Search results for ""AURORA""

Published to coincide with a national tour by LAID BARE TC • Can be performed by schools, colleges, youth theatres etc. • Topical subject matter which challenges the notion of Big Society Welcome to the Press Conference from hell! Join ex-community artist and self-proclaimed people’s champion Vince Fine as he launches his ArtWorks project nationally. Vowing to end poverty, benefits, worklessness and even mental health issues, Vince and his loyal sidekick Michelle take on all-comers to persuade them that ArtWorks Works! A satire about the nature of well-funded community projects which misuse the arts to get people off the dole.

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• Shortlisted for the 4th Virginia Prize for Fiction - a biennial fiction prize for women writing in English. • A poignant historical novel about loss and self-discovery told with compassion and unflinching honesty. • Set in 1988 and 2010, and in three countries: Poland, Britain and the US. • 1988 saw a massive wave of workers' strikes break out across Poland, which helped pave the way for the collapse of Communism across Eastern Europe over the next few years. • Incorporates family reminiscences, as both Ewa Dodd’s parents were part of the Solidarity movement in 1980s Poland.

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A South African journalist, Karen Strydom, is in hiding in the little Indian township of Reoca, in the house once occupied by former journalist and anti-Apartheid activist, Seema Sewlal. Having witnessed the murder of a well-known political donor by successful businessman Paul Sibisi, Karen knows her life is in danger if she tries to publish her account of the incident. That’s not her only challenge – the ghost of Seema Sewlal has appeared – and she’s unwilling to believe that she is dead. With corruption on all sides, how will Karen survive to tell the truth, and who can she trust?

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• Neil Duffield's reworking of Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairytale, The Nightingale (1844), like his earlier adaptation of Andersen's The Snow Queen, brings a timeless classic into the twenty-first century. • With appeal to family audiences and more, Duffield's plays are performed regularly by schools and other amateur groups, as well receiving regular professional productions nationwide. Previous productions of this play, include The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster (2002); The Watermill Theatre, Newbury (2003); Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham (2003). • Published to coincide with a new production of the play at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick.

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• The play explores how people make compromises to survive in societies where freedom is limited. • Teaches about the reasons behind migration. • Suitable for schools, colleges and youth theatres to perform.

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Eight Plays from Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia Selected and Edited by Cheryl Robson and Aubrey Mellor Playwrights: Jean Tay, Floy Quintos, Tew Bunnag, Ann Lee, Nguyễn Đăng Chương, Joned Suryatmoko, Alfian Sa’at, Chhon Sina

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Created from dozens of personal testimonies, this is the story of the changing face of work today. This unique approach to exploring a key social trend gives a human voice to the workplace revolution. Surrey Docks in South-East London was once a thriving commercial hub, hosting some of the UK's leading commercial brands, including Crosse & Blackwell, Sarson's, Peek Freans and Lipton's. These huge organisations created a myriad of jobs for local people, and the community prospered. But, with the decline of the docks in the 1970s, factories closed down or relocated, work patterns changed and redevelopment began. From Docks to Desktops explores the fascinating story of how one community has survived the 21st-century challenges of urban change and renewal.

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Macho men or metrosexual guys? Mummy's boys or blokes under their missus' thumbs? Self-made entrepreneurs, pukka professionals and successful executives with their Mercedes Benz lives and designer-clad wives; husbands, sons, uncles, brothers and fathers - these successful, soulful and spirited Asian men have come a long way from their origins but they've all got roots! The Trouble with Asian Men is a vital, tender and hilarious insight into lives that surround us every day, from the award-winning theatre company that brought us East is East. The Trouble with Asian Men is a revealing verbatim comedy which has played to sell-out houses internationally.

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Adapted for the stage by Neil Duffield • Acclaimed musical stage version of The Snow Queen is a hit with theatres in the UK and abroad. • This timeless classic is brought to life for the 21st century by award-winning children's playwright Neil Duffield. • Seasonal favourite published in time for Christmas productions which also makes a great gift.

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Four plays ideal for larger youth theatre casts: Talking with Angels | The Minotaur | Small Fry | Twice Upon A Time Plays for Youth Theatres & Large Casts: Four Popular Plays for Young Audiences by Neil Duffield brings together four scripts which have been tried and tested and continue to be performed regularly in youth theatres and schools since this anthology was first published in 2009. All are dramatic adventure stories and are aimed principally at the 12-16 age-range, although Small Fry has been performed by 10-11 year olds. Production can be adapted with simple or elaborate props, scenery and costume and music can be recorded or live.

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Shortlisted for The Marsh Award 2009 Tina's life in Germany had been so happy, it never occurred to her that one day her parents might split. Or - worse still - send her back to Greece to live with her grandmother! But Tina doesn't mind anything anymore. She's found the answer. With the help of her friend Wick, and a really amazing little blue pill... then lots more amazing little pills... then lots of really incredible lies... Sometimes it's as if she's in heaven, sometimes she's crashing back down to earth, and now - there's no return. Or is there?

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Bi-lingual English and Mandarin Edition Mandarin translation by Yang Lijun A group of troublesome actors arrive in a modern city. They tell the story of Ke Xin, princess of the Isle of Joy, who is always obedient until the day the sea brings to her island home a strange sailor, a raving fool without a memory, a man who will challenge everything she believes in. A timeless tale of love, power and transformation that explores many of the key issues faced by young people today.

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The Arab-Israeli Cookbook is a drama created from the everyday realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The project began when the Caird Company sent the writer Robin Soans and directors Rima Brihi and Tim Roseman to Israel, Gaza and the West Bank in 2003. There they sampled a variety of dishes in homes, restaurants, shops and cafes and met dozens of people with different cultures, backgrounds and beliefs. Each person had a story to tell and a recipe to cook. Robin Soans has constructed a verbatim play from the words he collected. Arab and Israeli voices come together to bring insight and understanding to the melting pot of Middle Eastern affairs.

