by Paul Johnson | May 31, 2021
Our regular up-to-date selection of recently published books as well as new or re-released plays and musicals, many of which are now available for amateur performance. As a result of the pandemicsome licensors are now offering special online-performance arrangements, so please get in touch with the appropriate company to find out more. Show listings are not proof that respective titles are available for amateur performance. Please make appropriate enquiries with respective licensors.
CONCORD THEATRICALS
E: licensing@concordtheatricals.co.uk
E: customerservices@concordtheatricals.co.uk
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F: ConcordShows | T: @ConcordUKShows
A GIRL IN A CAR WITH A MAN by Robert Alan Evans
Full-Length Play, Drama / F2, M3 / Contemporary / 978 0 573 13217 9 / £9.99
As Stella leaves her job at the shopping channel, Alex prepares for a night out, and Paula can’t stop thinking of the girl who’s gone missing, her face all over the news. Slowly the missing girl weaves her way through all their lives in the course of a very wet and wild night.
THE GRINNING MAN by Carl Grose, Tom Morris, Tim Phillips, Marc Teitler
Full-Length Musical, Dark Comedy / F5, M7 / Fantasy / 978 0 573 13220 9 / £9.99
A strange new act has arrived at Trafalgar Fair’s freakshow. Who is Grinpayne and how did he get his hideous smile?
With the help of an old puppeteer, his pet wolf and a blind girl, Grinpayne’s tale is told. When word spreads across the capital, everything changes. Desperate to know the terrible secrets of his mysterious past, Grinpayne leaves his true love behind and embarks on a journey into an even crueller world – the aristocracy.
The Grinning Man is a fairy-tale love story streaked with pitch-black humour, lashings of Gothic horror and swashbuckling adventure. It opened at Bristol Old Vic in 2016 to great acclaim and transferred to the West End’s Trafalgar Studios in 2017 where it achieved cult status and rave reviews.
The musical premiered at Bristol Old Vic in 2016, with a production directed by Tom Morris. Following the success of the Bristol run, the show transferred to Trafalgar Studios in the West End from 5 December 2017.
ONE DAY WHEN WE WERE YOUNG by Nick Payne
Full-Length Play, Drama / F1, M1 / Contemporary / 978 0 573 11662 9 / £9.99
Leonard and Violet, young, restless and in love, spend their first night together knowing it may also be their last. It’s 1942 and, in a hotel room in Bath, they dream of their future while preparing for Leonard’s departure to the war. But the bombs begin.
REASONS YOU SHOULD(N’T) LOVE ME by Amy Trigg
Monologues, Comedy / F1 / Contemporary, Present Day / 978 0 573 13260 5 / £9.99
This title is not currently available for performance. To be informed as soon as it becomes available in the future, please submit a license application.
For a long time I didn’t know how it’d work.
Or what I’d be able to feel.
People would ask me if I could have sex and I’d feign shock and act wildly offended whilst secretly wanting to grab them by the shoulders and be like “I don’t know, Janet!”
Juno was born with spina bifida and is now clumsily navigating her twenties amidst street healers, love, loneliness – and the feeling of being an unfinished project.
Winner of The Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2020, Amy Trigg’s remarkable debut play Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me is a hilarious, heart-warming tale about how shit our wonderful lives can be.
SUE TOWNSEND’S THE SECRET DIARY OF ADRIAN MOLE AGED 13¾ THE MUSICAL by Sue Townsend, Jake Brunger, Pippa Cleary
Full-Length Musical, Comedy / F3, M3, Girl(s)1, Boy(s)3 / 1980s / 978 0 573 11665 0 / £9.99
Life’s pretty hard when you’re a 13¾-year-old misunderstood intellectual living in a cul-de-sac in 1981. With dysfunctional parents, ungrateful elders and a growing debt to school bully Barry Kent, Adrian Mole’s life simply couldn’t get any worse. So when luminous new girl Pandora joins Adrian’s class, things look set to change for our hapless hero. She immediately captures his heart, only for his best friend Nigel to steal hers…
Based on the classic bestselling novel by Sue Townsend, this critically acclaimed West End musical brings Britain’s best-loved spotty teenager’s story to life for a new generation of theatregoers.
Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application. Please submit a license request to determine availability.
“…warm and joyful energy.” – Evening Standard
“…the musical precisely captures the growing pains of a self-aware Leicester boy with literary leanings.” – The Guardian
“Delightful” – The New York Times
“endearing and thoroughly enjoyable…” – Independent
“…a continual mood of unforced tongue-in-cheek freshness.” – The Telegraph
THE TWO WORLDS OF CHARLIE F by Owen Sheers
Full-Length Play, Drama / Large cast (smaller possible) / Contemporary / 978 0 571 31558 1 / £9.99
This title is not currently available for performance. To be informed as soon as it becomes available in the future, please submit a license application.
The Two Worlds of Charlie F. moves through the stages of service, from the war in Afghanistan, to dream-like states of morphine-induced hallucinations, to the physio rooms of Headley Court. All through the view of soldier Charlie Fowler’s service, injury and recovery. The play explores themes of physical and psychological injury and its effects on soldiers as they fight for survival.
Drawn from the personal experience of the wounded, injured and sick service personnel involved, The Two Worlds of Charlie F. premiered at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, in January 2012 and toured nationally. It was revived for an international tour in 2014.
VESPERTILIO by Barry McStay
Full-Length Play, Drama / M2 / Contemporary / 978 0 573 13259 9 / £9.99
This title is not currently available for performance. To be informed as soon as it becomes available in the future, please submit a license application.
“So there’s a theory that we all have a finite number of heartbeats. We all have a billion heartbeats to live. Humans, cats, dogs, rats – all our hearts beat at different speeds but we all have the same amount. A clock with a billion ticks.”
Inspired by the incredible true story of the last greater mouse-eared bat living in Britain, Vespertilio explores the tender romance between introverted bat-enthusiast Alan and Josh, the charming young runaway he meets in an abandoned railway tunnel. As their relationship develops, these two damaged men might fix one another. If only a little. Vespertilio is a story of love, loneliness and bats, an exploration of the difference between merely surviving and truly living.
WARHEADS by Tarek Skylar, Ross Berkeley Simpson
Full-Length Play, Drama / F2, M4 / Contemporary / 978 0 573 13258 2 / £9.99
This title is not currently available for performance. To be informed as soon as it becomes available in the future, please submit a license application.
Upon return from his first tour of Afghanistan, 19-year-old Miles isn’t quite himself. Noises don’t sound the same. People don’t look the same. Pizza doesn’t taste the same.
The harder he tries to act normal, the harder it gets to be normal. And all his loved ones’ attempts to help him just keep making things worse.
The play oscillates between multiple timelines. We get to see glimpses of the child that was Miles Weppler before he signed up for the army, the man he’s become post war, and everything that happened in-between. We get an intimate view into what motivates a young man towards the military, and what motivates him to stay in the military, at any cost.
Through the eyes of his therapist, he’s just a lost boy. Through the eyes of his girlfriend, he’s a stubborn and sometimes scary man. Through the eyes of his best friend, he’s paranoid. And through his not-so-best friend’s eyes, Weppler’s just a dick.
Warheads is a punchy, urban drama based on a true story.
Music Theatre International (Europe)
T: 020 7580 2827
W: www.mtishows.co.uk | E: shows@mtishows.co.uk
F: mtieurope | T: mtieurope
The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Book: Peter Parnell. Music: Alan Menken. Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz
Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame showcases the film’s Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Menken and Schwartz. Peter Parnell’s new book embraces story theatre and features verbatim passages from Hugo’s gothic novel.
The musical begins as the bells of Notre Dame sound through the famed cathedral in fifteenth-century Paris. Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer who longs to be ‘Out There,’ observes all of Paris reveling in the Feast of Fools. Held captive by his devious caretaker, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, he escapes for the day and joins the boisterous crowd, only to be treated cruelly by all but the beautiful gypsy, Esmeralda. Quasimodo isn’t the only one captivated by her free spirit, though – the handsome Captain Phoebus and Frollo are equally enthralled. As the three vie for her attention, Frollo embarks on a mission to destroy the gypsies – and it’s up to Quasimodo to save them all. A sweeping score and powerful story make The Hunchback of Notre Dame an instant classic. Audiences will be swept away by the magic of this truly unforgettable musical.
Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID – Book: Doug Wright. Music: Alan Menken. Lyrics: Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater
Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney’s The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages. With music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and a compelling book by Doug Wright, this fishy fable will capture your heart with its irresistible songs including ‘Under the Sea,’ ‘Kiss the Girl,’ and ‘Part of Your World.’
Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above and bargains with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull, and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea.
Disney’s The Little Mermaid offers a fantastic creative opportunity for rich costumes and sets, and the chance to perform some of the best-known songs from the past thirty years.
Roald Dahl’s MATILDA THE MUSICAL JR. – Book: Dennis Kelly. Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin.
Rebellion is nigh in Matilda JR., a gleefully witty ode to the anarchy of childhood and the power of imagination! This story of a girl who dreams of a better life and the children she inspires will have audiences rooting for the “revolting children” who are out to teach the grown-ups a lesson.
Matilda has astonishing wit, intelligence… and special powers! She’s unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, the highly loveable Miss Honey. Matilda’s school life isn’t completely smooth sailing, however – the school’s mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don’t abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts, and could be the school pupils’ saving grace!
Packed with high-energy dance numbers and catchy songs, Matilda JR. is a joyous girl power romp. Children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination.
Nick Hern Books
T: 020 8749 4953
W: www.nickhernbooks.co.uk | E: info@nickhernbooks.co.uk
F: NickHernBooks | T: @NickHernBooks
Hamilton and Me AN ACTOR’S JOURNAL by Giles Terera
Theatre book / 978 1 848 42999 4 / Special Offer – see cover story
‘One of the most joyous and clear-eyed approaches to playing a character that I have ever read… I am so grateful Giles took notes on his process and turned them into this book. I was already in awe of his performance; now I’m in awe of his humanity and attention to detail and willingness to share the hard work and magic that goes into it.’ Lin-Manuel Miranda, from his Foreword.
‘One of the most joyous and clear-eyed approaches to playing a character that I have ever read… I am so grateful Giles took notes on his process and turned them into this book. I was already in awe of his performance; now I’m in awe of his humanity and attention to detail and willingness to share the hard work and magic that goes into it.’
Lin-Manuel Miranda, from his Foreword
Our latest cover star’s book is published on the same day as this new, back-to-print edition of Sardines. Make sure you read our interview with Giles Terera on page 14.
When Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical ‘Hamilton’ opened in London’s West End in December 2017, it was as huge a hit as it had been in its original production off- and on Broadway. Lauded by critics and audiences alike, the show would go on to win a record-equalling seven Olivier Awards – including Best Actor in a Musical for Giles Terera, for his portrayal of Aaron Burr.
For Terera, though, his journey as Burr had begun more than a year earlier, with his first audition in New York, and continuing through extensive research and preparation, intense rehearsals, previews and finally opening night itself. Throughout this time he kept a journal, recording his experiences of the production and his process of creating his award-winning performance. This book, ‘Hamilton and Me’, is that journal.
It offers an honest, intimate and thrilling look at everything involved in opening a once-in-a-generation production – the triumphs, breakthroughs and doubts, the camaraderie of the rehearsal room and the moments of quiet backstage contemplation – as well as a fascinating, in-depth exploration of now-iconic songs and moments from the musical, as seen from the inside. It is also deeply personal, as Terera reflects on experiences from his own life that he drew on to help shape his acclaimed portrayal.
Illustrated with dozens of colour photographs, many of which are shared here for the first time, and featuring an exclusive Foreword by Lin-Manuel Miranda, this book is an essential read for all fans of Hamilton – offering fresh, first-hand insights into the music and characters they love and know so well – as well as for aspiring and current performers, students, and anyone who wants to discover what it really felt like to be in the room where it happened.
15 Heroines by Various authors
Monologues / short plays / f15 max. / Various settings, can be simply staged / 978 1 848 42986 4 / £10.39 direct from the publisher
Fifteen inspirational women – queens, sorcerers, pioneers, poets and politicians – are given new voice in this award-winning series of monologues by exciting female and non-binary playwrights, inspired by Ovid’s The Heroines. These monologues can be performed as three complete productions, individually, or in any combination.
“Compelling… sometimes funny, often moving, this is a phenomenal collection of monologues.” BritishTheatre.com
Chaos by Laura Lomas
Full-length play / Flexible – any size, any gender / Various settings, can be simply staged / 978 1 848 42987 1 / £7.99 direct from the publisher
A series of characters search for meaning in a complicated and unstable world in this symphony of interconnected scenes. Written specifically for young people as part of the National Theatre Connections Festival, it offers opportunities for a large, flexible cast, and can incorporate chorus work, movement and music.
“Potent, beautifully crafted, with rich theatrical texture.”
The Stage on Laura Lomas’ ‘Bird’
Little Wars by Steven Carl McCasland
Full-length play / F7 / Country home in the French Alps, 1940 / 978 1 839 04003 0 / £7.99 direct from the publisher
An enthralling, entertaining, and moving portrait of seven exceptional women. A dinner party during the Second World War unites a group of celebrated writers – including Agatha Christie, Dorothy Parker and Gertrude Stein – with a mysterious guest. With booze flowing, barbs flying, and the threat of global conflict looming, the guests are close to boiling point – and someone has a secret.
“The script is smart and witty… admirably bold and asks big questions.” The Stage
Stuff by Tom Wells
Full-length play / F5, M4 / Various settings, can be simply staged / 978 1 848 42988 8 / £7.99 direct from the publisher
A funny, touching play about friendship and loss – and the way people try to do the right thing for their mates when there isn’t really a right thing to do. Written specifically for young people as part of the National Theatre Connections Festival, it offers rich opportunities for an ensemble cast of teenagers.
“Perceptive about the characters’ concerns and insecurities… Tom Wells clearly understands teenagers, so we really do believe what we are seeing”
British Theatre Guide on Tom Wells’ ‘Broken Biscuits’
Bloomsbury – Methuen Drama
T: 01256 302699
W: www.bloomsbury.com | E: direct@macmillan.co.uk
F: BloomsburyPublishing | T: @bloomsburybooks
Hamlet: The State of Play – Edited by Sonia Massai & Lucy Munro
Theatre Book / 978 1 350 11772 3 / £67.50 (Online, Hardback)
This collection brings together emerging and established scholars to explore fresh approaches to Shakespeare’s best-known play. Hamlet has often served as a testing ground for innovative readings and new approaches. Its unique textual history – surviving as it does in three substantially different early versions – means that it offers an especially complex and intriguing case-study for histories of early modern publishing and the relationship between page and stage. Similarly, its long history of stage and screen revival, creative appropriation and critical commentary offer rich materials for various forms of scholarship.
The essays in Hamlet: The State of Play explore the play from a variety of different angles, drawing on contemporary approaches to gender, sexuality, race, the history of emotions, memory, visual and material cultures, performativity, theories and histories of place, and textual studies. They offer fresh approaches to literary and cultural analysis, offer accessible introductions to some current ways of exploring the relationship between the three early texts, and present analysis of some important recent responses to Hamlet on screen and stage, together with a set of approaches to the study of adaptation.
Shakespeare in the Theatre: Peter Hall – Stuart Hampton-Reeves
Theatre Book / 978 1 472 58708 4 / £17.99 (Online, Paperback)
Peter Hall is one of the most significant and influential directors of Shakespeare’s work of modern times. Through both his own work and the management of two national theatre companies, the National Theatre and the RSC, Hall has promoted Shakespeare as a writer who can comment incisively on the modern world.
His best productions exemplified this approach: Coriolanus (1959), The Wars of the Roses (1963) and Hamlet (1965) established his reputation as a director able to bring Shakespeare to the heart of contemporary politics. However, Hall’s career has been very varied, and sometimes his critical failures are as interesting as his successes. The book explores Hall’s work as a deliberate articulation of Shakespeare and national culture in the post-war years. The main focus is on his Shakespeare work, but critical attention is also given to non-Shakespearean productions, notably his 1955 Waiting for Godot (and his relationship with Samuel Beckett in general) and his 2000 Tantalus (and his work with John Barton), placing Hall’s work in its cultural and creative context.
Setting Hall’s work against the post-war development of national culture, the book explores how his work with other writers and artists (including Beckett, Pinter and Barton) informed his approach to directing as well as his rehearsal methods and his approach to Shakespeare’s text.
Staging Britain’s Past Pre-Roman Britain in Early Modern Drama – Kim Gilchrist
Theatre Book / 978 1 350 16334 8 / £67.50 (Online, Hardback)
Staging Britain’s Past is the first study of the early modern performance of Britain’s pre-Roman history. The mythic history of the founding of Britain by the Trojan exile Brute and the subsequent reign of his descendants was performed through texts such as Norton and Sackville’s Gorboduc, Shakespeare’s King Lear and Cymbeline, as well as civic pageants, court masques and royal entries such as Elizabeth I’s 1578 entry to Norwich. Gilchrist argues for the power of performed history to shape early modern conceptions of the past, ancestry, and national destiny, and demonstrates how the erosion of the Brutan histories marks a transformation in English self-understanding and identity.
When published in 1608, Shakespeare’s King Lear claimed to be a “True Chronicle History”. Lear was said to have ruled Britain centuries before the Romans, a descendant of the mighty Trojan Brute who had conquered Britain and slaughtered its barbaric giants. But this was fake history. Shakespeare’s contemporaries were discovering that Brute and his descendants, once widely believed as proof of glorious ancient origins, were a mischievous medieval invention.
Offering a comprehensive account of the extraordinary theatrical tradition that emerged from these Brutan histories and the reasons for that tradition’s disappearance, this study gathers all known evidence of the plays, pageants and masques portraying Britain’s ancient rulers. Staging Britain’s Past reveals how the loss of England’s Trojan origins is reflected in plays and performances from Gorboduc’s powerful invocation of history to Cymbeline’s elegiac erosion of all notions of historical truth.
ANGELA – Mark Ravenhill
Full-Length Play / 978 1 350 25559 3 / £9.89 (Paperback, Online)
Mark Ravenhill’s autobiographical radio play explores the way culture, high and low, impacted both his mother’s and his family’s lives.
Starting an adult ballet class as the only male in the group sparks a memory of life through the eyes of Ravenhill, the playwright. As time intertwines through alternating perspectives we see his family at different stages of their life. From childhood dreams of being a dancer and performer through to the creativity that brings his parents together for the first time and into their old age, this is a deeply personal and resonate drama about the intersects of life and culture.
Commissioned by Sound Stage, a new immersive audio theatre, designed by theatre-makers and leading technologists, giving audiences a unique and engrossing online theatre experience of new plays from the best in British theatre.
CRUISE – Jack Holden
Full-Length Play / 978 1 350 27069 5 / £9.89 (Paperback, Online)
Set in London’s Soho in the 1980s, Cruise tells the story of what should have been Michael Spencer’s last night on Earth. Diagnosed with HIV in 1984, he’s told by doctors that he has just four years to live, so as the clock runs down, Michael decides to go out in style. As he parties and bids final farewells to his friends, the clock strikes zero and Michael… survives. With the gift of life, how can he go on living?
Jack Holden’s debut play Cruise is a kaleidoscopic new monologue celebrating queer culture and paying tribute to a generation of gay men lost to the AIDS crisis. This edition was published to coincide with its West End production in May 2021.
Hymn – Lolita Chakrabarti
Full-Length Play / 978 1 350 24305 7 / £9.89 (Paperback, Online)
Two men meet at a funeral. Gil knew the deceased. Benny did not. Before long their families are close. Soon they’ll be singing the same tune.
Benny is a loner anchored by his wife and children. Gil longs to fulfill his potential. They develop a deep bond but as cracks appear in their fragile lives they start to realise that true courage comes in different forms.
Featuring music from Gil and Benny’s lives, Lolita Chakrabarti’s searching, soulful new play asks what it takes to be a good father, brother or son.
This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere at London’s Almeida Theatre in February 2021.
Mugabe, My Dad and Me – Tonderai Munyevu
Full-Length Play / 978 1 350 18607 1 / £9.89 (Paperback, Online)
April, 1980. The British colony of Rhodesia becomes the independent nation of Zimbabwe. A born-free, Tonderai Munyevu is part of the hopeful next generation from a country with a new leader, Robert Mugabe.
Mugabe, My Dad and Me charts the rise and fall of one of the most controversial politicians of the 20th Century through the lens of Tonderai’s family story and his relationship with his father. Interspersing storytelling with Mugabe’s unapologetic speeches, this high-voltage one man show is a blistering exploration of identity and what it means to return ‘home’.
ONCE UPON A BRIDGE – Sonya Kelly
Full-Length Play / 978 1 350 26709 1 / £9.89 (Paperback, Online)
Early one morning on Putney Bridge, three strangers’ lives collided for one fleeting second.
