hymn to love in all its forms, romantic or platonic, sometimes reckless, often glorious and always, ultimately, ephemeral.

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* First collection of full-length plays from British East Asian playwrights * Ideal for schools, colleges and theatre companies * In association with a conference at Tara Theatre and Goldsmiths University in Spring 2018 A landmark collection of contemporary full-length plays by British East Asian writers. Exploring subjects such as cultural identity, the fragmentation of communities, tradition, invisibility and discrimination, these plays are ideal to perform. With an introduction by academics Dr Amanda Rogers and Dr Ashley Thorpe, which sets the plays into context and explores the hidden history of theatre from the BEA community. BOUND FEET BLUES by Yang-May Ooi THE LAST DAYS OF LIMEHOUSE by Jeremy Tiang JAMAICA BOY by Stephen Hoo CONVERSATIONS WITH MY UNKNOWN MOTHER by Lucy Chau Lai-Tuen SPECIAL OCCASIONS by Amy Ng TANGO by Joel Tan THE FU MANCHU COMPLEX by Daniel York Loh

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• Follow up collection of plays from award-winning South African playwright • Ideal for schools, colleges and theatre companies unafraid of gritty drama • In advance of a talk at Nehru Centre, London on 18 May 2018

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Some say the streets of New York City are paved with gold, full of wealth and opportunity. In 1911, five young immigrant women search for their promise of the American Dream while working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. But battling poverty and dangerous working conditions, can they keep their dreams alive? Or will it all turn to ashes?

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Four people come together for a political debate in a remote house, deep in a forest. Mehrosh is a celebrated activist, made anxious by recent death threats. Her opponent, Bina, is a wily politician from the ruling party, determined to look good and win. Jai is a journalist who wants to launch his new channel with a bang. Scherezade is Bina’s PA, and not quite who she seems. Is anyone? Set in an imaginary country in the near future, "Phantasmagoria" pits the terror of speaking out, against the fear of staying quiet, in order to warn us of the very real dangers of populism, social media and the use of fear to control us.

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Adapted by Mark Norfolk Preface by Dr David Linton Continues Aurora Metro Books' partnership with Black Theatre Live, a pioneering national consortium of regional theatres led by Tara Arts (London), with the necessity of diversity in theatre at its core: committed to effecting change for BAME theatre, and audiences.

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• Award-winning playwright explores classroom bullying and teachers' responses. • Includes Teachers' Resources to aid structured discussion and exploration of the themes raised in schools, colleges and beyond. Care Takers is part of an Edge Hill University (Birmingham, UK) research project on homophobia. The team invites everyone, after seeing or reading (or both!) the play, to give feedback by completing the online survey, here (10 minutes). • Care Takers included on a programme of International Health and Humanities Conference, Health Humanities: Creative Practices as Care (September 2016): a growing worldwide interdisciplinary dialogue across diverse communities of arts and humanities academics and practitioners, clinicians, informal carers, service users and the self-caring public. Conference details are here. • The play is great for use as a source text for all those interested in the impact of creative practices in health, psychological well-being and enhancing social inclusion of people. Includes: hospitals, social and community centres, mental health centres, schools, and museums.

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