Search results for ""nick hern books""

The hit stage play behind major BBC TV drama series Mood. Sasha Clayton is twenty-four and living with her mum, stepdad, and irritating little sister, in Plaistow, East London. She's gone from being the most popular girl at school, to spending most of her time on her own in her bedroom scrolling through social media. She may not have a job or a flat, and, admittedly her boyfriend's not answering her calls – but she's got talent and a dream. When she releases her first EP everything's going to change. Nicôle Lecky's play Superhoe was first staged in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in January 2019, performed by its author and directed by Jade Lewis. It was the first collaboration between Talawa Theatre Company and the Royal Court. The play was adapted by Nicôle Lecky into the six-part BBC television drama series Mood, first broadcast in March 2022.

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A thousand people. Meeting each other. Making friends. Having babies. Sharing their lives. But whether they know it or not, they all share something else: the same father. Maud Dromgoole's play Mary's Babies is inspired by the true story of Mary Barton and her husband Bertold Wiesner, pioneers of fertility treatment, who used Bertold's sperm to artificially inseminate up to a thousand women, before destroying the evidence. This provocative, funny and fascinating play imagines a series of encounters between the half-siblings, known as the 'Barton Brood'. This version of the play premiered at Jermyn Street Theatre, London, in March 2019.

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1995, the Swiss Alps. Patricia Highsmith, the queen of the thriller, now ageing and ailing, hides away in her study, surrounded by her collection of books and antique weaponry, finding solace in her seclusion, her cats and her cigarettes. A polished young man turns up, sent by her New York publisher to persuade her to write one final instalment of her best-selling series featuring the master manipulator, Tom Ripley. But as day breaks over the mountains, it becomes clear that the charming stranger is set on a far more sinister mission. Joanna Murray-Smith's play Switzerland is a gripping psychological thriller, filled with razor-sharp dialogue. It was first performed at the Sydney Opera House in 2014. The play received its UK premiere at the Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath, in 2018, before transferring to the Ambassadors Theatre in London's West End.

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In downstate Illinois, four men convicted of sex crimes against minors share a group home where they live out their lives in the shadow of the offences they committed. A man shows up to confront his childhood abuser – but does he want closure or retribution? Bruce Norris's provocative play Downstate zeroes in on the limits of our compassion and what happens when society deems anyone beyond forgiveness. Downstate received its UK premiere at the National Theatre, London, in March 2019, in the same production which had its world premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, in September 2018.

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'My mam's always saying, the best thing to do with new things is just chuck yourself in at the deep end.' Liam is fifteen and he's just signed up for Bev Road Baths' first ever synchronised swimming team. It's for his best mate Caz really. She needs to get a team together to win the annual Project Prize at school. She tries every year. She always loses. But Liam's an optimist, he's determined to help. There's just one problem. Liam can't swim… A one-man musical comedy by award-winning duo Tom Wells and Matthew Robins, Drip was first seen as part of the Back to Ours programme for Hull UK City of Culture 2017. The play subsequently toured the UK in 2018, including runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Bush Theatre, London, in a production by Boundless Theatre and Script Club. This edition includes Matthew Robins' original sheet music.