Inspired by real events, Once Upon a Bridge weaves a tale about human triumph and frailty, about the power of destiny and chance, and why sometimes we choose to hate and other times we choose to dance.
Commissioned by Ireland’s Druid Theatre and live-streamed from Mick Lally theatre in Galway, Sonya Kelly’s latest play received a string of excellent reviews for its bold intimacy and engaging story telling.
Orpheus in the Record Shop …and… The Beatboxer – Testament
Full-Length Play / 978 1 350 26766 4 / £9.89 (Paperback, Online)
Two new plays from acclaimed rapper and playwright Testament (Black Men Walking).
Orpheus in the Record Shop
Orpheus is alone, playing tunes in his record shop. After a visitor leaves him an unexpected gift strange things start to happen and music, myth and reality collide. Together with Orpheus we go in search of something ancient, contemporary and hopeful.
The Beatboxer
A beatboxer goes into a call centre to run a training day. But the bosses have ulterior motives for him being there.
Testament takes inspiration from the classical Greek myth of Orpheus, in a show that fuses spoken word and beatboxing with the musicians of the Orchestra of Opera North. Published alongside his radio play The Beatboxer which was shortlisted for The Imison Award, BBC Audio Drama Awards, these two plays are inspiring pieces of contemporary theatre. Orpheus in the Record Shop was broadcast as part of the #BBCLightsUp season on BBC television in 2021.
Sadie – David Ireland
Full-Length Play / 978 1 350 25657 6 / £9.89 (Paperback, Online)
Sadie has a one-night stand with the new office temp, Joao, but it develops into something much more serious when Joao reveals he’s in love with her. Sadie is flattered but she has a long history of terrible relationships. She wonders if it’s even possible for her to be happy in love? To answer that question, she calls upon her long dead uncle Red and her abusive ex-husband Clark, as well as her new therapist Mairead. Together they help her face some horrifying truths she’s kept hidden for too long.
Lyric Theatre Belfast, in association with Stephen Rea’s Field Day Theatre Company, bring this powerful new play to the stage, to be broadcast on BBC Four as part of BBC Arts ‘Lights up’ for the new Culture in Quarantine Season – a celebration of British theatre, bringing newly-recorded staged productions from UK theatres to audiences across television, radio, iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
Directed by Conleth Hill (Lord Varys, Game of Thrones) it stars award-winning actress Abigail McGibbon.
TARANTULA – Philip Ridley
Full-Length Play / 978 1 350 27445 7 / £9.89 (Paperback, Online)
It’s a sunny, spring day in East London.
On a street corner, two teenagers kiss.
One of them is Toni. This is her first kiss.
It makes her very happy.
But someone is watching.
Someone who doesn’t care about her happiness at all.
And they’re about to change Toni’s life… forever.
Philip Ridley’s thrilling new play is a startling exploration of identity, memory, love, and the lengths it takes someone to free themselves from the web of their past.
The Crowood Press
01672 520320
W: crowood.com | E: enquiries@crowood.com
F: TheCrowoodPress | T: @crowoodpress
Shakespearean Wig Styling A Practical Guide to Wig Making for the 1500s-1600s – Brenda Leedham and Lizzee Leedham
Theatre book / 978 1 785 00882 5 / £16.99
The poetry and plays of William Shakespeare continue to provide inspiration for designers in all aspect of media. Shakespearean Wig Styling offers detailed historical guidance on the styles and fashions of the day, and guides yo through twelve different wig designs covering a wide range of archetypal Shakespearian characters. Each example offers different techniques to meet the needs of the design, from material, knotting and curling to the final styling choices. Covering both the Tudor and Stuart periods, there are clear instructions within each example for making wigs from start to finish and adapting from the universal full-lace foundation to create alternative foundations, including added support for complicated styles such as the fontange.
In addition, the book covers:
- what to expect when working in the theatre or as a freelance wig-maker;
- fitting your client, measuring and taking a shell;
- methods for preparing the hair under a wig;
- knotting facial hair, hairpieces, hairlines, napes and partings;
- methods for breaking or dirtying down;
- creating bald caps and receding hairline effects.
This comprehensive book is an ideal companion for the newly qualified wig-maker and all professionals looking for a detailed reference guide to hairstyles from the Shakespearean era.
Theatrical Rights Worldwide
T: 020 7101 9596
W: www.theatricalrights.co.uk
E: london@theatricalrights.com
F: TRWMusicalsUK | T: @trwmusicalsuk
Million Dollar Quartet – Colin Escott, Floyd Mutrux
Full Length Musical / F1, M7 / 1950s / Memphis, Tennessee, USA / Rock and Roll
Inspired by ELVIS PRESLEY, JOHNNY CASH, JERRY LEE LEWIS and CARL PERKINS
The Tony® Award-nominated musical is set on December 4, 1956, when an extraordinary twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley together at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions ever.
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET brings that legendary December night to life with an irresistible tale of broken promises, secrets, betrayal and celebrations that is both poignant and funny. Relive the era with the smash-hit sensation featuring an incredible score of rock ‘n’ roll, gospel, R&B and country hits, performed live onstage by world-class actors and musicians.
Showcased numbers include ‘Blue Suede Shoes,’ ‘Fever,’ ‘Walk the Line,’ ‘Sixteen Tons,’ ‘Who Do You Love?,’ ‘Great Balls of Fire,’ ‘Folsom Prison Blues,’ ‘Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,’ ‘Hound Dog,’ and more.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical – Stephan Elliott, Allan Scott
Full Length Musical / F7, M9, Boy(s)1 / 1990s / Australia / Pop Rock, Comedy
Based on the popular 1994 film of the same name, Priscilla Queen of the Desert follows two drag queens and a transsexual who buy a run-down old bus (they call it Priscilla) and set out on a road trip across the Australian Outback when one of them, Tick, is invited by his ex-wife to perform his drag show at her far-away resort. However, Tick is hesitant to tell his friends, Bernadette (a former performing icon whose best days are behind her) and Adam (a rambunctious young troublemaker), his own personal reasons for taking the trip.
During their journey, the trio encounters an array of Australian citizens.
All Shook Up – Inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley. Book: Joe DiPietro
Full Length Musical / F5, M4, Flexible ensemble / 1955 / Various settings / Rock ‘n’ Roll
It’s 1955, and into a square little town in a square little state rides a guitar-playing young man who changes everything and everyone he meets.
Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, this hip-swiveling, lip-curling musical fantasy will have you jumpin’ out of your blue suede shoes with such classics as ‘Heartbreak Hotel,’ ‘Hound Dog,’ ‘Jailhouse Rock,’ and ‘Don’t Be Cruel.’
MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT A Socially Distant Concert-ish Version – Book, Lyrics & Music by Eric Idle. Music by John Du Prez
Full Length Musical Comedy / F1, M6, Many casting opportunities for female roles in the ensemble. / Middle ages / King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table / Various (Monty Python)
To address social distance restrictions during the pandemic of 2020, this “concert-ish” version of Spamalot is intended to be played to a socially separated audience by a cast of socially separated actors, appropriately placed.
To avoid closely placed musicians and stage crew, TRW recommends the use the recorded full orchestration, StageTracks, and the scenic projections that were designed in collaboration with the original 2005 Broadway production.
by Paul Johnson | Feb 4, 2021
Our regular up-to-date selection of recently published books as well as new or re-released plays and musicals, many of which are now available for amateur performance. As a result of the pandemic some licensors are now offering special online-performance arrangements, so please get in touch with the appropriate company to find out more.
CONCORD THEATRICALS
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SAMUEL FRENCH
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY by Jane Austen, Emma Whipday, Brian McMahon
Full-length dramatic comedy | F5, M5 | 16th Century | 978 0 573 70684 4 | £10.99 paperback
Sisters Marianne (a hopeless romantic) and Elinor (a stoic realist) experience the pitfalls of society, the generosity of new friends, and the passion of unexpected love in this funny and poignant adaptation of Jane Austen’s exquisite early work.
When Mr. Dashwood dies, he leaves behind him a fine estate – but the law dictates that this must go to his eldest son, John, leaving his wife and daughters bereft. The Dashwood women must learn to embrace a new life, for better or for worse. Sisters Marianne (a hopeless romantic) and Elinor (a stoic realist) experience the pitfalls of society, the generosity of new friends, and the passion of unexpected love in this funny and poignant adaptation of Jane Austen’s exquisite early work. Battling vicious gossip, painful secrets, and the well-meaning interference of would-be matchmaker Mrs. Jennings, the Dashwood sisters learn the importance of both sense and sensibility.
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN
ALLEGRO by Music by Richard Rodgers | Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Full-length musical comedy | F5, M6 | 1900-1930s | DIGLIB0000004 | £4.00 perusal/rental
This ensemble musical chronicles nearly four decades in the life of an Everyman, Joseph Taylor, Jr., from cradle through a mid-life discovery of who he is and what his life is truly about. The first musical to be staged by a director who was also the choreographer (the legendary Agnes de Mille), the unique structural format allows the saga to whisk us from Joe’s birth through his childhood, from college dorm to marriage altar, and on to his career; from the tranquility of his small Midwestern hometown to the hectic din of big city life, in a series of vignettes and musical sequences dazzling in their simplicity and stunning in their impact. Ahead of its time theatrically, Allegro remains timeless in its appeal.
Allegro opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre on October 10, 1947, featuring John Battles as Joseph Taylor, Jr., Annamary Dickey as Marjorie Taylor, William Ching as Dr. Joseph Taylor, Roberta Jonay as Jennie Brinker, Lisa Kirk as Emily, and John Conte as Charlie Townsend.
WINNER! Three 1947 Donaldson Awards, for Best Book, Best Lyrics and Best Score
NOMINEE: Seven 2005 Helen Hayes Awards
WINNER! Two 2005 Helen Hayes Awards for Outstanding Resident Musical and Outstanding Director
CAROUSEL by Music by Richard Rodgers | Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Full-length musical drama | F5, M5 | 19th Century | DIGLIB0000007 | £4.00 perusal/rental
In a Maine coastal village toward the end of the 19th century, the swaggering, carefree carnival barker, Billy Bigelow, captivates and marries the gentle millworker, Julie Jordan. Billy loses his job just as he learns that Julie is pregnant and, desperately intent upon providing a decent life for his family, he is coerced into being an accomplice to a robbery. Caught in the act and facing the certainty of prison, he takes his own life and is sent ‘up there.’ Billy is allowed to return to earth for one day fifteen years later, and he encounters the daughter he never knew. She is a lonely, friendless teenager, her father’s reputation as a thief and bully having haunted her throughout her young life. How Billy instills in both the child and her mother a sense of hope and dignity is a dramatic testimony to the power of love.
