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In Search Of Shakespeare
by Michael WoodAlmost 400 years after his death, William Shakespeare is still acclaimed as the world's greatest writer, and yet the man himself remains shrouded in mystery. In this absorbing historical detective story, the acclaimed broadcaster and historian Michael Wood takes a fresh approach to Shakespeare's life, brilliantly recreating the turbulent times through which the poet lived: the age of the Reformation, the Spanish Armada, the Gunpowder Plot and the colonization of the Americas. Drawing on an extensive range of sources, Michael Wood takes us back into Elizabethan England to reveal a man who is the product of his time - a period of tremendous upheaval that straddled the medieval and modern worlds. Using a wealth of unexplored archive evidence the author vividly conjures up the neighbourhoods of the Elizabethan London where Shakespeare lived and worked during his glittering career. Full of fresh insights and fascinating new discoveries, this book presents us with a Shakespeare for the twenty-first century: a man of the theatre, a thinking artist, playful and cunning who held up a mirror to his age, but who was also, as his friend Ben Jonson said, 'not of an age, but for all time'.
In the Weeds (Modern Plays #123)
by Joseph Wilde“You name something, you change what it is, who it belongs toPeople do it everywhere they go: new namesNot one of them even knows what we called this island before they came” Kazumi is hunting a sea monster. Arriving on a remote Hebridean island, he meets Coblaith, a local woman whose family have lived there for generations. When she offers to help him find the mythical creature that he believes drowned his family, their relationship blossoms. But there's something strange about Cob's obsessive affection for the lochs and something even stranger about the way the other islanders treat her. Suspicious of his new lover, Kazumi's imagination gets the better of him. Could it be that Coblaith is the mythical creature he has been searching for? Or are humans the real monsters after all? In The Weeds examines our relationship to the land we live on, its heritage and who it belongs to. A gothic thriller, it asks how remote communities can survive the dangers created by the tourism they rely on. This edition was published to coincide with the UK tour ahead of a run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022.
Incomplete and Random Acts of Kindness: Royal Court Theatre Presents (Modern Plays)
by David EldridgeIncomplete and Random Acts of Kindness moves between dream story and real lives to tell an intricate, complex story of a young man dealing with the break up of his family and the legacy of race responsibility. Joey's an ordinary man but everywhere he looks people are slipping away. A notice at work catches his eye. He doesn't know where to go next - his Dad, the community or Marvin Gaye. In a world he can't connect with, is there someone out there who can connect with Joey? The play premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in May 2005.
Jamaica Inn (Oberon Modern Plays Ser.)
by Daphne Du Maurier Lisa EvansShrubs of broom grow black and twistedAs if by Devil's fingersAnd the wind that never ceases,Like a chorus from the dead.Those who lived here it's for certain,would grow dark and tortured too'In Jamaica Inn, at the heart of the bleak Bodmin Moor, young Mary Yellen soon discovers mysterious goings-on in the dead of night. But worse is yet to come as Mary finds herself helplessly ensnared in the deadly activities taking place around her.Evocative, atmospheric and chilling, this new adaptation of Jamaica Inn has all the hallmarks of a great adventure classic — murder, mystery and malevolence. Jamaica Inn was produced at the Salisbury Playhouse in May 2004 and was followed by a UK tour.
The Jolly Folly of Polly: And Other Mini-marvels (Oberon Modern Plays)
by Lesley RossFive bite-size pieces of theatre that deal with perception: the characters in these theatrical hors d’oeuvres find their view of themselves at odds with the way the rest of the world sees them. Bittersweet and highly original, these ‘mini marvels’ cleverly break down the barrier between audience and actor, whether it’s backstage at an opera, lost in the mind of would-be film-maker Margaret, or on a flight of freedom with air stewardess Polly (the Dundee Dyke who is neither lesbian nor from Dundee).