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A highly practical, comprehensive guide to exploring Shakespeare with young people – ideal for directors, youth theatre leaders, workshop facilitators and teachers. Experienced teacher, actor and director Max Hafler tackles the myths that Shakespeare's work is like a foreign country, not for the faint-hearted, or only for a privileged few. In this book, he shows how you can embrace the challenges of doing Shakespeare with young people, and make the plays accessible and exciting for all. Beginning with a series of workshops that introduce the skills and principles of voice and acting, he sets out, step by step, how to use devising, develop short scenes, explore soliloquies, and unlock the themes, characters, stories and language of the plays. The holistic approach includes dozens of exercises – many inspired by Michael Chekhov's innovative technique – which will help young actors explore their voice, imagination and body, and lead to performances that are richer, focused and more fulfilling. There is also useful advice on preparing for a production, editing and transposing the text, rehearsing scenes, and fostering an ensemble. Above all, this book will equip you to engage and empower young people, and to help them discover for themselves the joy of working with Shakespeare. Praise for Max Hafler's Teaching Voice: Workshops for Young Performers: ‘A useful book for teachers, youth theatre leaders, facilitators and indeed anyone who works with young people… plenty of exercises, warm-ups and advice about how to use the techniques in the rehearsal room’ The Stage ‘Through years of experience, Hafler has developed a great understanding of what can work with teenagers and shares it generously with those who work in the field’ Word Matters (Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama) ‘It is clear that the original, imaginative and fun exercises that are found within this book have been thoughtfully put together by someone who has a wealth of experience in his field and that each session has been successfully tried and tested with his own students’ Drama Magazine ‘A must-own… full of exercises and advice to explore’ Teaching Drama

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A motley crew of four friends gather every week in their village hall to practise their a capella singing, under the watchful eye of their choirmaster. Whatever their differences, whatever the problems they may have at home, they are happily bound together in their shared love of music. Until one day Maggie knocks on the door… Soon she is urging them to enter Talentfest, a potentially life-changing route to Britain's Got Talent. In the weeks that follow, loyalties will be tested, tempers will fray and lives will indeed be changed – but not in the way that any of them had quite anticipated. Funny, touching and thought-provoking, William Gaminara's play The Nightingales was first seen at the Theatre Royal Bath in 2018, before a UK tour.

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Contains: one confused alien, two brave kids and a busted spaceship. What do you do if you think your aunt is an alien? Twelve-year-old Jelly and her brother, Jonjo, have their suspicions. She won't let them leave the house. Or ask questions. And she definitely won't let them in the attic. Join Jelly and Jonjo on their quest to discover the truth in a rip-roaring adventure through space, full of friendship, fun and flying saucers. Georgia Christou's play How To Spot An Alien is ideal for space cadets age five and up to watch, read and perform. It was first produced in 2018 by Paines Plough in their pop-up theatre, Roundabout, in a co-production with Theatr Clwyd.

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

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Simone and Sam will do anything to get their daughter into the local Church of England school. Juliet and Nick agree to show them the ropes. The bonds of family, faith and friendship are stretched to breaking-point as four forty-somethings wrestle for school places. Alexis Zegerman's acerbic new comedy Holy Sh!t is the opening production at London's newly refurbished Kiln Theatre (formerly the Tricycle Theatre).

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1665. As the plague runs rife through London, Reverend William Mompesson arrives in Eyam, Derbyshire, to lead the parish. But Eyam is no sleepy backwater; it is a village at war with itself. The community has dissolved, and neighbour feuds with neighbour under the watchful eye of a ruthless landowner bent on maintaining his grip on the village. When the plague arrives in Eyam, the villagers are tasked with examining their civil responsibility, as they must decide whether to stay quarantined, or flee and risk spreading the deadly disease. Matt Hartley is an award-winning writer whose work has been produced by Hampstead Theatre, Paines Plough, Pentabus and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

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‘I am the Labour Party candidate. Now ask me why.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Because I am the best damn person for the job.’ The top candidate without question, Vanessa was made to be Mayor. Thirty years prior, Josie just wants things to change and seeks a seat on the local council. Chris Bush's play Steel explores the last three decades of women in politics, asking what’s changed and what still must. The play premiered at Sheffield Theatres Studio in September 2018.