After tryouts in New Haven and Boston, Carousel opened at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre on April 19, 1945, where it ran for 890 performances. The original Broadway cast featured John Raitt as Billy, Jan Clayton as Julie, and Jean Darling as Carrie. Winner of the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award as Best Musical of 1945, Carousel went on to a two-year national tour, as well as countless productions throughout the world. In 1950, Carousel premiered at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where it played for 566 performances, and in 1956 the motion picture version, starring Gordon MacRae as Billy and Shirley Jones as Julie, was released.
In March 1994, Carousel marked its first return to Broadway since the original run, playing for a year at the Vivian Beaumont Theater. This Carousel received a record-setting five Tony Awards (the most of any show that season), including Best Revival of a Musical. A Japanese production played extended engagements in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka in 1995, and a U.S. National Tour visited over 40 cities from February of 1996 through May of 1997, and starred Broadway stars to be Patrick Wilson, Sarah Uriarte Berry and Jennifer Laura Thompson. In 2002, Carnegie Hall hosted a concert performance with Hugh Jackman, Audra McDonald, Philip Bosco, Blythe Danner, John Raitt, Norbert Leo Butz, Jason Danieley, Judy Kaye and Lauren Ward.
In April 2018, Carousel returned to Broadway starring Joshua Henry, Jessie Mueller, Renée Fleming, Lindsey Mendez and Alexander Gemignani.
Winner! 1993 Olivier Award, Best Musical Revival
Winner! Five 1994 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical
Winner! Three 1994 Drama Desk Awards
Nominee: Seven 1994 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical Revival
Winner! Two 2018 Tony Awards
Nominee: Eleven 2018 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical
Winner! Five 2018 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Orchestrations
Nominee: Twelve 2018 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical Revival
ME AND JULIET by Music by Richard Rodgers | Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Full-length musical comedy | F14, M9 | 1950s | DIGLIB0000014 | £4.00 perusal/rental
This show-within-a-show follows the romance between a chorus girl and an assistant stage manager leading to their secret marriage. Their happy union is threatened by the electrician who still carries a torch for the girl and, in a drunken rage, tries to kill them both. A contrasting romance involves the stage manager, whose credo never to fall for a girl in a show he’s working on is complicated when a dancer he’s been wooing is suddenly thrown into the cast of ‘Me and Juliet.’ Informed by rich insights into the world of Broadway-how jobs are gotten and lost, the inside tricks of the trade and the pitfalls of backstage romances – Me and Juliet is an innovative, irresistible show that consistently delivers both musically and dramatically.
Me and Juliet opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre on May 28, 1953, featuring Isabel Bigley, Bill Hayes and Joan McCracken.
PIPE DREAM by Music by Richard Rodgers | Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Full-length musical comedy | F10, M17 | 1950s | DIGLIB0000016 | £4.00 perusal/rental
From the pages of Steinbeck, the drifters and dropouts along Cannery Row spring to life in this uncommon story of love and hope. When Suzy, a homeless girl, is picked up for stealing food, she’s taken in by Fauna, the big-hearted Madam of the Bear Flag Café (which is no café at all). Here she meets Doc, a carefree marine biologist, and soon romance is in the air. Rodgers & Hammerstein struck a new tone with Pipe Dream: warm and highly personal. It illuminates Rodgers & Hammerstein’s benevolence for outcasts who are infinitely capable of every emotion and longing felt by the more fortunate members of society. As sung by Doc at the top of the show, the soulful message is simple: “It takes all kinds of people to make up a world.” Is there a better one?
The seventh musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Pipe Dream premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre on November 30, 1955. The original cast featured Helen Traubel, William Johnson and Judy Tyler.
Nominee: Nine 1956 Tony Awards, Including Best Musical
Winner! 1956 Tony Award
TAMS-WITMARK
DREAMGIRLS by Henry Krieger, Tom Eyen
Full-length musical drama | F4, M4 | 1970s, 1960s | DIGLIB0000139 | £4.00 perusal/rental
“Dreamgirls is a show about a time in American musical history when rhythm and blues blended with other styles of popular music creating a new American sound. Act One is set in the fabulous sixties – a time when we were still screaming at Elvis and listening to the Beatles, but were dancing to the new beat of countless girl and boy groups like The Supremes, The Marvelettes, The Temptations and The Shirelles. Dreamgirls is not just about the singing and the dancing and the performing. The play is also about the behind-the-scenes reality of the entertainment industry – the business part of show business that made possible this cultural phenomenon. Act Two shows the creation and the arrival of disco – though the word is never used in the script. The subject matter of this play deals with a musical contribution to America of such importance that only now – decades later – are we beginning to understand.” – Michael Bennett
Dreamgirls opened on Broadway on December 20, 1981 at the Imperial Theatre, where it played for 1521 performances. The original cast included Jennifer Holliday, Loretta Devine, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Ben Harney. In 1987, a Broadway revival starring Lillias White ran for 177 performances at the Ambassador Theatre. On September 24, 2001, a “One Night Only” concert performance was staged at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, featuring Audra McDonald, Lillias White, Heather Headley, and Norm Lewis. The show made its London premiere at The Savoy Theatre in December 2016, with Amber Riley appearing as Effie White; running through January 12, 2019.
Winner! Six 1982 Tony Awards, including Best Book
Nominee: Thirteen 1982 Tony Awards, including Best Musical
Winner! Four 1982 Drama Desk Awards
Nominee: Ten 1982 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical
Winner! 1982 Theatre World Award (Jennifer Holliday)
HAIR by Gerome Ragni, James Rado, Galt MacDermot
Full-length musical | F4, M5 | New York City. 1968 | DIGLIB0000168 | £4.00 perusal/rental
The American tribal love rock musical Hair celebrates the sixties counterculture in all its barefoot, long-haired, bell-bottomed, beaded and fringed glory. To an infectiously energetic rock beat, the show wows audiences with songs like “Aquarius,” “Good Morning, Starshine,” “Hair,” “I Got Life,” and “Let The Sun Shine.” Exploring ideas of identity, community, global responsibility and peace, Hair remains relevant as ever as it examines what it means to be a young person in a changing world.
Hair debuted Off-Broadway at Joseph Papp’s Public Theater on October 17, 1967. The show was an instant sensation, moving to a second venue and playing 144 performances. On April 29, 1968 Hair opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre, starring James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Lynn Kellogg and Melba Moore. Breaking all theatre conventions, the show made national headlines and played for 1,750 performances. A 1977 Broadway revival starred Randall Easterbrook, Michael Holt, Ellen Foley and Iris Rosenkrantz. In 2009, Hair returned to Broadway and played for 519 performances at the Al Hirshfeld Theatre, starring Gavin Creel, Will Swenson, Caissie Levy and Sasha Allen.
Winner! 1968 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music
Nominee: Two 1969 Tony Awards, including Best Musical
Winner! 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical
Nominee: Eight 2009 Tony Awards
Winner! 2009 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical
SNOOPY!!! (LONDON VERSION) by Charles M. Schulz, Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw, Michael L. Grace, Larry Grossman, Hal Hackady
Full-length musical comedy | F3, M3 F/M1 | Present Day, 1970s | DIGLIB0000272 | £4.00 perusal/rental
Based on the beloved Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz, Snoopy!!! sparkles with wit and warmth as it depicts life as seen through the eyes of Schulz’s unforgettable characters. Musical numbers include “Just One Person,” “Poor Sweet Baby,” “Don’t Be Anything Less (Than Everything You Can Be),” “Edgar Allen Poe” and “Daisy Hill.”
This London Version of Snoopy!!! includes all the songs from the Original Version, plus four more: “Hurry Up, Face,” “Mother’s Day,” “Dime A Dozen,” and “When Do The Good Things Start?”
Snoopy!!! premiered on December 9, 1975 at the Little Fox Theatre in San Francisco, California. Directed by Arthur Whitelaw, the cast featured Don Potter in the title role, James Gleason as Charlie Brown, Janell Pulis as Lucy, Cathy Cahn as Woodstock, Jimmy Dodge as Linus, Randi Kallan as Sally and Pamela Myers as Peppermint Patty. In 1982, the musical was produced Off-Broadway at the Lamb’s Theatre featuring David Garrison as Snoopy, Terry Kerwin as Charlie Brown, Stephen Fenning as Linus, Kay Cole as Lucy, Cathy Cahn as Woodstock, and Vicki Lewis as Peppermint Patty. The London Version opened at the West End Duchess Theatre on September 20, 1983 and played for 479 performances, starring Teddy Kempner as Snoopy.
YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN (REVISED) by Charles M. Schulz, Clark Gesner, Michael Mayer, Andrew Lippa
Full-length musical comedy | F2, M4 | Contemporary, Present Day | DIGLIB0000002 | £0.00 perusal/rental
Happiness is great musical theatre! With charm, wit, and heart, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown explores life through the eyes of Charlie Brown and his friends in the Peanuts gang. This revue of songs and vignettes, based on the beloved Charles Schulz comic strip, is the ideal first show for those who would like to do a musical. Musical numbers include “My Blanket and Me,” “The Kite,” “The Baseball Game,” “Little Known Facts,” “Suppertime,” and “Happiness.” Guaranteed to please audiences of all ages!
NOTE: You are not required to perform the entire show! You may, at your option, perform your choice of scenes from the show, provided that the total running time for your performance (without intermission) is no less than 45 minutes. Under no circumstances may you add any dialogue, music, or vocal material to the show or combine versions. In the event that you do exercise this option, you do not need to notify us, and the quotation will not change.
All Tams-Witmark shows other than You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Revised or Original) must be performed in their entirety.
You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown opened on March 7, 1967 and played for 1,597 performances in New York at the theatre 80 St. Marks with Gary Burghoff in the title role. This version was revived on Broadway in 1971 and played for 32 performances at the John Golden Theatre. A new version, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Revised), was presented on Broadway in 1999 and played for 149 performances at the Ambassador Theatre with Tony Award-winning performances by Roger Bart as Snoopy and Kristin Chenoweth as Sally.
