Bøker utgitt av Nick Hern Books

In How Plays Work, distinguished playwright David Edgar examines the mechanisms and techniques which dramatists throughout the ages have employed to structure their plays and to express their meaning.Written for playwrights and playgoers alike, Edgar's analysis starts with the building blocks of whole plays - plot, character-creation, genre and structure - and moves on to scenes and devices. He shows how plays share a common architecture without which the uniqueness of their authors' vision would be invisible.How Plays Work is both a masterclass for playwrights and playmakers and a fascinating guide to the anatomy of drama. In this revised edition, Edgar brings the book right up to date with analyses of many recent plays, as well as explorations of emerging genres and new innovations in playwriting practice.'A brilliantly illuminating, bang-up-to-date, unmissable read' April De Angelis'A book of real theoretical heft written by a major working playwright' Steve Waters'An essential accompaniment for anyone fascinated by the craft of dramatic storytelling' John Yorke'Every theatremaker should read this book' Pippa Hill, Literary Manager, Royal Shakespeare Company'Even if you've read the book before, it demands to be reread' Simon Callow'Combines theoretical acumen with the assured know-how of a working dramatist' Terry Eagleton, Times Literary Supplement

Your partner's died, could things have been different?Caryl Churchill's short play What If If Only premiered in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in September 2021, directed by James Macdonald.This edition also includes the resonant and surreal short piece, Air.'Caryl Churchill has remade the landscape of contemporary drama - and earned herself a place among the greats' - Guardian'A truly uncompromising theatrical voice at the top of her game... [Churchill] packs more into this 20-minute piece about death, grief and the multiverse than many writers manage at seven times the length... it has a crystalline beauty, sly humour and boundless imagination' - Evening Standard'Quietly astonishing... a taut distillation and a gripping realisation of a giddying idea that resonates long after the curtain falls' - The Stage'Trust Caryl Churchill to pack more meaty matter into 20 minutes than most playwrights manage in two hours. Her surreal new short covers nothing less than bereavement, time and the universe - and does so with dizzying complexity... [She demonstrates] absolute mastery of her form. Like Picasso in his late sketches, she has become the essence of herself, still challenging, thoughtful and heading in directions no one else dares... a rocket of thought to propel you into the night' - Whatsonstage'There is nobody like Caryl Churchill and it's hard to think of any writer in history so completely on top of their game at her age. [What If If Only is] just 20 minutes, but it contains whole worlds' - Time Out

'Folk say you can trick a brain. Placebo power. I'm going to stand up and it'll feel better.'Across Edinburgh, five souls stagger towards each other, hoping to be transformed.Gaynor's got to leave the house if she wants to meet her newborn granddaughter. Stillness has been the only way to deal with her chronic pain but now it's time to move.Gilly's not sure what her dying dad's feeling but the one thing she knows from experience is that it's best not to Google it.Dougie and Ciara have spent their last NCT class preparing for the labour pains ahead, but now it's time for one last night on the dance floor.And then there's Mick, who wakes up on Portobello Beach in the early hours of the morning with two gold rings in his pocket. He can't remember what they're for but he knows it's something important. He'll work out what if only his old pal, Pat, will stop buying him drinksFull of tenderness and humour, Frances Poet's play Still is a cathartic story of life, loss and joy.It was premiered at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, in August 2021.

Tunde's thirtieth birthday is fast approaching. So he's started therapy because he hasn't been able to get to the gym for weeks, and a recent one-night stand ended in tears - his.Interrogating the challenge of opening up and accepting our own vulnerabilities, Ifeyinwa Frederick's Sessions is a raw, funny, bittersweet deep-dive into the complexities of masculinity, depression and therapy. It was first produced in 2021 on tour of the UK, before a run at Soho Theatre, London, co-produced by Paines Plough and Soho, and directed by Philip Morris.

How long have you been here, John?- I don't know.And what brought you here?- That's difficult to answer.John Kane is sitting on a hospital gurney, and very shortly a jazz percussionist, two women called Mary, a very old man and a giant lobster will arrive. Then everything will start.Enda Walsh's new play Medicine is a dark and frequently absurdist work that shatters the boundary between cast and audience. It is a devastatingly funny and moving meditation on how, for decades, we have treated those we call mentally ill.It was premiered by Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival at the Edinburgh International Festival in August 2021 prior to its opening at the Galway International Arts Festival in September. Medicine is published here alongside Enda Walsh's 2017 play The Same.