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‘Here is the city that we live in Notice that the city that we live in is alive Analyse our city and you’ll find that our city even has bodily features Our city’s organs function like any living creature Our city is a living creature And if you’re wise enough, you’ll know not all of us are blood cells… Some of us are viruses.’ An epic, lyrical journey through the pulsating heart and underground soul of inner-city London. Misty is an inventive blend of gig theatre, spoken word, live art and direct address, confronting the assumptions and expectations underpinning the act of telling a story. The play premiered at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2018, performed by the author and directed by Omar Elerian. It transferred to the Trafalgar Studios in the West End in September 2018. Misty won Best Performance Piece at the 2019 Off-West End Awards. ‘Kene has a thrilling flair for language’ The Times on good dog ‘One of Britain’s most exciting young playwrights’ Guardian

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Green Shield Stamps, a million of them, and Ger Lawless has won them all. It’s Ballymun, it’s 1974, and she has fifteen friends round for a stamp-sticking party. Over one fateful night, fifteen determined women bring you into their lives in this funny and furious new version of Michel Tremblay’s fêted Québécoise comedy, Les Belles-Soeurs. Deirdre Kinahan’s The Unmanageable Sisters premiered at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in March 2018. Deirdre Kinahan’s other plays include Wild Sky, Spinning, Halcyon Days, BOGBOY and Moment.

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‘Passion has its price.’ An orphan girl, adopted by a wealthy family, is given a pair of beautiful red shoes. At first it appears her dreams have come true… but appearances can be very deceptive. Nancy Harris's play The Red Shoes is a contemporary retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's extraordinary fairytale of dance, desire and destruction. It premiered at the Gate Theatre, Dublin, in 2017.

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'I'm off to conquer a barren world.' 1969 – Man takes his first steps on the Moon, while Sylvia meets an astronaut at a party. 2055 – Sylvia’s granddaughter is set to become the first person to walk on Mars. Witness the adventures of three extraordinary women spanning 80 years, against the backdrop of humanity’s journey to the stars. Winner of the 2016 Theatre503 Playwriting Award, In Event of Moone Disaster premiered at Theatre503, London, in 2017. It won Andrew Thompson the Best Writer award at the 2018 Stage Debut Awards. In Event of Moone Disaster is Andrew Thompson's debut play.

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Cicero, the greatest orator of his age, devotes all his energy and cunning to preserve the rule of law, and defend Rome’s Republic against the predatory attacks of political rivals, discontented aristocrats, and would-be military dictators. Imperium is a backstage view of Ancient Rome at its most bloody and brutal, told through the eyes of Tiro, Cicero’s loyal secretary. Adapted by Mike Poulton from Robert Harris’s bestselling The Cicero Trilogy, it was premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon in November 2017 in an epic event comprising six plays presented in two performances. Mike Poulton is an award-winning dramatist whose many adaptations include Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, The Canterbury Tales and Morte d’Arthur (all for the Royal Shakespeare Company), A Tale of Two Cities (Royal & Derngate, Northampton), Luise Miller (Donmar Warehouse), Don Carlos (Sheffield Crucible/West End) and Wallenstein (Chichester Festival Theatre).

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‘Do you feel lucky, Monk?’ Luke left his high-flying City life to discover serenity in the Scottish Highlands, but he can't escape his past. Is Tony, his brother, everything that's wrong with Luke's old life, or is he the only one who can really see into his soul? Sam Bain's play The Retreat premiered at Park Theatre, London, in 2017, in a production directed by Kathy Burke.

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'It's not always all about you.' Three couples. What might be. What once was. What could have been. debbie tucker green’s play premiered in February 2017 at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, in a production directed by the playwright.

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Settled... Until suddenly you're not... Forced out of London by spiralling living costs, Cathy finds herself in an unfamiliar town with no friends and no money; pushed to make choices she doesn't want to make... Candid, poignant and intimate, Ali Taylor's play Cathy offers a timely reflection on the lives of those at the sharp end of economic austerity, faced with impossible choices and an uncertain future. Inspired by Cathy Come Home, Ken Loach's pioneering television drama, Cathy was first produced in 2016 by Cardboard Citizens, a theatre company that makes work with and for homeless people, on a tour of the UK.