Winner! Two 1967 Drama Desk-Vernon Rice Awards for Director and Performer
Winner! 1967 Outer Critics Circle Award for Production
Winner! Three 1999 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Winner! Two 1999 Tony Awards® for Best Actress and Featured Actor
Nominee: Two 1999 Tony Awards® for Best Revival and Best Director of a Musical
YOUNG ACTORS & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT (HIGH SCHOOL EDITION) by George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Joe DiPietro, Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse
Full-length musical comedy | F5, M5 | 1920s | DIGLIB0000224 | £4.00 perusal/rental
A hilarious new screwball comedy, Nice Work If You Can Get It pokes fun at the Prohibition era in a clash of elegant socialites and boorish bootleggers, all set to the glorious songs of George and Ira Gershwin. Highlights from the score include “Fascinating Rhythm,” “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off,” “Someone To Watch Over Me,” “Sweet and Low Down,” “Delishious” and the title song.
Nice Work If You Can Get It opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre, April 24, 2012, and played for 478 performances starring Matthew Broderick and Kellie O’Hara as Jimmy and Billie.
Winner! Two 2012 Tony Awards
Nominee: Ten 2012 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical
Winner! Three 2012 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Book of a Musical
ROCK OF AGES (HIGH SCHOOL EDITION) by Chris D’Arienzo
Full-length musical comedy | F11, M9, F/M10 | 1980s | DIG0000000055 | £4.00 perusal/rental
It’s the tail end of the big, bad 1980s in Hollywood, and the party has been raging hard. Aqua Net, Lycra and Heavy Metal flow freely at one of the Sunset Strip’s last legendary venues, a place where legendary rocker Stacee Jaxx takes the stage and groupies line up for their chance at an autograph. Amidst the madness, aspiring rock star (and resident toilet cleaner) Drew longs to take the stage as the next big thing (and longs for small-town girl Sherri, fresh off the bus from Kansas with stars in her eyes). But the rock ‘n’ roll fairy tale is about to end when German developers sweep into town with plans to turn the fabled Strip into just another capitalist strip mall. Can Drew, Sherri and the gang save the strip – and themselves – before it’s too late? Only the music of hit bands Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake and more can hold the answer.
Rock of Ages: High School Edition takes you back to the times of big bands with big egos playing big guitar solos and sporting even bigger hair! This Tony Award -nominated Broadway musical features the hits of bands including Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister and others.
Rock of Ages opened on Broadway on April 7, 2009 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it played for 2,328 performances. At the time of its closing, Rock of Ages was the 29th longest-running show in Broadway history.
(For the Original Version)
Nominee: Five 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical
Nominee: Two Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical
THE SECRET GARDEN, SPRING VERSION by Marsha Norman, Lucy Simon, Frances Hodgson Burnett
Full-length musical drama | F7, M8, Boy1, Girl1 | Contemporary, 1900-1910. Colonial India & Misselthwaite Manor in England | 978 0 573 69759 3 | £10.99 paperback
The long-awaited new 70-minute version of the beloved musical, The Secret Garden, is as beautiful and spirited as the original in just half the time.
This new “Spring Version” promises to be a treasure for children and adults!
THE SECRET GARDEN first appeared at the St. James Theater. Directed by Susan H. Schulman.
THE WIZARD OF OZ (YOUNG PERFORMERS’ EDITION) by L. Frank Baum. Harold Arlen. E.Y. Harburg. Herbert Stothart
Full-length musical comedy | F5, M5, F/M10 | Contemporary, Present Day, 1930s. The Gale farmhouse in Kansas and various locations in the Land of Oz | DIGLIB0000067 | £0.00 perusal/rental
This Young Performers’ Edition is a one-hour adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, specially tailored for school-aged actors. The materials have been prepared to help your school or organisation mount the best possible production and to give your young cast and crew an exciting and rewarding experience.
The MGM film The Wizard of Oz, based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, premiered Graumoan’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on August 15, 1939. The Royal Shakespeare Company presented a live stage adaptation of the film at the Barbican Centre in London in 1987. In 2011, this one-hour adaptation of the RSC version was designed in conjunction with iTheatrics.
Winner! 1940 Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song (“Over The Rainbow”)
Winner! 1940 Academy Award for Best Music, Original Score
The Crowood Press
01672 520320
W: crowood.com | E: enquiries@crowood.com
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UNARMED STAGE COMBAT by Philip d’Orleans
Theatre book | 978 1 785 00785 9 | £20.00
Stage combat is a constantly evolving craft, responsive to the growing demands of an ever changing industry and an ever more perceptive audience. Experienced fight director, teacher and examiner Philip d’Orleans shows how to respond to this challenge through innovative techniques and original choreography. Unarmed Stage Combat explores the fundamental performance principles of violence on stage, before a dedicated series of chapters focus on over forty specific unarmed combat techniques, including non-contact slaps, punches, kicks and chokes as well as controlled contact and the illusion of falling. Each technique is beautifully illustrated with step-by-step photos and detailed practical guidance through the preparation, action and reaction to the movement, as well as the key safety principles, common pitfalls and staging variables.
Packed with a career’s worth of industry experience, this is far more than a simple book on technique – this is a master class in how to create a unique fight performance, allowing performers to reach their full fight potential, safely. Key coverage includes:
- Acting while you fight – maintaining an authentic character
- How staging and sightlines affect choice of technique
- Vocal choreography and how to perform it safely
- A detailed examination of pain
- Knapping
- Fighting for camera
Philip d’Orleans is a Master Teacher with the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat. As well as his role of Physical Skills instructor at RADA, he also teaches at a number of other UK drama schools and is a fight examiner with the BASSC, Stage Combat Deutschland and the Irish Dramatic Combat Academy. Philip has choreographer fights for the RSC, the ROH, and the West End, as well as many other theatres throughout the UK and internationally.
Nick Hern Books
T: 020 8749 4953
W: www.nickhernbooks.co.uk | E: info@nickhernbooks.co.uk
F: NickHernBooks | T: @NickHernBooks
AMSTERDAM by Maya Arad Yasur. Translated by Eran Edry
Full-length Play | minimum 3 performers | Flexible staging | 978 1 848 42889 8 | epub £9.99 (£7.99 direct from publisher)
An Israeli violinist. Living in her trendy canal-side Amsterdam apartment. Nine months pregnant. One day a mysterious unpaid gas bill from 1944 arrives. It awakens unsettling feelings of collective identity, foreignness and alienation. Stories of a devastating past are compellingly reconstructed to try and make sense of the present. An intense, enigmatic play with dialogue not assigned to any characters – giving it great flexibility for casting.
“A fascinating, multilayered play’ The Stage
SEEDS by Mel Pennant
Full-length Play | F2 | Contemporary, simple staging | 978 1 848 42945 1 | epub £9.99 (£7.99 direct from publisher)
It’s Michael Thomas’s birthday. A cake sits in his mother Evelyn’s living room, its candles burning undisturbed. On the fifteenth anniversary of Michael’s fatal stabbing, Jackie wants to clear her conscience, whilst Evelyn’s got a big speech to deliver. Are some things better left unsaid? This emotional play explores the human story behind a tragedy, through the eyes of those left behind: two mothers united in sorrow, and sharing the hardship of protecting their sons – one in life, and one in death.
“seeds pushes at the limits of maternal love, asking how far a mother would go to protect her son” Guardian
TEENAGE DICK by Mike Lew
Full-length Play | F4, M2 | Contemporary, set in an American high school | 978 1 848 42872 0 | epub £9.99 (£7.99 direct from publisher)
A darkly comic, smashed-up retelling of Richard III, Shakespeare’s classic tale about the lust for power, Teenage Dick reimagines the most famous disabled character of all time as an American high-school outsider in junior year: the deepest winter of his discontent. Picked on because of his disability (as well as his sometimes creepily Shakespearean way of speaking), Richard is determined to have his revenge and make his name by becoming president of the senior class. But like all teenagers, and all despots, he is faced with the hardest question of all: is it better to be loved, or feared?
“A smart, probing play… sinks a cunning, shining dagger into an author who’s buried in centuries of history and glory” Time Out
THERE ARE NO BEGINNINGS by Charley Miles
Full-length Play | F4 | 1970s and 1980s Leeds | 978 1 848 42886 7 | epub £9.99 (£7.99 direct from publisher)
A powerful play about the community affected by the Yorkshire Ripper. Between the years of 1975 and 1980, the women of Leeds lived in fear. With no clue as to who was responsible for the sustained attacks and murders across the city, the authorities urged women to stay at home. From the fear and fury, a steadfast solidarity arose, birthing the Reclaim the Night movement and echoing down the generations to this day.
“A heated play with a panoramic sense of empathy… surprisingly funny and full of fury… a raw, emotive depiction of a generation overshadowed by these murders” Guardian
Music Theatre International (Europe)
T: 020 7580 2827
W: www.mtishows.co.uk | E: shows@mtishows.co.uk
F: mtieurope | T: @mtieurope
DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID
Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Howard Ashman, Glenn Slater. Book by Doug Wright. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney film that was produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker. Originally Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.
Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney’s The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages. With music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and a compelling book by Doug Wright, this fishy fable will capture your heart with its irresistible songs including ‘Under the Sea,’ ‘Kiss the Girl,’ and ‘Part of Your World.’
Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above and bargains with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull, and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea.
Disney’s The Little Mermaid offers a fantastic creative opportunity for rich costumes and sets, and the chance to perform some of the best-known songs from the past thirty years.
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME
Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Book by Peter Parnell.
Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame showcases the film’s Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Menken and Schwartz. Peter Parnell’s new book embraces story theatre and features verbatim passages from Hugo’s gothic novel.
The musical begins as the bells of Notre Dame sound through the famed cathedral in fifteenth-century Paris. Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer who longs to be ‘Out There,’ observes all of Paris reveling in the Feast of Fools. Held captive by his devious caretaker, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, he escapes for the day and joins the boisterous crowd, only to be treated cruelly by all but the beautiful gypsy, Esmeralda. Quasimodo isn’t the only one captivated by her free spirit, though – the handsome Captain Phoebus and Frollo are equally enthralled. As the three vie for her attention, Frollo embarks on a mission to destroy the gypsies – and it’s up to Quasimodo to save them all.
A sweeping score and powerful story make The Hunchback of Notre Dame an instant classic. Audiences will be swept away by the magic of this truly unforgettable musical.
NATIVITY! THE MUSICAL
Book by Debbie Isitt. Music and Lyrics by Debbie Isitt, Nicky Ager
Your favourite festive film is now a major new musical adapted for the stage by the creator of the much-loved films.
Every child in every school has one Christmas wish, to star in a Nativity, and at St Bernadette’s School they’re attempting to mount a musical version! Only trouble is teacher Mr Maddens has promised that a Hollywood producer is coming to see the show to turn it into a film. Join him, his teaching assistant the crazy Mr Poppy, hilarious children and a whole lot of sparkle and shine as they struggle to make everyone’s Christmas wish come true.
