Books in the Modern Plays series

You do not feel pain. You do not feel hunger. Now get out there and dance as though you love this island.When a river breaks its banks one night resulting in a massive flood, one medium-sized village (or very very very small town) finds itself completely cut off - unexpectedly an island. As the residents embrace their independence, a new leader rises and a shared identity emerges - but at what cost? Shortlisted for the George Devine Award 2020, Nina Segal's O, Island! is a funny and furious modern myth about disaster and community, exploring how borders can be changed by people, by nature and by accident.This edition is published to coincide with the world premiere at The Other Place by the RSC, in September, 2022.

Winner of Best New Play at the 2023 UK Theatre Awards Winner of Best New Play at the 2023 Critics' Awards for Theatre in ScotlandTo keep that part of me silent. That is what is unbearable. That is why I must be free.Based on a true story, Enough of Him explores the life of Joseph Knight, an African man enslaved by plantation owner Sir John Wedderburn and brought to Scotland to serve in his Perthshire mansion.Highly favoured by Wedderburn and yet still enslaved, Knight balances on the knife edge between obligation and a soul-deep yearning for freedom. He forges a bond with Annie, a young Scottish servant working in the household, and the two of them fall in love.But the walls of Ballindean do not keep secrets - their affair unsettles Lady Wedderburn, whose bitter loneliness is only deepened by the close bond her husband has with Knight. Joseph will endure bondage no longer. What happens when Joseph's dreams clash with those of the man who owns him? What becomes of us all when past brutalities bleed into our present realities?Written by Glasgow-based writer May Sumbwanyambe, this compelling domestic drama is a thrilling exploration of power and its attendant tensions: between those who are enslaved and those who are free, servants and masters, and husbands and wives.This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere Scottish tour by the National Theatre of Scotland, in October 2022.

If you click my face in the cornerYepThat's itThen the blue follow buttonTap itYou're done Welcome hunnyBecky wants to be famous. Becky deserves to be famous. Becky has to be famous.When drag artist Becky Biro is told they need a larger following to be considered for international TV hit The Drag Factor, Becky can smell success. She will do whatever it takes to get there, then reap the rewards of her inevitable stardom.From the writer of the multi-award winning Velvet comes an outrageous, fast-paced dark comedy, laced with irreverent humour and cabaret songs. Fame Whore holds a mirror up to the desperate human desire for relevance, and the lengths one may go to get there.This edition was published to coincide with the run at King's Head Theatre in London, in October 2022.

My son is dead and sitting on the throne.1605. Orthodox Russia stands alone, defiant against the Roman Catholic and Protestant West. The Kremlin has suppressed all opposition and keeps a ruthless grip on power with the support of the church and an appeal to nationalist sentiment. In Poland, a formidable young opponent appears: Dmitry. At his back a Polish army fuelled by fear of the Russian threat marches on Moscow.But is he who he thinks he is?An explosive new version of the great German writer Schiller's last, unfinished play - resurrected in the unique, pulsating dramatic verse of Peter Oswald, which premiered in the original production directed by Tim Supple. This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere at Marylebone Theatre in London, in September 2022.

You know, I honestly believe he has two hearts? A heart that fails him, of course. But another that keeps him going - a heart that won't be beaten!A story of hope, from Afghanistan to Wales. Herat, Afghanistan, 2000. A young mother makes a speech demanding freedom for Afghan women, angering local Taliban leaders who issue a warrant for her execution. With no choice but to run, the Amiri family embark on a long and terrifying journey out of Afghanistan and across Europe with the UK as their ultimate goal. Thrown into an unfamiliar world of fake passports and untrustworthy handlers, the Amiris must learn how to live with nothing and avoid capture at all costs. But with their eldest son Hussein's life-threatening heart condition growing steadily worse, the journey soon becomes a race against time. Will they beat the odds and reach the UK in time for Hussein to receive the surgery he so badly needs?The Boy with Two Hearts is the story of a family in danger and a love letter to the NHS. This extraordinary true story reveals the courage and humanity behind each refugee story, showing that hope and a sense of home can be found in the most unlikely places. This edition was published to coincide with the production at the National Theatre in London in October 2022.