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Since her debut in 2008, Lucy Kirkwood has firmly established herself as a leading playwright of her generation, the writer of a series of savagely funny, highly intelligent and beautifully observed plays that tackle the pressing issues of our times. This collection, with an introduction by the author, brings together five of her plays, starting with the wild and riotously funny farce, Tinderbox (Bush Theatre, 2008), a disturbing vision of a dystopian future where England is dissolving into the sea, realised with 'off-kilter imaginative flair' (The Times). Written for Clean Break theatre company, it felt empty when the heart went at first but it is alright now (Arcola Theatre, 2009; winner of the John Whiting Award) is a devastating report from the hidden world of Eastern European women trafficked to London to work in the sex industry. The previously unpublished small hours (Hampstead Theatre, 2011), a collaboration with Ed Hime, directed by Katie Mitchell, is an intimate dissection of the claustrophobic world of a new mother struggling to cope on her own. The sharply satirical NSFW (Royal Court, 2012) is a 'richly absorbing and inventive' (Telegraph) look at power games, privacy and gender politics in the media. The volume concludes with Chimerica (Almeida Theatre and West End, 2013), a gripping and provocative examination of the shifting balance of power between East and West. Winner of multiple awards, including the Olivier and Critics' Circle Awards for Best New Play, the Evening Standard Best Play Award and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Chimerica is 'gloriously rich and mind-expanding' (Guardian), and a 'tremendously bold piece of writing' (Evening Standard). 'Kirkwood is the most rewarding dramatist of her generation' Independent

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An incisive, unflinching insight into what makes a community tolerate the unthinkable. ‘One girl, against the happiness of the whole village. Can you not see it has to be done?’ Midsummer. The village must choose a new Daughter to sail with the fishing boats and bless the waters, keeping them safe from the roaming orcas for another year. Fan hopes with all her heart to be the one they choose. But her older sister Maggie says she must never, never, go with the boats. Because something happened to Maggie out there. And no one will admit it. Matt Grinter's play Orca was the winner of the 2016 Papatango New Writing Prize in association with Southwark Playhouse, London, where it premiered in 2016.

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A searing thriller that asks how well we actually know those closest to us. Daniel Turner has it all. A devoted wife, two beautiful children and a teaching job he loves. But when allegations are made about his past, his world begins to crumble around him. Can all the good he's done be erased by one pointed finger? What will it take to restore his loved ones' faith in him? And after this, can life ever be the same again? Andrew Keatley's play Alligators premiered at Hampstead Downstairs, London, in 2016.

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Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the West End… West End Producer, the masked man of Theatreland and author of the definitive guide to acting*, returns with the ultimate guide to the theatregoing experience – for anyone who's ever been to the theatre, or who thinks they might like to try it one day. As the Godfather of theatre producers, with an enviable track-record in uncovering new talent (via his competitions Search for a Twitter Star and Search for a Twitter Composer) and a regular column in The Stage newspaper, WEP is a cult figure in London's theatre scene, frequently attending press nights with his trusty Jean Valjean teddy by his side. Now he's ready to share his industry secrets once again, this time coming to the aid of audience members everywhere as they embark on the most perilous quest of all: going to the theatre. Packed with insider know-how and naughty advice, this book will tell you how to make your West End adventure as smooth as Craig Revel Horwood's nose, including tips and advice on: What shows to see and what to avoid (how to see the hits and not the shits) Where to sit (without developing ongoing neck problems and deep vein thrombosis) How to combat theatre rage (and get to the ladies' loos before anyone else) What to eat (crisps, sweets, or kebabs?) What to wear (from the correct attire at press night, to the importance of a good, reliable codpiece at Shakespeare's Globe) And, crucially, how to leave early if the show is rubbish (a 'shrubbish') It will even help you save a bit of money as well.** Also included are many of WEP’s most wickedly astute tweets, potted histories of some of the greatest West End shows, and handy instructions on how to become one of West End Producer's Theatre Prefects – protecting theatres from phone users, snorers, and persistent latecomers. So, put on your nicest frock, grab your tickets, and don't be late. This book will begin in five minutes. I repeat: five minutes, dear. 'All the crucial facts, naughty wit and insider knowledge that every theatregoer needs to have. Hysterically accurate, bitingly savage. Read this before buying your theatre ticket. Fab-u-lous, darling!' Craig Revel Horwood 'This book had me snorting prosecco out of my nostrils, dear. Hilarious yet chock-full of insider tips – and some stuff we all think about the theatre we know and love, but wouldn’t dare say whilst sober. Glorious.' Meera Syal 'West End Producer is shaping up to be the theatre's version of William Goldman: funny, astute and incisive, slyly twitching aside the curtains of the West End to reveal its most embarrassing secrets. A must for theatre-lovers (and haters).' Joanne Harris 'WEP does it again! His shrewd observation and deliciously waspish words neatly skewer and illuminate the rarefied world of theatre. I recommend everyone to read the section on what not to say to actors and applaud WEP's suggestion of a Theatre Prefect Programme. Theatre may be too dear – but WEP is very dear too.' Colin Baker * Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Acting, But Were Afraid To Ask, Dear ** After all, the Dom Pérignon won't buy itself.