Feel-good, funny and full of yuletide joy, Nativity! The Musical features all of the favourite sing-a-long hits from the films including Sparkle and Shine, Nazareth, One Night One Moment, She’s the Brightest Star and a whole host of new songs filled with the spirit of Christmas!
OLIVER! JR
Book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart.
Consider yourself at home with the Broadway Junior version of Lionel Bart’s classic musical based on Charles Dickens’ novel, Oliver Twist. The Tony and Olivier Award- winning show is one of the few musicals to win an Academy Award for Best Picture and is widely hailed as a true theatrical masterpiece by actors and audience members alike.
The streets of Victorian England come to life as Oliver, a malnourished orphan in a workhouse, becomes the neglected apprentice of an undertaker. Oliver escapes to London and finds acceptance amongst a group of petty thieves and pickpockets led by the elderly Fagin. When Oliver is captured for a theft that he did not commit, the benevolent victim, Mr. Brownlow takes him in. Fearing the safety of his hideout, Fagin employs the sinister Bill Sikes and the sympathetic Nancy to kidnap him back, threatening Oliver’s chances of discovering the true love of a family.
Oliver! JR. is full of classic songs like ‘Consider Yourself’, ‘Food Glorious Food’, and ‘Oom-Pah-Pah’, and perfectly showcases the talents of a large ensemble cast.
Bloomsbury – Methuen Drama
T: 01256 302699
W: www.bloomsbury.com | E: direct@macmillan.co.uk
F: BloomsburyPublishing | T: @bloomsburybooks
THE DUCHESS OF MALFI by John Webster, edited by Karen Britland
Full-length play | 978 1 474 29567 3 | £8.09 (incl. 10% discount)
The Duchess of Malfi is a classroom favourite, with its heroine standing out as one of the most compelling female characters on the early modern stage. Webster’s macabre masterpiece examines the familial bonds that bind the widowed Duchess to her over-controlling brothers, foregrounding the intricate networks of connection that link people to each other and to their environments. Progressively breaking down the distinction between insides and outsides, humans and animals, the play reminds us that we are not so very different from all the other creatures on the earth.
by Paul Johnson | Aug 18, 2020
Our regular up-to-date selection of recently published books as well as new or re-released plays and musicals, many of which are now available for amateur performance.
Some licensors are now offering special online-performance arrangements, so please get in touch with the appropriate company to find out more.
CONCORD THEATRICALS
E: licensing@concordtheatricals.co.uk
E: customerservices@concordtheatricals.co.uk
W: www.concordtheatricals.co.uk
F: ConcordShows | T: @ConcordUKShows
SAMUEL FRENCH:
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Eamonn O’Dwyer, Helen Watts
Full Length Musical, Drama; F8, M10; 19th Century; 978 0 573 11683 4; £9.99 paperback
England, 1820: The isolated town of Sleepy Hollow is disrupted by the arrival of a new schoolteacher, Ichabod Crane, who challenges the town’s superstitions with science, reason and fact. The locals instantly mistrust him; but Katrina van Fleet, heiress to Sleepy Hollow’s rich land is charmed by his intellect and passion. But Ichabod is mistaken: as behind each one of the villagers’ tales lies a dark and bloody truth. As the spirits of the Hollow Wood grow restless, and as the hooves of the Headless Horseman thunder ever nearer, Katrina is forced to make a choice that will change the fate of Sleepy Hollow forever.
Based on Washington Irving’s infamous short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a powerful and atmospheric musical by Helen Watts and Eamonn O’Dwyer. It is a story of community; a story of faith, of blood and belief; a story that asks the simple question: what happens when good people make bad choices?
The Lovely Bones by Bryony Lavery, Alice Sebold
Full Length Drama; 978 0 573 11686 5; £9.99 paperback
This title is not currently available for performance. To be informed as soon as it becomes available in the future, please submit a license application.
Susie Salmon is just like any other young girl. She wants to be beautiful, adores her charm bracelet and has a crush on a boy from school. There’s one big difference though – Susie is dead. Now she can only observe while her family manage their grief in their different ways. Her father, Jack is obsessed with identifying the killer. Her mother, Abigail is desperate to create a different life for herself. And her sister, Lindsay is discovering the opposite sex with experiences that Susie will never know. Susie is desperate to help them and there might be a way of reaching them…
Alice Sebold’s novel is a unique coming-of-age tale that captured the hearts of readers throughout the world. Award-winning playwright Bryony Lavery has adapted it for this unforgettable play about life after loss.
Mustard by Eva O’Connor
Full Length Drama; F1; 978 0 573 13221 6; £9.99 paperback
When E meets the man of her dreams, a professional cyclist, love hits her in the pubic bone like a train. For a brief period she is high on life – he’s the answer to her crippling loneliness, her self-harm issues, her non-existent career. But when the cyclist cheats on her and ends the relationship E plummets into a black hole of heartbreak. She turns to her only friend – mustard.
Winner! 2019 Fringe First Award.
Spun by Rabiah Hussain
Full Length Drama; F2; 978 0 573 13245 2; £9.99 paperback
Safa and Aisha have been best friends for years. They used to bunk off school, revise for exams together and even went to the same university.
But now they’re forging different paths for the first time: Safa to work in the City, and Aisha to teach in Newham. When London is attacked one day in July, Safa and Aisha feel the whole world spinning. As extremes from all sides take hold of the city, can their friendship survive the upheaval?
Spun is the exhilarating debut play from Rabiah Hussain. Seen through the eyes of two British Pakistani Muslim girls from East London, this funny and moving drama unravels the makings of a friendship, microaggressions in the city, and the challenge of keeping rooted through unstable times.
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN:
The King and I by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Margaret Landon, Jerome Robbins
Full Length Musical; F3, M4, 2 Boys; 19th Century; The King’s Palace in Bangkok; Classic Broadway, operetta
It is 1862 in Siam when an English widow, Anna Leonowens, and her young son arrive at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, having been summoned by the King to serve as tutor to his many children and wives. The King is largely considered to be a “barbarian” by those in the West, and he seeks Anna’s assistance in changing his image, if not his ways. With both keeping a firm grip on their respective traditions and values, Anna and the King grow to understand and respect one another in a truly unique love story.
Oklahoma! by Lynn Riggs, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Agnes de Mille
Full Length Musical; F4, M6; 1900 – 1910, Wild West; Indian Territory; Classic Broadway, country/western
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first collaboration remains, in many ways, their most innovative, setting the standards and rules of modern musical theatre. In a Western territory just after the turn of the 20th Century, a high-spirited rivalry between local farmers and cowboys provides a colourful background for Curly, a charming cowboy, and Laurey, a feisty farm girl, to play out their love story. Their romantic journey, as bumpy as a surrey ride down a country road, contrasts with the comic exploits of brazen Ado Annie and hapless Will Parker in a musical adventure embracing hope, determination and the promise of a new land.
The Sound of Music by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse, Maria Augusta Trapp
Full Length Musical; F7, M4, 5 Girls, 2 Boys; 1940s / WWII, 1930s; Austria, 1938, pre-occupation; Classic Broadway
The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain,’ ‘My Favorite Things,’ ‘Do Re Mi,’ ‘Sixteeen Going on Seventeen’ and the title number, The Sound of Music won the hearts of audiences worldwide, earning five Tony Awards and five Oscars. The inspirational story, based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp, follows an ebullient postulate who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain Von Trapp, bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria, Maria and the entire Von Trapp family must make a moral decision.
South Pacific by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Joshua Logan, James A. Michener
Full Length Musical; F3, M7, 1 Girl, 1 Boy; 1940s / WWII; Two Pacific islands; Classic Broadway
Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with a mature French planter, Emile. Nellie learns that the mother of his children was an island native and, unable to turn her back on the prejudices with which she was raised, refuses Emile’s proposal of marriage. Meanwhile, the strapping Lt. Joe Cable denies himself the fulfillment of a future with an innocent Tonkinese girl with whom he’s fallen in love out of the same fears that haunt Nellie. When Emile is recruited to accompany Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe’s life, Nellie realises that life is too short not to seize her own chance for happiness, thus confronting and conquering her prejudices.
TAMS-WITMARK:
An American in Paris by Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin, Craig Lucas
Full Length Musical; F4, M5; 1940s / WWII; Paris, 1945; Classic Broadway
Set in the French capital in the wake of World War II, An American in Paris tells the romantic story of a young American soldier, a beautiful French girl, and an indomitable European city – each yearning for a new beginning in the aftermath of international conflict. Inspired by the Academy-Award winning 1951 film, the new stage musical features a ravishing score by George and Ira Gershwin and a fresh, sophisticated book by Tony nominee and Pulitzer Prize finalist Craig Lucas.
The show’s timeless musical numbers include ‘I Got Rhythm,’ ‘’S’Wonderful,’ ‘But Not For Me,’ ‘The Man I Love,’ ‘Shall We Dance?’ and ‘(I’ll Build A) Stairway To Paradise.’
A Chorus Line by Marvin Hamlisch, James Kirkwood, Michael Bennett, Nicholas Dante, Edward Kleban
Full Length Musical; F9, M10; 1970s; A Broadway theatre, 1975; Pop/Rock, Contemporary Broadway
A Chorus Line is a stunning concept musical capturing the spirit and tension of a Broadway chorus audition. Exploring the inner lives and bittersweet ambitions of professional Broadway performers, the show features one powerhouse number after another. Memorable musical numbers include ‘What I Did for Love,’ ‘One,’ ‘I Can Do That,’ ‘At the Ballet,’ ‘The Music and the Mirror,’ and ‘I Hope I Get It.’ A brilliantly complex fusion of song, dance, and compellingly authentic drama, A Chorus Line was instantly recognised as a classic.
Hello, Dolly! by Michael Stewart, Jerry Herman, Thornton Wilder
Full Length Musical; F5, M4; 1900 – 1910; Yonkers, New York and New York City; Classic Broadway
This musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s hit play The Matchmaker bursts with humor, romance, energetic dance, and some of the greatest songs in musical theatre history. The romantic and comic exploits of Dolly Gallagher-Levi, turn-of-the-century matchmaker and “woman who arranges things,” are certain to thrill and entertain audiences again and again.
The show’s unforgettable songs include ‘Put On Your Sunday Clothes,’ ‘Ribbons Down My Back,’ ‘Before the Parade Passes By,’ ‘Hello, Dolly!,’ ‘Elegance,’ and ‘It Only Takes a Moment.’