Juniper's Whitening: AND Victimese (Modern Plays)
by Helen OyeyemiTwo plays exploring the pain of living and the difficulty of dying by a sensational new writerJuniper's Whitening"Tell me this - is it true that if you make someone die, and they come out the other side, it doesn't matter? I'm sure something clung to Lazarus. Something must've shone through him."In Aleph, Beth and Juniper's nightmare house, kindness is entrapment, and resurrection is a weapon. Aleph love/hates Beth, Beth love/hates Aleph, and all Juniper knows is that Beth can't seem to stop being murdered.One thing above all: none of them must look out of the window.Victimese"I was thinking, Eve, that you need to touch bottom - just so you know you can do it. So you know it's not that difficult; so you know that you don't have to tunnel far; so you know that you're not that actually as deep as you think you are."Eve is unable to leave her student room but unable to bear staying in it. In harming herself she hopes to demonstrate her courage and independence to both herself and her friends. But her sister's arrival and need for her friendship forces her to face painful truths and to examine whether it is possible to temper emotional courage with the humanity to give and ask for aid.
Key Concepts In Drama And Performance (PDF)
by Kenneth PickeringThis book is intended for undergraduates on courses in drama, theatre or performing arts, providing an informative and accessible guide to the subject. It will help students understand their main textbooks and wider reading, will be a source of definitions for use in essays and other assignments, and will be especially useful as a revision aid. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction to the concepts it embraces, followed by an alphabetical listing of those concepts. Students are encouraged to use the frequent cross-referencing as a means of seeing their studies in a wider context and with an integrated approach. The book has a fully comprehensive index, allowing the reader to follow themes running through the entries.
Kleist-Jahrbuch 2005
by Heinrich-von-Kleist-Gesellschaft Heinrich-von-Kleist-Gesellschaft und des Kleist-MuseumsKleist-Forschung 2004. Abhandlungen zu Kleists Werken und Rezensionen zu den wichtigsten Publikationen geben einen detaillierten Überblick über den Stand der Wissesnchaft.
Little Sweet Thing (Modern Plays)
by Roy WilliamsKev is just out of the Young Offenders Institute and is determined to keep his nose clean, but back on the streets the pressure is mounting...
Local Shakespeares: Proximations and Power
by Martin OrkinThis remarkable volume challenges scholars and students to look beyond a dominant European and North American 'metropolitan bank' of Shakespeare knowledge. As well as revealing the potential for a new understanding of Shakespeare's plays, Martin Orkin adopts a fresh approach to issues of power, where 'proximations' emerge from a process of dialogue and challenge traditional notions of authority. Divided into two parts this book: encourages us to recognise the way in which 'local' or 'non-metropolitan' knowledges and experiences might extend understanding of Shakespeare's texts and their locations demonstrates the use of local as well as metropolitan knowledges in exploring the presentation of masculinity in Shakespeare's late plays. These plays themselves dramatise encounters with different cultures and, crucially, challenges to established authority.
Local Shakespeares: Proximations and Power
by Martin OrkinThis remarkable volume challenges scholars and students to look beyond a dominant European and North American 'metropolitan bank' of Shakespeare knowledge. As well as revealing the potential for a new understanding of Shakespeare's plays, Martin Orkin adopts a fresh approach to issues of power, where 'proximations' emerge from a process of dialogue and challenge traditional notions of authority. Divided into two parts this book: encourages us to recognise the way in which 'local' or 'non-metropolitan' knowledges and experiences might extend understanding of Shakespeare's texts and their locations demonstrates the use of local as well as metropolitan knowledges in exploring the presentation of masculinity in Shakespeare's late plays. These plays themselves dramatise encounters with different cultures and, crucially, challenges to established authority.
Losing Louis (Modern Plays)
by Simon Mendes CostaThe second play by a "writer of terrific promise" (Time Out) is a comedy of family intrigue and secretsInterwoven events from the past and present blend together in this touching comedy spanning two generations of a family.Secrets that refuse to remain buried erupt as Jewish and non-Jewish family members are brought together. After years of separation, the funeral of their father Louis is the catalyst for the family members having to face it out in the bedroom - the place where all the confusion began. And the place where the truth about each of them will finally be discovered."He's had the decency to rename the funeral parlour... He provides coffee out front and coffins out back. Apparently not enough people are dying anymore but everyone needs cake."Published to tie-in with the world premiere at the Hampstead Theatre, London.