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'You weren't moving. Your hair was soaked. We saw you.' Alice and Michael met six years ago. Three years later their daughter Lily was born. Now, in a Yorkshire meadow, just past midnight, they're having an argument. Because Alice is cold, she's tired, and Michael won't stop telling her that she died twelve hours ago. A poignant exploration of what it means to say goodbye, Liam Borrett's play This is Living was first performed in a critically acclaimed and award-winning production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2014. It had its London premiere at Trafalgar Studios, London, in 2016.

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‘I'm no friend to the sisterhood. I'm basically a man who sits to pee.’ Astrid Wentworth is a City trader, a ruthless player in a man's world. If there is a special hell for women who don't help each other, Astrid's got the top table reserved and a Martini waiting. But, when the young and ambitious Priya applies for a junior position on the trading floor, Astrid recognises something in her and decides to give her a go. After all, what's gender got to do with it? Featuring an all-female cast and cabaret music, Melissa Bubnic's play Boys Will Be Boys received its European premiere at Bush Hall, London, in 2016, in an exhilarating co-production between Headlong and the Bush Theatre.

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Mike Bartlett's complete scripts for the award-winning first series of his superlative television drama, winner of Best New Drama at the 2016 National Television Awards and Best TV Drama at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards. Doctor Gemma Foster is a woman seemingly in control: a trusted GP, the heart of her town, a woman people can trust. But her life is about to explode. Suspecting her husband of having an affair, Gemma throws herself into an investigation that will propel her, her family, and even her patients into chaos. Bit by bit, Doctor Foster uncovers secrets that shock her to the core. Now she has to choose how to react. One thing is certain - she is going to behave in ways she could never have imagined. Doctor Foster: The Scripts contains the complete scripts to all five episodes of the first series, plus exclusive bonus material. Doctor Foster premiered on BBC One in September 2015, starring Suranne Jones and Bertie Carvel. The series drew a weekly audience of over 8.2 million viewers, peaking at over 10 million for the finale, and was the BBC's highest-rating new drama of the year. It won two prizes at the National Television Awards 2016, including Best New Drama.

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Hilda is blind, lives alone, and is visited by a carer once a week. Camelia is a young offender looking for her next mark. A surprising and curious relationship sparks into life between the two very different women, both of them searching for connection and purpose. Kate Lock's charming and insightful play traces the line between friendship and family, between a culture of entitlement and a culture of blame, and between two generations of women, both equally determined to get their own way. Russian Dolls won the 2015 Adrian Pagan Award, and premiered at King's Head Theatre, London, in 2016.

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Becca and Howie Corbett are a happy suburban couple whose lives are changed forever when their young son Danny is killed in an accident. Eight months on, they are drifting perilously apart. Becca wants to start afresh in a new home and give away their son's possessions, but Howie wants to keep the memory of Danny alive. Can they ever find their way back to each other? David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, filled with distinctive wit and grace, charts the path from grief to its antidotes – love and hope. Rabbit Hole premiered on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre in a Manhattan Theatre Club production in January 2006. The play was originally commissioned by South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, California, and first presented at its Pacific Playwrights Festival reading series in 2005. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2007. Rabbit Hole was made into a film starring Nicole Kidman in 2010, and the play had its UK premiere at Hampstead Theatre, London, in January 2016.