The Wizard of Oz (RSC 1987) by L. Frank Baum, Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg, Herbert Stothart, Peter Howard, Larry Wilcox, John Kane
Full Length Musical; F3, M5, 16 M/F; 1930s; The Gale farmhouse in Kansas and various locations in the Land of Oz; Classic Broadway
Follow the yellow brick road in this delightful stage adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s beloved tale, featuring the iconic musical score from the MGM film. The timeless tale, in which young Dorothy Gale travels from Kansas over the rainbow to the magical Land of Oz, continues to thrill audiences worldwide.
There are two full-length versions of The Wizard of Oz: MUNY and RSC. Both include the songs ‘Over The Rainbow,’ ‘Munchkinland (Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead),’ ‘If I Only Had A Brain/A Heart/The Nerve,’ ‘We’re Off To See The Wizard (Follow The Yellow Brick Road),’ ‘The Jitterbug,’ and ‘The Merry Old Land of Oz.’ The MUNY version also has ‘Evening Star.’ The RSC version also includes ‘Poppies (Optimistic Voices)’ and ‘If I Were King Of The Forest.’
This RSC version is a more faithful adaptation of the film. A more technically complex production, it recreates the dialogue and structure of the MGM classic nearly scene for scene, though it is adapted for live stage performance. The RSC version’s musical material also provides more work for the SATB chorus and small vocal ensembles.
The MUNY Version is more theatrically conservative, employing its stage, actors, singers, dancers, and musicians in traditional ways. Using L. Frank Baum’s book – and not the MGM film – as its inspiration, this version employs story and songs as elements of a classic stage musical, adding a bit more humor to the witch and her cronies. The MUNY version does not include Toto, but instead adds new characters, including: Farmhand Joe, Gloria of Oz, Lord Growlie, Tibia (the witch’s skeletal assistant), two comical neighboring witches, and the Royal Army of Oz.
MUSICALS FOR YOUNG PERFORMERS:
42nd Street (Young Performers’ Edition) by Harry Warren, Al Dubin, Michael Stewart, Mark Bramble, Bradford Ropes
Short Musical (60 mins); F7, M6; 1930s; New York City and Philadelphia; Classic Broadway
This Young Performers’ Edition is a one-hour adaptation of 42nd Street, specially tailored for elementary and middle school-aged actors. The materials have been prepared to help your school or organisation mount the best possible production and to give your young cast and crew an exciting and rewarding experience.
Come along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway! 42nd Street celebrates Broadway, Times Square and the magic of show biz with wit, humor and pizzazz. At the height of the Great Depression, aspiring chorus girl Peggy Sawyer comes to the big city from Allentown, PA, and soon lands her first big job in the ensemble of a glitzy new Broadway show. But just before opening night, the leading lady breaks her ankle. Will Peggy be able to step in and become a star? The score is chock-full of Broadway standards, including ‘You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me,’ ‘Dames,’ ‘We’re In the Money,’ ‘Lullaby of Broadway,’ ‘Shuffle Off to Buffalo’ and ‘Forty-Second Street.’
Anything Goes (Young Performers’ Edition) by Cole Porter, P.G. Wodehouse, Guy Bolton, Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse, Timothy Crouse, John Weidman
Short Musical (60 mins); F3, M4; 1930s; The S.S. American, a luxury liner sailing from New York to London; Classic Broadway
This Young Performers’ Edition is a one-hour adaptation of Anything Goes, specially tailored for school-aged actors. The materials have been prepared to help your school or organisation mount the best possible production and to give your young cast and crew an exciting and rewarding experience.
Anything Goes is a wacky shipboard farce featuring romance, intrigue, colourful characters and a glorious score from Cole Porter. Highlights include: ‘You’re The Top,’ ‘It’s De-Lovely,’ ‘Friendship,’ ‘I Get A Kick Out Of You,’ ‘Blow, Gabriel, Blow,’ and the title number.
Bye Bye Birdie (Young Performers’ Edition) by Michael Stewart, Charles Strouse, Lee Adams
Short Musical (60 mins); F6, M6, 6 F/M; 1950s; New York City and Sweet Apple, Ohio; Classic Broadway, Pop/Rock
This Young Performers’ Edition is a one-hour adaptation of Bye Bye Birdie, specially tailored for school-aged actors. The materials have been prepared to help your school or organization mount the best possible production and to give your young cast and crew an exciting and rewarding experience.
A loving musical send-up of the early 1960s, small-town America, teenagers, and rock & roll, Bye Bye Birdie remains as fresh and vibrant as ever. Teen heartthrob Conrad Birdie has been drafted, so he chooses all-American girl Kim McAfee for a very public farewell kiss. Featuring a tuneful high-energy score, plenty of great parts for kids, and a hilarious script, Bye Bye Birdie remains one of the most popular shows in schools across the country.
Hit songs include ‘Put on a Happy Face,’ ‘One Last Kiss,’ ‘One Boy,’ ‘A Lot of Livin’ to Do,’ ‘Kids!’ and ‘Rosie.’
Chicago (High School Edition) by Fred Ebb, John Kander, Maurine Dallas Watkins, Bob Fosse
Full Length Musical (90 mins); F10, M9; 1920s; Chicago, Illinois; Classic Broadway, Jazz
In roaring twenties Chicago, chorine Roxie Hart murders a faithless lover and convinces her hapless husband, Amos, to take the rap… until he finds out he’s been duped and turns on Roxie. Convicted and sent to death row, Roxie and another ‘Merry Murderess,’ Velma Kelly, vie for the spotlight and the headlines, ultimately joining forces in search of the ‘American Dream’: fame, fortune, and acquittal. Changes made for the High School Edition:
(1) Removal of adult language and overtly sexual references.
(2) Removal of ‘Class’ and ‘A Bit of Good’
(3) Transposed keys to better accommodate teen voices
Nick Hern Books
T: 020 8749 4953
W: www.nickhernbooks.co.uk | E: info@nickhernbooks.co.uk
F: NickHernBooks | T: @NickHernBooks
Bright. Young. Things. by Georgia Christou
Full-length Play; F7, 8 F/M; Contemporary, various locations (can be simply staged); 978 1 788 50342 6; epub £8.99 (£7.19 direct from publisher)
On a reality television show, six remarkable young geniuses are competing for the coveted title of ‘Britain’s Brainiest Child’. As the contestants battle it out round after round, the pressure mounts, the spotlight gets harsher, and each is faced with questions they were never expecting. Part of Platform, a partnership between Nick Hern Books and Tonic Theatre that provides new plays written specifically for young people with majority- or all-female casts that put young women at the heart of the action.
‘[Offers] quirky characters and amusing situations… an interesting challenge for any youth group’ British Theatre Guide
Caterpillar by Alison Carr
Full-length Play; f2, M1, (plus 2m voices only); Contemporary, seaside town; 978 1 848 42794 5; epub £9.99 (£7.99 direct from publisher)
Greasy fish’n’chips, sticks of rock and a pot-bellied Spider-Man throwing himself off the pier; the annual ‘Birdman’ competition is in full flight. It’s the busiest weekend of the year in this faded seaside town, but Bayview B&B is somehow closed for business. A finalist in the Theatre503 Playwriting Award, this is a darkly funny, searing and tender drama about those moments when we find ourselves teetering on the edge.
‘Alison Carr’s ear for natural, funny dialogue distinguishes it from the outset’ The Stage
The Funeral Director by Iman Qureshi
Full-length Play; F2, M2; Contemporary, various interiors and one exterior; 978 1 848 42796 9; epub £9.99 (£7.99 direct from publisher)
Winner of the Papatango New Writing Prize 2018, this is an incisive and heartfelt story of sexuality, gender and religion in Twenty-First-Century Britain. Life as the director of a Muslim funeral parlour isn’t always easy, but Ayesha has things pretty sorted. But when a grieving young man walks in to organise his boyfriend’s funeral, Ayesha makes a snap moral decision that has profound consequences. Forced to confront a secret she has hidden even from herself, Ayesha must decide who she is – no matter the cost.
‘Very clever… plenty of moral meat to sink your teeth into’ Time Out
Heavy Weather by Lizzie Nunnery
Full-length Play; F5, 3 F/M, plus ensemble; Contemporary, various locations (can be simply staged); 978 1 788 50343 3; epub £8.99 (£7.19 direct from publisher)
A powerful, timely play featuring songs, about one girl’s journey through a world teetering on the brink. Amidst the chaos of competing and contradictory voices about Earth’s future, she sets off on a kaleidoscopic journey to find answers – about the planet, and her own family. Part of Platform, a partnership between Nick Hern Books and Tonic Theatre that provides new plays written specifically for young people with majority- or all-female casts that put young women at the heart of the action.
‘Wonderful… well worth a look for any teenage youth-theatre group’ British Theatre Guide
You Stupid Darkness! by Sam Steiner
Full-length Play; F2, M2; Contemporary, single interior (an office); 978 1 848 42832 4; epub £9.99 (£7.99 direct from publisher)
In a cramped, crumbling office, four volunteers spend a few hours every Tuesday night on the phone telling strangers that everything is going to be okay. As the outside world disintegrates, they teeter on the edge of their own personal catastrophes. Their hopes and fears become entangled as they try, desperately, to connect with the callers and with each other. This comic play about the struggle for optimism and community is perfect for any group interested in offering a sideways look at the world’s current situation.
‘Hilariously bleak… has a charming cynicism and compassion’ Guardian
Bloomsbury – Methuen Drama
T: 01256 302699
W: www.bloomsbury.com | E: direct@macmillan.co.uk
F: BloomsburyPublishing | T: @bloomsburybooks
Actors’ and Performers’ Yearbook 2021 – Essential contacts for stage, screen and radio – Foreword by Rob Ostlere
Theatre book; 978 1 350 15947 1; £16.99
This essential directory supports actors in their search for work within an industry where contacts and networking are key to career survival; now updated to include even more advice from industry experts with each listing, including valuable insight into auditions, interviews and specific tips on how to wow the crowd.
Adrian Lester and Lolita Chakrabarti: A Working Diary by Adrian Lester, Lolita Chakrabarti
Theatre book; 978 1 350 09277 8; £18.99
The creative powerhouse couple Lolita Chakrabarti and Adrian Lester recount 16 months of their working lives, including their time working on the stage adaptation of Life of Pi, an original series of monologues about the NHS (The Greatest Wealth), and the film adaptation of Red Velvet; giving us a first-hand glimpse of their experiences as two of the most proactive and versatile theatre makers today.