Lucky Dog: Made Of Stone; Redundant; Lucky Dog; The Early Bird (Modern Plays)
by Leo ButlerOver Christmas dinner Sue and Eddie gossip and discuss the goodtimes they used to have together before their son left home, leaving avoid in their lives. But then Eddie disappears with the dog and theirneighbour's son comes round to liven things up and stay the night.Through the creation of a seemingly banal universe, Butler creates anintense atmosphere of guilt and suspicion within this couple's world.Published to tie in with the Royal Court premiere in May 2004
The Lure of Perfection: Fashion and Ballet, 1780-1830
by Judith BennahumTHE LURE OF PERFECTION: FASHION AND BALLET, 1780-1830 offers a unique look at how ballet influenced contemporary fashion and women's body image, and how street fashions in turn were reflected by the costumes worn by ballet dancers. Through years of research, the author has traced the interplay between fashion, social trends, and the development of dance. During the 18th century, women literally took up twice as much space as men; their billowing dresses ballooned out from their figures, sometimes a full 55 inches, to display costly jewelry and fine brocade work; similar costumes appeared on stage. But clothing also limited her movement; it literally disabled them, making the dances themselves little more than tableaux. Movement was further inhibited by high shoes and tight corsets; thus the image of the rigidly straight, long-lined dancer is as much a product of clothing as aesthetics. However, with changing times came new trends. An increased interest in natural movement and the common folk led to less-restrictive clothing. As viewers demanded more virtuosic dancers, women literally danced their way to freedom. THE LURE OF PERFECTION will interest students of dance and cultural history, and women's studies. It is a fascinating, well-researched look at the interplay of fashion, dance, and culture-still very much a part of our world today.
The Lure of Perfection: Fashion and Ballet, 1780-1830
by Judith BennahumTHE LURE OF PERFECTION: FASHION AND BALLET, 1780-1830 offers a unique look at how ballet influenced contemporary fashion and women's body image, and how street fashions in turn were reflected by the costumes worn by ballet dancers. Through years of research, the author has traced the interplay between fashion, social trends, and the development of dance. During the 18th century, women literally took up twice as much space as men; their billowing dresses ballooned out from their figures, sometimes a full 55 inches, to display costly jewelry and fine brocade work; similar costumes appeared on stage. But clothing also limited her movement; it literally disabled them, making the dances themselves little more than tableaux. Movement was further inhibited by high shoes and tight corsets; thus the image of the rigidly straight, long-lined dancer is as much a product of clothing as aesthetics. However, with changing times came new trends. An increased interest in natural movement and the common folk led to less-restrictive clothing. As viewers demanded more virtuosic dancers, women literally danced their way to freedom. THE LURE OF PERFECTION will interest students of dance and cultural history, and women's studies. It is a fascinating, well-researched look at the interplay of fashion, dance, and culture-still very much a part of our world today.
Lysistrata (Oberon Classics)
by Ranjit BoltLysistrata is one of the few surviving plays written by Aristophanes. Originally performed in classical Athens in 411 BC, it is a comic account of one woman's extraordinary mission to end The Peloponnesian War. Lysistrata persuades the women of Greece to withhold sexual privileges from their husbands and lovers as a means of forcing the men to negotiate peace — a strategy, however, that inflames the battle between the sexes. The play is notable for being an early exposé of sexual relations in a male-dominated society. The dramatic structure represents a shift away from the conventions of Old Comedy, a trend typical of the author's career. It was produced in the same year as Thesmophoriazusae, another play with a focus on gender-based issues, just two years after Athens' catastrophic defeat in the Sicilian Expedition.This is a new translation by Ranjit Bolt.
M.A.D.: Mutual Assured Destruction (Modern Plays)
by David EldridgeSet in a time of political and social unrest the play focuses on one family and the destructive conflict within their home.
Macbeth: Classics Illustrated (Macmillan Collector's Library #38)
by William ShakespeareDark and violent, Macbeth is also the most theatrically spectacular of Shakespeare's tragedies. Promised a golden future as ruler of Scotland by three sinister witches, Macbeth murders the king to ensure his ambitions are realized. But he soon learns the meaning of terror - killing once, he must kill again and again, and the dead return to haunt him. A story of war and witchcraft, Macbeth also explores the relationship between husband and wife, and the risks they are prepared to take to achieve their desires.This Macmillan Collector's Library edition is illustrated throughout by renowned artist Sir John Gilbert (1817-1897), and features and introduction by Dr Robert Mighall.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
Macbeth: Classics Illustrated (Bib. Basica De La Li Ser.)
by William Shakespeare Carol RutterPromised a golden future as ruler of Scotland by three sinister witches, Macbeth murders the king to ensure his ambitions come true. But he soon learns the meaning of terror - killing once, he must kill again and again, and the dead return to haunt him. A story of war, witchcraft and bloodshed, Macbeth also depicts the relationship between husbands and wives, and the risks they are prepared to take to achieve their desires.