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A searing thriller about the naivety of youth and how easily it can be exploited. Tia's mouthy attitude and confident swagger mask the vulnerability in a fourteen-year-old girl whose tough start in life draws her to AJ. Older, good-looking and charismatic, he shows her a kindness that she's never known. Kindness that comes with a price… Phil Davies' debut play Firebird premiered at Hampstead Downstairs, London, in 2015, in a production directed by Edward Hall, before transferring to the Trafalgar Studios in the West End in 2016.

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The story of a young girl trapped in an increasingly tiny world. In the beginning was the mattress. Gradually, other little changes – more bolts on the front door; the gun; the locked cupboard. And she knew in her heart that change was bad. Based on a true story, Cordelia Lynn's play Lela & Co. premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in September 2015.

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In the not-too-distant future, the world is better than ever. Diseases and disorders have been wiped out. But Jess doesn't belong. She slipped through the net and there's something dangerous in her DNA, something that must be 'cured'. Charlie is watching Jess. He'll do whatever it takes to keep society safe. As debate over genetic screening rages, Tomcat asks how far will we go to keep humanity healthy? When you can learn everything about a person from a computer screen, is there anything left to discover? Tomcat by James Rushbrooke was the winner of the 2015 Papatango New Writing Prize in association with Southwark Playhouse, London, where it premiered in October 2015.

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In Georgian London no one is more famous than Samuel Foote. Satirist, impressionist and dangerous comedian, friend of David Garrick and Dr Johnson, he is a bona fide celebrity in an age obsessed with fame. He even has the ear of the King. But when Foote finds himself at the centre of a media storm – and under the surgeon’s knife – there’s only one question on everyone’s lips: does fame make you mad? Based on Ian Kelly’s award-winning biography, Mr Foote’s Other Leg is a riotously funny play exploring our obsession with celebrities, through the true story of the Oscar Wilde of the eighteenth century. It premiered at Hampstead Theatre in September 2015, in a production directed by Richard Eyre and featuring Simon Russell Beale as Foote. ‘Written with panache and wit – as lively and entertaining a historical biography as you are ever likely to read’ Sunday Times on Ian Kelly’s biography of Samuel Foote

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A moving, poignant and funny family drama that sees the weight of family history, of reputation, and of expectation, all descend on one family over Easter weekend in 1997. For more than seventeen years, the Pennington family has never been together in the same room. But now, on the eve of William's seventy-fifth birthday, all three generations have gathered with the intention of putting the past behind them. If only it were that simple… And time is running out. Especially for William, as the world he has always known begins to crumble around him. Andrew Keatley's play The Gathered Leaves was first performed at Park Theatre, London, in July 2015.

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His life. In her hands. A shattering play about one woman's unspeakable decision. debbie tucker green's play hang premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in June 2015, in a production directed by the author, and featuring Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Claire Rushbrook and Shane Zaza.

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This second volume of plays from award-winning playwright Fin Kennedy features three ensemble plays for large casts of young people aged thirteen to nineteen, each developed via a long-term, collaborative process with the target age group. In The Dream Collector, a school group on a Media Studies field trip to the isolated country house of a black-and-white movie pioneer enter a sinister dreamworld when they go exploring after dark. Once they step through the movie screen, each of the young friends meets their dream double, the sinister Neverborn… In Fast, a twenty-four-hour school fundraiser in a semi-rural town takes on a new urgency when farmer’s daughter Cara refuses to eat again until the supermarkets she holds responsible for her father’s suicide agree to her demands. In The Domino Effect – a five-star hit at the 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe – a silent girl finds her voice, and her mother, when a mysterious East End antiques dealer teaches her how small actions lead to big effects, and how to master the law of unintended consequences. With their flexible, mixed casts, the plays are particularly suited to performance by young people’s groups, who will enjoy the demands and challenges of playing roles specifically created for teenage actors.