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Practical Advice, Professional Resources on the Craft & Business of Writing edited by Cheryl Robson, Janet Beck, and Vania Georgeson With contributions by: Alison Prager, Ann Hazel Clare, Ayshe Raif, Bryony Lavery, Caryl Churchill, Cherry Smythe, Clare Bayley, Jean Abbott, Jill Hyem, Nina Rapi Winner of The Pandora Award.

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Who were the pioneering female painters? Who are the best contemporary women painters around today? Offers a perceptive journey through Western art history, highlighting artists from Gentileschi to Kahlo, from Amrita Sher-gil to Jenny Saville, exploring the fascinating lives of diverse female painters and their artworks within often-challenging cultural contexts. In chapters which consider identity, muses and models, the domestic space, the avant-garde, in addition to war, peace and protest, the world of women who paint is intriguingly unlocked. Includes over 20 interviews with contemporary women artists, providing unique insights into their practices, themes and personal motivation.

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Celebrate the centenary of women getting the Vote by cooking and eating some of the Suffragettes’ favourite meals. Dozens of vintage recipes contributed by some surprising supporters of the popular cause, including famous writers, governors and even a judge. With none of the fads of modern-day cooking, these simple recipes range from hearty breakfasts to healthy soups, salads and meaty casseroles, alongside witty contributions such as Pie for a Suffragist’s Doubting Husband and the Dumplings That Never Fail. Choose between the many tasty desserts such as Suffrage Angel Cake or Devil’s Food to enliven your party. Why not devise your own Suffragette Menu with recipes like Blanquette of Veal or Sweet Potato Soufflé? And don’t forget your Creole Balls! You might follow that up with Parliament Gingerbread or Strawberry Shortcake á la Mode. To top it off, why not toast the Suffragettes’ success with a Peppermint Cup or an Albuminous Beverage? Originally published in 1915 to help raise funds for the campaign for the vote for women. History and fun all in one book! This new edition includes short biographies of many of the contributors and a new endnote by award-winning writer Cheryl Robson, which places the book both in its historical and contemporary contexts.

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Singh's plays reflect, in different ways, on the complexities and contradictions of life in post-Apartheid South Africa. Set in South Africa's third largest and most diverse city, focussing on people of Indian origin and their relationship with other South African communities, these five plays, “undres[s] Durban, as they take us away from the neon lights and 'candy floss' to the reality of the underbelly of post-Apartheid urban and suburban existence.” Professor Betty Govinden Singh is a three-time national award winner for playwriting via the PANSA Playreading Festival (South Africa's foremost playwriting contest). Durban Dialogues, Indian Voice is an anthology of five engaging and eclectic South African plays by award-winning playwright Ashwin Singh. The plays selected, namely To House, Duped, Spice 'n Stuff, Reoca Light and Beyond the Big Bangs represent the complete array of Singh's storytelling skills in drama as well as satire. Each play reflects, in different ways, on the complexities and contradictions of life in post-Apartheid South Africa, and focuses particularly on people of Indian origin and their relationship with other South African communities. The plays present a moving portrait of a unique array of characters and are also punctuated by Singh's trademark humour. Each one is set in Durban, South Africa's third largest and most diverse city, and they are described by renowned academic and critic Betty Govinden as “undressing Durban, as they take us away from the neon lights and 'candy floss' to the reality of the underbelly of post-Apartheid urban and suburban existence.” This contemporary play collection from award-winning playwright is ideal for schools, colleges and theatre companies unafraid of gritty drama.

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The Plays Libration by Lluisa Cunill (Spain): A mysterious, intense and comic two-hander about two women who meet in a city park at night. The End Of The Dream Season by Miriam Kainy (Israel): A woman doctor outwits her friends and relations to retain her inheritance. Harsh Angel by Maria Avraamidou (Cyprus): A gentle Chekhovian tale of a family torn by the partition of their native land. Mephisto adapted from the novel by Klaus Mann/ Ariane Mnouchkine (France/Germany): The story of a German actor who sells his soul to Nazi ideology. Also a feature film.

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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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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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• 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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"Experienced journalist and debut novelist Martini spent a decade researching the real men whose stories form the basis of this work of fiction, and it shows in the both epic and intimate details that make this story spring to life. In Martini's prose, one can almost hear the tires screeching around the track, from the dry deserts of Libya to the damp mountains of Italy, from the sparkling streets of Monaco all the way to the shores of the United States. Amid the pungent fumes of gasoline, readers will also feel the sense of dread as the world inched closer to war. A sprawling, adrenaline-drenched story that will appeal even to readers who know next to nothing about auto racing." - Kirkus Reviews; In this epic novel about the motor-racing heroes of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, legendary characters battle to win incredible races on switchback roads along the edges of ravines. Exploring the relationships between the champions as much as the sporting events themselves, this is a thrilling tale based on the true rivalries, triumphs and disasters during a fascinating period in European sporting history.

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An entertaining collection of new short plays by popular children's playwright Rachel Barnett. Specially commissioned for young people, these plays are a great resource for schools, colleges and youth theatres. With contemporary themes and a wide variety of roles, this is a collection which enables young people to engage with serious topics while enjoying all the fun of performance.

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• The first historical novel about the American Civil War, written from the perspective of real events in Liverpool at that time. Published on the 150th anniversary of the end of the American Civil War (2015). • Provides vivid insights into the significance of Britain in the conflict and events that could have decided the outcome of the American Civil War. • A powerful story of courage, betrayal and love, told in the compelling voices of an escaped slave girl and a Confederate general.

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