Love freely. Love freedom. Love.Meet Aurora and Orion: Sister and Brother. Constellations in time. More than blood. More than just fam.They look after each other in their small London flat, filled with the memories of their parents' Black Love.When that love is threatened, they have to find their way back to each other and to what it means to love whilst Black. Using real-life stories, imagined worlds and new songs inspired by an R&B heritage, they begin a journey to confronting their own worst fears.Chinonyerem Odimba's Black Love is an explosion of form-busting storytelling, an ode to Black music, and those real stories we rarely hear.It was premiered by Paines Plough on a UK tour in July 2021.

The myths of Metamorphoses have inspired generations of writers, including Shakespeare. Over two thousand years later, they are reimagined for our world by three leading British playwrights, and feature anarchy, shape-shifting and a burning chariot of fire.

Johann Sebastian Bach, irascible and turbulent, writes music of sensuous delight and deep religious fervour. He's touchy, he's fabulously rude, he has impossibly high standards (he stabs a bassoonist for playing badly), and he's constantly in trouble with his patrons.Music is the family business - but the burden of their father's genius weighs heavily on his sons. Wilhelm is brilliant but self-destructive. Tense, industrious Carl is more successful than his father, but knows he is less talented. As the years pass, their rivalry provokes furious arguments about love, God and above all music. What is it for - to give pleasure, like a cup of coffee in the sun, or to reveal the divine order that gives life its meaning?Beautiful, profound and funny, Nina Raine's play Bach & Sons is a gripping family drama and an anthem to the art that draws us together and sings of our common humanity. It premiered at the Bridge Theatre, London, in June 2021, directed by Nicholas Hytner, with Simon Russell Beale playing J. S. Bach.

A psychological drama that asks if the cycle of generational trauma can ever be broken. Can queer, Black femmes find love and belonging when the soil beneath them - and the climate around them - is hostile?

A heart-warming and belly-achingly funny story about falling in love for the very first time.

The Alexander Technique has revolutionised the physicality, presence, stature and professional lives of generations of actors. By first asking you to identify your own acquired habits, the technique enables you to find new and beneficial ways of moving, thinking, breathing and performing, freely and without unnecessary tension.Written by an experienced teacher of the Alexander Technique, this book takes you step by step through a series of eleven guided lessons, and dozens of exercises and assignments. Each explores different elements and principles of the technique, including:- Training your mind to stay present, and mindful of your environment- Thinking (but not overthinking!) in new ways- Observing and developing your natural poise- Sitting, standing and walking easily and effortlessly- Breathing and speaking with release and relaxation- Applying all of your work to characterisation and performance

Kilnsea, East Yorkshire. Angie and Lauren are closing up the cafe for another winter; the birds have gone south and taken the tourists with them. The last visitor is Dennis, stopping by for his pasty and beans. But there's another arrival - one that's unforeseen and life-changing for them all.Big Big Sky is a beautifully tender play by Tom Wells, who was originally from Kilnsea. The play explores nature's influence on love, friendship and family - the belief that anyone who's lost can be found, even in the remotest of places. It was premiered at Hampstead Theatre in July 2021, directed by Tessa Walker.

A clear, supportive and comprehensive guide to writing a play - based on the author's long-running playwriting masterclasses, as taught at the UK's National Theatre.

When a woman receives an unexpected letter from the British Passport Office, she is forced to confront an old mystery: why does her South African passport not carry her first name? Armed with the wisdom of favourite '90s TV shows, she sets out on a journey that will take her back to the turmoil of Mobutu's Congo, growing up in post-Apartheid South Africa, moving to Ireland, and finding love in a hostile England.As her journey becomes inextricably linked with the tides of global history, how far will she go to unravel the truth? By turns wickedly funny and strikingly lyrical, Benedict Lombe's Lava is an explosive debut play that will turn the way you see the world on its axis.It premiered at the Bush Theatre, London, in July 2021, performed by Ronke Adekoluejo and directed by Anthony Simpson-Pike.

It's been thirty years since former flames Alex and Jason last saw each other. With their carefree university days long behind them, the student reunion seems the perfect opportunity to reconnect, revive and relive their heyday. But as they flirt with reigniting their passion - even if just for one night - will the march of time get in the way?Deborah Bruce's Raya is a witty and tender play about whether or not we can ever turn back - or stop - the clocks. It opened at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, London, in June 2021, directed by the theatre's Artistic Director, Roxana Silbert.