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An absurd, hilarious and fast-paced comedy by the writer of some of Britain's most acclaimed TV comedies. Flight BA043 has crashed on an island. Stranded, four survivors wait. Surely somebody will find them. Planes don't just disappear, do they? And, if no one's coming... what do they do now? Tom Basden's razor-sharp comedy Holes opened at the Arcola Tent, London, in July 2014, following a run at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

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Rose Heiney's debut play Elephants is a sharp black comedy with a tender heart that explores the paths we take in life and their repercussions on the people we love most. 5.53 p.m. Christmas Eve. Richard and Sally are waiting for their friends and family to join in the festivities - the tree is decorated, the wine is mulling, the presents are wrapped. But behind this shiny facade, nothing is quite right - and as cracks start appearing, attempts to paper over them make for an explosive evening of revelations and dark secrets exposed. Elephants premiered at Hampstead Downstairs in December 2014 in a production directed by Tamara Harvey.

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An explosive verbatim play about the 2011 London Riots, by the author of the award-winning London Road. In the summer of 2011, London was burning. Alecky Blythe took her Dictaphone to the streets… From the helicopters circling overhead to the burnt-out buildings on the street, Little Revolution records the voices and stories of a community from when the riots happened up to their present-day aftermath. Little Revolution premiered at the Almeida Theatre, London, in August 2014.

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'The Feldenkrais Method is unique... I haven't found any other movement study that opens up such a rich and continuing area of enquiry' John Wright, from his Foreword Spontaneity, sensitivity, simplicity and flexibility in any situation are just some of the qualities that the Feldenkrais Method has inspired in performers around the world. It uses movement to enable you to feel, adapt and respond in new ways – not just in limited, habitual patterns – thereby increasing your physical, emotional and mental potential. Written by an experienced actor, theatre-maker and Feldenkrais practitioner, Feldenkrais for Actors leads you through a range of topics where using the Method can help, such as: Presence and Posture The Role of Tension Emotion, Character and Creativity Voice and Breath Injury and Anxiety Also included are dozens of exercises and lessons so that you can experience how the Method will help you in practice. Feldenkrais for Actors is the result of thirty years of study and experience of the Method, and the benefits it can bring. It is invaluable for actors at any stage of their career, as well as for singers, dancers, musicians, martial artists, athletes and more.

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A hilarious city comedy by the authors of A Mad World, My Masters and The Shoemaker's Holiday. Sebastian has a problem. He's in love with a girl but his father won't agree to their marriage. In desperation he turns to the one person who can help him, the fearless and feisty 'roaring girl' Moll Cutpurse. In a London fuelled by greed and desire, the charismatic, cross-dressing heroine Moll has the world wrapped around her little finger, and she has a plan. Cutting a joyously independent path through the underhand scheming and petty vendettas of the London underworld, Moll proves more than a match for any man. This Prompt Book edition of The Roaring Girl was published alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company's revival of the play in 2014, and features the text edited for the RSC production, and introductions by key members of its creative team.

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In the village of Edmonton, Elizabeth Sawyer is shunned by her neighbours. A poor and lonely old woman, she is harassed and accused of being a witch. In her abject misery, she wishes that she really were bewitched and so able to have her revenge. Unluckily for Elizabeth and the villagers of Edmonton, someone with the power to grant that wish is listening. First performed in 1621, The Witch of Edmonton was based by its authors Thomas Dekker, John Ford and William Rowley on a real-life case of a woman accused of witchcraft. The play was revived by the Royal Shakespeare Company as part of its 2014 Roaring Girls season, in the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, directed by RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran and with Eileen Atkins as Elizabeth Sawyer. This Prompt Book edition of the play features the text edited for the RSC production, and introductions by key members of its creative team, including Doran.