There's a million in the middle - and they might go either way.On May 22nd, 2015, the people of Ireland voted resoundingly for marriage equality - making Ireland the first country in the world to introduce gay marriage by popular vote.Little about Ireland's 20th-century history suggested that the country would find itself at the vanguard of LGBT+ rights. "Homosexual conduct may lead a mildly homosexually-orientated person into a way of life from which he may never recover," warned the Irish Supreme Court in 1982. Homosexuality remained criminalised till 1993.But a long, hard fight by determined activists, as well as the individual efforts and sacrifices of thousands of ordinary people, gradually made the case for gay rights and, eventually, marriage equality. Colin Murphy's documentary drama, based on interviews by the journalist Charlie Bird, charts the arc of that fight - culminating in the fervour of the final campaign weeks - interwoven with the personal stories of some of those who were touched by it. This edition was published to coincide with the presentation of A Day in May at Dublin's Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire, in October 2022.

All the world‿s a stage. Have you ever been trapped in a bad relationship, playing a role that doesn‿t suit you? Jen and Sam are also trapped ‿ in a multiverse of Shakepeare‿s complete works. On their quest to discover the doorway back to reality they notice something unusual about Henry ‿Hotspur‿ Percy. Now Jen and Sam must decide; do they risk losing their way home to help someone who might be like them ‿ someone who does not yet know who she truly is?The Prince is a sharp new play that weaves through Henry IV Part One and other of the Bard‿s works, providing fun for the audience whether they be Shakespeare scholars or verse virgins. With sword fighting, lesbianism, and disappointed parents, this thrilling new work was written by Abigail Thorn, celebrated creator of Philosophy Tube. This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere at London‿s Southwark Playhouse, in September 2022.

The beautiful estate of a once proud Russian aristocratic family is auctioned off to the son of a peasant who has succeeded in industry.

If you're a wheelchair-user, you've got a simple choice: either you suck sweets in a corner and watch television all day or you try to change the world around you. There ain't gonna be no magic pill in my day.This is the (mostly) true story of Martin Naughton AKA Michael Collins in a wheelchair. Martin is an agitator. A disruptor. A seeker of justice and planter of (truth) bombs. But will his anarchic quest for equality be derailed by dreams of love and new horizons?Based on the real life of Martin Naughton and his campaign for independence for disabled people in Ireland, No Magic Pill, written by Christian O'Reilly, is a joyful, shameless, no-holds-barred story of one man's fight for justice and love.This edition was published to coincide with the production at Black Box, Galway, and the Civic, Tallaght, for Dublin Theatre Festival in October 2022.

You can¿t live your life thinking everything you text will become public knowledge.Censoring yourself is no way to live.Everyone needs Jim.His mother.His best friend.His brother.A hopeful future President.But can Jim really help anyone, when he isn¿t sure who he is any more, or what he actually believes? An expert in electoral strategy, he¿s forged a successful career by advising politicians how to communicate with voters. But following seismic shifts in the political landscape, he¿s disillusioned. And his marriage is in crisis. As he juggles the demands on his life through his smartphone, will the lure of success and fame prove irresistible?The Narcissist is a gripping, inventive and witty take on personal and political communication in the internet age by celebrated US playwright Christopher Shinn. This edition was published to coincide with the premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre in August 2022.

"I need you to get in the wardrobe."Faye's afraid.She's not sleeping, she doesn't trust ducks and all she's had to eat this week is a box of dry Rice Krispies.A doctor recommends a form of exposure therapy, so Faye enlists the help of her brother, Naoise. But Naoise has a devastating secret that's about to explode.A darkly funny new monologue by Ciara Elizabeth Smyth, Lie Low is a theatrical exploration into the human brain via the genitals. This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere at the Dublin Fringe Festival, in September 2022.

"An astonishingly powerful play with a mesmeric performance from Bilal Hasna. He is an important young Palestinian voice who deserves a wide audience."- Palestine Solidarity CampaignBut there's this feeling. And it really is impossible to translate. But if you feel it you know what it is. If you're watching this and you're Palestinian, you know what it is.Bilal has always been obsessed with love stories. Here he tells you his favourite: the true story of Palestinian translator Wa'el Zuaiter. Join Bilal as he ventures through the orange groves of Jaffa, Rome's piazzas, and the Duty-Free aisles of Luton Airport, piecing together this untold story, and asking what it means to be a Palestinian in the West. After receiving standing ovations and glowing audience reviews when it appeared as a work in progress in 2021, WoLab returned to Camden People's Theatre and transferred to the Bristol Old Vic in Autumn 2022, with Bilal Hasna and Aaron Kilercioglu's acclaimed, For A Palestinian. The play was supported by P21 Gallery, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Na'amod, Bristol Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre, and New Diorama Theatre.