A highly practical, comprehensive guide to exploring Shakespeare with young people - ideal for directors, youth theatre leaders, workshop facilitators and teachers.Experienced teacher, actor and director Max Hafler tackles the myths that Shakespeare's work is like a foreign country, not for the faint-hearted, or only for a privileged few. In this book, he shows how you can embrace the challenges of doing Shakespeare with young people, and make the plays accessible and exciting for all.Beginning with a series of workshops that introduce the skills and principles of voice and acting, he sets out, step by step, how to use devising, develop short scenes, explore soliloquies, and unlock the themes, characters, stories and language of the plays.The holistic approach includes dozens of exercises - many inspired by Michael Chekhov's innovative technique - which will help young actors explore their voice, imagination and body, and lead to performances that are richer, focused and more fulfilling.There is also useful advice on preparing for a production, editing and transposing the text, rehearsing scenes, and fostering an ensemble. Above all, this book will equip you to engage and empower young people, and to help them discover for themselves the joy of working with Shakespeare.

Jim's writing messages. In pepperoni. On top of pizzas.His life is going nowhere. But after watching the film I Hired A Contract Killer, Jim's found a solution - he'll just put out a hit on himself. What could possibly go wrong?Alan Harris's play For The Grace Of You Go I is a darkly funny, quick-witted, fast-moving comedy. It premiered at Theatr Clwyd, Mold, in June 2021, directed by James Grieve.

A fierce and exhilarating exploration of faith and truth, a hymn to community, and a testament to the power of young people.

When an unhappy estate agent sells a house to Alice, a charismatic social media influencer, the two strike up an unlikely friendship. But as her obsession with Alice's seemingly perfect world intensifies, the lines between online and reality become dangerously blurred.

The Motherhood Project draws together dramatic monologues and real-life reflections by some of the UK's leading writers, artists and thinkers, and explores all the guilt, joy and absurdity, the regrets, pressures and taboos surrounding motherhood.

A dinner party during the Second World War unites celebrated writers Agatha Christie, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker, Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas - with a mysterious guest. Set in the French Alps in 1940, Little Wars is an enthralling and ultimately moving portrait of seven exceptional women.

This accessible, systematic guide will teach you how to memorise your lines quickly and effectively, and let go of the fear of forgetting them - helping you build confidence and focus, and reducing anxiety and stress around auditions, rehearsal and performance.Inside, you'll find dozens of tips, tricks and techniques such as Memory Palaces, Mental Maps, Creative Memorisation, Visual Cues and many more, along with exercises and examples to illustrate how they work in practice. Discover how to harness these tools to strengthen your memory, and develop a personalised line-learning strategy that works for you and your acting process - one that is easier, faster and more enjoyable.The Compact Guides are pocket-sized introductions for actors and theatremakers, each tackling a key topic in a clear and comprehensive way. Written by industry professionals with extensive hands-on experience of their subject, they provide you with maximum information in minimum time.

Six short plays exploring estrangement and loneliness, moving towards redemption and hope. First performed and livestreamed from the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, in 2021.

A play by Lynn Nottage, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Sweat, Ruined and Intimate Apparel. Crumbs from the Table of Joy is a set text for Cambridge O Level Literature in English.

A unique, behind-the-scenes account of Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking musical, Hamilton, written by Giles Terera, London's Olivier Award-winning original Aaron Burr. 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.

A symphony of dislocated and interconnected scenes, in which a series of characters search for meaning in a complicated and unstable world. Written specifically for young people, Chaos formed part of the 2019 National Theatre Connections Festival and was premiered by youth theatres across the UK.

A heartwarming, joyful and dazzlingly funny exploration of bittersweet nostalgia and the enduring power of friendship.

An electrifying, bittersweet love story with echoes of Romeo and Juliet, set in a society divided by racial bigotry and a world rocked by terrorism. Adapted from Malorie Blackman's best-selling novels. Sephy (a Cross) is the daughter of the Deputy Prime Minister. Callum is the son of a Nought agitator. United by a shared sense of injustice as children, and separated by intolerance as they grow up, their desire to be together begins to eclipse all family loyalty - sparking a political crisis of unimaginable proportions. 'I wanted to turn society as we know it on its head, with new names for the major divisions, i.e. Noughts (the underclass) and Crosses (the majority, ruling society)' - Malorie Blackman 'Dominic Cooke's excellent adaptation... a dark, politically unsentimentalised story about teenage love transcending the barriers in a deeply divided society... heart-rending' - Independent