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A violent tragedy, regarded as one of the great works of Jacobean theatre. Duke Bracciano is besotted by the beautiful Vittoria. When he makes her an indecent proposal she can't refuse, she enlists the help of Flaminio to fool her husband, and begins an illicit affair. But Vittoria and Flaminio soon find themselves snared in a web of corruption, passion and retribution as their single-minded pursuit of personal gain reaches an epic and bloody conclusion. This Prompt Book edition of The White Devil was published alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company's revival of the play in 2014, and features the text edited for the RSC production, and introductions by key members of its creative team.

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A gripping historical drama charting one woman's dazzling trajectory from model to lover to artist, to a tragic figure in her own right. London, 1849. Lizzie Siddal is plucked from the obscurity of a bonnet shop to model for the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood - an intoxicating group of young painters bent on revolutionising the Victorian art world. Inspired by their passion and ambition, she throws herself headlong into their lives and their art, nearly dying in the creation of Millais' Ophelia. The painting is a triumph. But Lizzie wants more and dares to dream of being an artist herself. Jeremy Green's play Lizzie Siddal premiered at the Arcola Theatre, London, in November 2013.

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‘Surprise me. Wipe the smile off my face.’ Harry and Jo are up all night drawing the battle lines of a relationship based on desire, dependency and dirty games. Vicky Jones's viciously funny play The One invites you into the world of a couple trapped in a destructive cycle of love and lust. Winner of the 2013 Verity Bargate Award, The One premiered at Soho Theatre, London, in February 2014, and was revived at the theatre in July 2018.

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THE GOOD AUDITION GUIDES: Helping you select and perform the audition piece that is best suited to your performing skills As an actor at any level – whether you are doing theatre studies at school, taking part in youth theatre, preparing for drama-school showcases, or attending professional acting workshops – you will often be required to prepare a duologue with a fellow performer. Your success is often based on locating and selecting a fresh, dynamic scene suited to your specific performing skills, as well as your interplay as a duo. Which is where this book comes in. This collection features twenty-five fantastic duologues for one man and one woman, all written since the year 2000 by some of our most exciting dramatic voices, offering a wide variety of character types and styles of writing. Playwrights featured include Howard Brenton, Jez Butterworth, Caryl Churchill, Sam Holcroft, Anna Jordan, Lucy Kirkwood, Rona Munro, Evan Placey, Jessica Swale and Jack Thorne, and the plays themselves were premiered at the very best theatres across the UK including the National Theatre, Manchester Royal Exchange, the Traverse in Edinburgh, Shakespeare's Globe, and the Almeida, Bush, Hampstead and Royal Court Theatres. Drawing on her experience as an actor, director and teacher at several leading drama schools, Trilby James equips each duologue with a thorough introduction including the vital information you need to place the piece in context (the who, what, when, where and why) and suggestions about how to perform the scene to its maximum effect (including the characters' objectives). The collection also features an introduction on the whole process of selecting and preparing a duologue, and how to present it to the greatest effect. The result is the most comprehensive and useful contemporary duologue book of its kind now available. 'Sound practical advice... a source of inspiration for teachers and students alike' Teaching Drama Magazine on The Good Audition Guides

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A sharp, dark comedy that explores the inescapable difference between feeling 19 and being 19. Lou is getting on with her life, carefree and without ties. But this abruptly comes to a halt when her 19-year-old god-daughter Minnie moves in to take up a place at university. Minnie's arrival shines a harsh light into the corners of Lou's life – revealing it to be not as it seems. Her relationships are complicated, her neighbours are closing in on her, and the clock is ticking. What does it mean to be a grown up? Deborah Bruce's play Godchild premiered at Hampstead Theatre in October 2013, directed by Michael Attenborough.

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A slick and violent black comedy set in the Soho clubland of the 1950s. The hit debut play from the author of Jerusalem. In the seedy gangster underworld of the rock'n'roll scene, club owners fight for control of Johnny Silver, the latest young sensation. First premiered at the Royal Court in 1995, Jez Butterworth's play Mojo won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy and earned Butterworth the George Devine Award and Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright. This edition of Mojo was published alongside the play's 2013 revival in London's West End.

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