My White Best Friend (And Other Letters Left Unsaid) – Edited by Rachel De-lahay
Play collection; 978 1 786 82901 6; £14.99
23 letters from exciting voices in the UK and beyond – Zia Ahmed, Travis Alabanza, Fatimah Asghar and more – engage with topics from racial tensions, microaggressions and emotional labour, to queer desire, prejudice and otherness and ask: “Could you put your white best friend on stage and remind them that they’re part of the problem? Even if you love them?”
The 24 Hour Plays Viral Monologues: New Monologues Created During the Coronavirus Pandemic – Volume edited by Howard Sherman
Monologue collection; 978 1 350 18754 2; £14.99
Over 50 original monologues from writers such as Clare Barron, Christopher Oscar Peña and Jesse Eisenberg chronicle the global response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, an unprecedented moment in history which brought an end to live theatre in the USA and Europe; making for an anthology that is timely, moving, irreverent and at its best, transcendent.
Robert Icke: Works One (Oresteia; Uncle Vanya; Mary Stuart; The Wild Duck; The Doctor) by Robert Icke
Play collection; 978 1 786 82907 8; £17.99
This collection of Robert Icke’s multi-award winning adaptations includes The Wild Duck, a new version of Ibsen’s masterpiece in which a stranger’s revelation of family secrets leads to tragic consequences; Uncle Vanya, Chekhov’s late masterpiece examining the bittersweet contradiction of human behaviour; and Oresteia, a family drama spanning several decades which still resonates today.
The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro (Electricidad; Oedipus El Rey; Mojada) by Luis Alfaro. Edited by Rosa Andújar
Play collection; 978 1 350 15540 4; £22.49 paperback
Featuring a new interview with Alfaro which addresses key topics such as his engagement with ancient Greek drama and work with Chicanx communities across the United States, this trilogy gathers together for the first time the three ‘Greek’ plays of the MacArthur Genius Award-winning Chicanx playwright and performance artist, each with its own introduction and summary of overall themes.
Lucy Prebble Plays 1 (The Sugar Syndrome; Enron; The Effect; A Very Expensive Poison) by Lucy Prebble
Play collection; 978 1 350 17509 9; £19.99 paperback
Bringing together Lucy Prebble’s landmark plays from 2003-2019, this collection spans from the George Devine Award-winning play The Sugar Syndrome – following 17 year old teen truant Dani, who seeks solace from her mundane life through online chatrooms – to A Very Expensive Poison, a bizarre mix of high-stakes global politics and radioactive villainy.
Richard Bean Plays 6 (One Man, Two Guvnors; Young Marx; The Hypocrite) by Richard Bean
Play collection; 978 1 350 18365 0; £19.99 paperback
The sixth collection of plays from award-winning playwright Richard Bean showcases the world-conquering hit One Man, Two Guvnors, winner of both the 2011 Evening Standard Theatre Best New Play and Critic’s Circle Best New Play; Young Marx, his riotous take on Karl Marx’s life in London which launched London’s new Bridge Theatre; and The Hypocrite, a historical-farcical romp that lit up Hull’s year as City of Culture.
Tom Whalley Pantomimes
W: www.tomwhalleypantomimes.com
E: tomwhalleypantomimes@gmail.com
F: twpantoscripts | T: @twpantoscripts
Dick Whittington by Tom Whalley
Full length pantomime; Free perusal copies available upon request
Dick is a dreamer and has his sights set on London; the city paved with gold. With his trusty pussy cat by his side, he gets a job at Alderman Fitzwarren’s Store but the city is under attack from the most villainous, vermin of them all; King Rat!
With the help of his new love Alice, Fairy Bow Bells, Sarah the Cook and her silly son – Idle Jack, will Dick be able to vanquish the vermin?
The Crowood Press
01672 520320
W: crowood.com | E: enquiries@crowood.com
F: TheCrowoodPress | T: @crowoodpress
The Costume Maker’s Companion by Diane Favell
Theatre book; 978 1 785 00719 4; £25.00 paperback
Authentic historical costume is essential for any performance, to instantly communicate a period, a social standing, an occupation or an identity. The responsibility of this representation lies with the costume maker, in their knowledge of the design and their accuracy of construction. The Costume Maker’s Companion serves as an aide memoire, to novice and experienced makers alike, covering the common garments of the Medieval, Tudor, Jacobean, Restoration, Regency and Victorian eras of British history.
Learn the key styles and fashions of each period before step-by-step tutorials and detailed orders of work illustrate the costume construction process for eight popular garments, from the designer’s drawing through to the finished piece. This book also covers:
- Working with a costume designer
- Key processes and equipment
- Flat pattern manipulations
- Cutting a pattern on the stand
- Taking a pattern from an existing garment
- Costume details, including goldwork and flounces
- Making accessories, including gauntlets, corsets and ruffs
Foreword by Fiona Shaw.
Diane Favell has worked at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art for nearly twenty-five years, teaching costume and running the Wardrobe department since 2001. Before this she both made for and supervised performances in theatre and film. Diane also teaches short courses at Central St Martins, University of Arts, London.
Cressrelles Publishing Company Limited
01684 540154 | F: Cressrelles
W: www.cressrelles.co.uk | E: simon@cressrelles.co.uk
Please email simon@cressrelles.co.uk if you would like to read any of these plays:
Celestial Error by Patricia Brooks
Celestial Error is a divine one-act comedy for women, written in 1958. Five women are called to Judgement after a clerical error has caused confusion over which of them was scheduled to meet their Maker! Two of them should not be there – but all five of them have to plead their case before the Heavenly Court!
For eight women, of mixed ages from nineteen to 60s+. The roles of the three Court officials can be played by men. The running time is approximately 45 minutes.
Blonde On The Bonnet by Jennifer Curry
Blonde on the Bonnet is a piece of absurdist theatre. It is a one-act play with a great deal of humour, tinged with the drama and sadness of an unfulfilled marriage. When George buys a new car, he is surprised when the scantily-clad girl draped over the bonnet is included. The effect on his wife and neighbours is devastating – until his wife wins a Disk Jockey in a competition!
Blonde On The Bonnet can either be staged with a large cast of ten men and nine women, or a cast of eight with doubling of parts. The running time is approximately 45 minutes.
South For The Winter by Joe Graham
South For The Winter is a two-act comedy, which is ideal for amateur drama groups as it is set within an amdram society! Michael Finch has spent the last fifteen years wasting his serious acting ambitions on his local drama group. He wants to stretch himself and branches out to set up his own group, holding open auditions for Shakespeare’s Richard III. The response is not what he hoped for, as many of the usual suspects from his usual society turn up.
The sudden and unwelcome arrival of his father, Birdy, and his personal issues, throws the group into a chaotic spiral as skeletons and real feelings are exposed. A comic but hard look at a world that appears to be Care Bear Land, but often hides secrets and desires.
For three men and five women, ranging from their twenties up to 56. The running time is approximately 90 minutes.
Be My Guest! by Kay Macauliffe
Be My Guest! is a best-selling, zany comedy from a well-respected author. A mix-up over the identities of Mary’s Mother-in-law and the Guest Speaker causes confusion and chaos. Espcially when the Guest Speaker’s rescued baby badger is mistaken for a child!
For six women – four younger and two of whom are older. The running time is approximately 30 minutes.
The Cardboard Cavaliers by John Waterhouse
The Cardboard Cavaliers is a one-act social farce. Lil, Will and Bill are a family living on the streets, in three cardboard boxes underneath a railway arch. The play is basically a domestic comedy. Young Bill returns from begging in the West End with news that a TV presenter wants to interview them for a real, human-interest documentary series. The family’s eagerness to impress is confounded by Bill’s ineptitude. It does not end happily for the family, but there is plenty of humour along the way. At the end, the police move them on, but as they leave, a new family moves in. And so the cycle goes on.
For four men, four women and three extras (1m, 1w, 1b). The running time is approximately 30 minutes.
Blush Pink by Jean McConnell
Blush Pink is a one-act comedy for an all-women cast. Well-meaning ladies from the local Townswomen’s Guild or WI have decided to re-decorate an elderly lady’s home as a treat for her. After a variety of mishaps and squabbles, the old lady drops a bombshell which puts them back to square one.
For six women, one of around 80, five any age younger. The running time is approx. 30 minutes.
Black Velvet by Winifred Trentham
Black Velvet is a one-act murder mystery set in the late 1940s. The Moir family has gathered for a reunion. Dinner is about to be served when the son’s wife, who is hated by every member of the family, is found dead. With the family Doctor ruling the death to be unnatural, the police are called. As several members of the family seem to have good cause to murder Louise, who will be revealed as the killer? And what does it have to do with the cat?!
For four men (two older) and four women (one older). The running time is approx. 30 minutes.
The Burning Glass by Charles Morgan
The Burning Glass is a three-act drama. Set in the 1950s as the suspicions and rivalries of the Cold War begin to grow. A British scientist has stumbled upon an immense new power which harnesses the Sun’s rays. In the enemy’s hands, it could be a devastating weapon. With spies closing in, Christopher turns to the Prime Minister for protection, but have they acted too slowly.
For six men and two women, with most of the cast of a younger age and two in their 50s or higher. The running time is approximately 90 minutes.
Answers On a Postcard by Andrew Rock
A one-act comical play. Harold relieves the boredom of unemployment by advertising for lady visitors. In the midst of an appointment, his wife, a successful business woman, unexpectedly returns home and her reaction surprises her errant husband. Festival winner.
For one man and three women, two in their forties, two younger. The running time is approximately 35 minutes.
Alas, Poor Yorick! by Leonard de Francquen
Alas, Poor Yorick! is a one-act play set in the 1950s-1960s. Peter, an actor, is being painted in his role of Hamlet by his beloved Norah, an artist. Norah is resisting his proiposal of marriage yet again. Molly, Norah’s impetuous younger sister, invites Norah’s ex-fiancé and his wife round for tea. Will seeing him finally lay the ghost of their love to rest and allow her to move on?
For two men and three women, in their 20s to 30s. The running time is approx. Running time is around 35 minutes.
Afternoon Theatre by Beatrix Carter
Afternoon Theatre is a gentle, one-act play for women. Sybil has submitted a radio play to the BBC for its ‘Afternoon Theatre’ slot. To her joy, it has been accepted and is being broadcast this afternoon. She has gathered some of the villagers to listen to her radio play. Some have come to celebrate with her, others to sneer where they can. A heart-warming blend of humour and compassion.
For five women, middle-aged and above. The running time is approx. 35 minutes.