Macbeth: Classics Illustrated (Bib. Basica De La Li Ser.)
by William Shakespeare Carl HeapWhat's done cannot be undone' Three weird sisters, an eerie prophecy and a lust for power start a spiral of betrayal which has disastrous consequences. Primary Classics, produced by the National Theatre's Discover programme, aims to introduce children aged 7 to 11 to Shakespeare. This version of Macbeth, adapted and originally directed by Carl Heap, preserves the core of Shakespeare's plot, retains the original langauge, yet is presented very much with the target age group in mind. Carl Heap's introduction will help readers, teachers and practitioners alike to imagine or produce their own version.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: And A Man Called Horse, The Hanging Tree, And Lost Sister (Center Point Western Standard (large Print) Ser.)
by Jethro ComptonJourney into the Wild West, 1890, in this classic story of good versus evil, law versus the gun, one man versus Liberty Valance. A tale of love, hope and revenge set against the vicious backdrop of a lawless society. When a young scholar from New York City travels west in search of a new life he arrives beaten and half-dead on the dusty streets of Twotrees. Rescued from the plains, the town soon becomes his home. A local girl gives him purpose in a broken land, but is it enough to save him from the vicious outlaw who wants him dead? He must make the choice: to turn and run or to stand for what he believes, to live or to fight; to become the man who shot Liberty Valance.
Mancub (Oberon Modern Plays)
by Douglas MaxwellMancub is the beautiful and absurd story of a boy who seems to be turning into animals. Paul faces the usual struggles of growing up. Struggles for understanding with his father, struggles to work out what girls are about. But he also faces a more pressing problem. Reality seems to be shifting as the people around him begin to display the traits of certain animals.Stranger still are the changes he, and other people, see in himself. Does Paul really turn into animals, or does he only think he does? Mancub is a collaboration between Vanishing Point and acclaimed Scottish writer Douglas Maxwell, whose hits include Decky Does a Bronco and Helmet, both also published by Oberon.
Mandragora: King Of India (Oberon Modern Plays)
by Nirjay MahindruNirjay Mahindru's witty first play takes its audience on a thrilling flight of fantasy to India. As his Queen gives birth to an heir, King Mandragora's kingdom is plagued by a terrifying series of omens. Flying fish and fiery peacocks can be explained but who are the alien creatures with chalky white skin and what do they want? This new play creates a vivid world, populated by kings, soothsayers and clowns, threatened in a clash between old and new civilisations. Mandragora is the most inventive new play since Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children hit the bookshops, audaciously running rings round the accepted western view of the early encounters between the English and Indians.
The Master and Margarita (Oberon Modern Plays)
by Mikhail Bulgakov Edward KempA mysterious stranger appears in a Moscow park. Soon he and his retinue have astonished the locals with the magic show to end all magic shows. But why are they really here, and what has it got todo with the beautiful Margarita, or her lover, the Master, a silenced writer? A carnival for the senses and a diabolical extravaganza, this most exuberant of Russian novels was staged in this adaptation at Chichester Festival Theatre.
Masterpieces of 20th-Century American Drama (Greenwood Introduces Literary Masterpieces)
by Susan C. AbbotsonAmerican playwrights have made enormous contributions to world drama during the last century, and their works are widely read and performed. This reference conveniently introduces 10 of the most important modern American plays read by students. An introductory essay concisely overviews modern American drama, and each of the chapters that follow examines a particular play. Among the plays discussed are Thornton Wilder's Our Town, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, and August Wilson's The Piano Lesson. Each chapter includes a biography, a plot summary, an analysis of the play's themes, characters, and dramatic art, and a review of its historical background and reception. Chapters list works for further reading, and the volume closes with a selected, general bibliography.