Jerusalem (NHB Modern Plays)

Jez Butterworth

Summary

A comic, contemporary vision of life in England's green and pleasant land. Winner of the Evening Standard Award for Best Play, and the Critics Circle and Whatsonstage.com Awards for Best New Play.
On St George's Day, the morning of the local country fair, Johnny 'Rooster' Byron, local waster and Lord of Misrule, is a wanted man. The council officials want to serve him an eviction notice, his son wants to be taken to the fair, a vengeful father wants to give him a serious kicking, and a motley crew of mates wants his ample supply of drugs and alcohol.
Jerusalem premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 2009, directed by Ian Rickson and starring Mark Rylance in an astonishing performance as Johnny Byron. It transferred to the West End in 2010.
'Unarguably one of the best dramas of the twenty-first century' Guardian
'Tender, touching, and blessed with both a ribald humour and a haunting sense of the mystery of things... one of the must-see events of the summer' Telegraph
'Jez Butterworth's gorgeous, expansive new play keeps coming at its audience in unpredictable gusts, rolling from comic to furious, from winsome to bawdy' Observer
'Storming... restores one's faith in the power of theatre' Independent
'Show of the year'Time Out

Available since: 04/15/2012.

Print length: 112 pages.

Poetry & Theatre

Other books that might interest you

Oedipus at Colonus

Sophocles

Dive into the mesmerizing conclusion of Sophocles' Theban Trilogy with 'Oedipus at Colonus,' a captivating audiobook that stands as a testament to the enduring power of Greek tragedy.In the final chapter of his tumultuous life, Oedipus, once a proud king brought low by fate and his own actions, seeks solace and redemption in the town of Colonus. Blinded and exiled, he embarks on a profound journey toward tranquility, only to find himself once more at the center of earthly and divine conflicts.This audiobook brings Sophocles' timeless text to life with skillful narration, immersing you in Oedipus' poignant quest for peace. Experience the deeply human themes of repentance, forgiveness, and the desire for rest after a life filled with hardship. Observe how Oedipus, in his final hours, grapples with the repercussions of his past, the nature of his present, and the uncertainty of his legacy.'Oedipus at Colonus' is more than a tragic tale—it is a profound exploration of human endurance in the face of suffering, and the possibility of redemption even in the bleakest of circumstances. Whether you're a student of classical literature, a lover of timeless dramas, or an audiobook enthusiast seeking a thought-provoking listen, this rendition of 'Oedipus at Colonus' offers a rich, immersive experience that will resonate long after the final words have been spoken.Step into the world of ancient Greek drama and explore the depths of human resilience and the quest for peace with 'Oedipus at Colonus.' Let this immortal story touch your heart, challenge your perceptions, and leave you with timeless insights into the human condition.

Show book

Kalakuta Republic

Chris Abani

This powerful collection of poems details the harrowing experiences endured by Abani and other political prisoners at the hands of Nigeria's military regime in the late 1980s. Abani vividly describes the characters that peopled this dark world, from prison inmates such as John James, tortured to death at the age of fourteen, to the general overseers. First published after his release from jail in 1991, Kalakuta Republic remains a paean to those who suffered and to the indomitable human spirit. 'Reading Abani's poems is like being singed by a red hot iron.' Harold Pinter 'Abani's poetry resonates with a devastating beauty which cuts to the heart of human strength, survival and tyranny.' Pride Magazine 'Stunning poems ... Abani conveys the experience in words shaped into art and made unforgettable by their quietness.' New Humanist 'A beautiful work of art ... elevates art and humanity above meanness and inhumanity.' World Literature Today 'A brave and challenging book ... I was moved as much by what the poems have achieved as by what they have rescued from that nightmare world. Reading, I found myself in tears.' Sunday Tribune 'An unheralded chunk of authentic literature' New Statesman 'Abani's ...poems contain moments of grace, humanity and humor.' Susannah Tarbush, Diwaniya 'Chris has emerged with poems that are graceful pieces of art, almost ready to be hung in a gallery for others to come and enter them and rest in them and weep in them and admire them.' Kwame Dawes, professor of English literature, University of Columbia, South Carolina, USA

Show book

Bodies (NHB Modern Plays)

Vivienne Franzmann

'We should have brought a gift.'
'We've brought a gift. It's called twenty-two thousand pounds.'
Purchased from Russia. Developed in India. Delivered to the UK.
A global transaction over nine months that offers 'a lifetime of happiness' for all involved.
Vivienne Franzmann's play Bodies explores the human cost of surrogacy, and what we'll overlook to get what we want. The play premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, on 5 July 2017, in a production directed by Jude Christian.

Show book

Robert Louis Stevenson - Chapter...

Robert Louis Stevenson

Literature is a world of words and wonder, able to take us on almost unimaginable journeys from the wild and fantastic to the grind and minutiae of life.

An author’s ideas are his building blocks, his architecture of the mind, building a structure on which all else will rest; the narrative, the characters, the words - those few words that begin the adventure.

In this series we look at some of our leading classic authors across two genres: the short story and the poem. In this modern world there is an insatiable need to categorise and pigeon-hole everyone and everything. But ideas, these grains and saplings of the brain, need to roam, to explore and find their perfect literary use vehicle. Our authors are masters of many literary forms, perhaps known for one but themselves favouring another.

Story. Poems. Story. Within these boundaries come all manner of invention and cast of characters. And, of course, each author has their own way of revealing their own chapter and verse.

1 - Chapter & Verse - Robert Louis Stevenson
2 - The Body Snatcher by Robert Louis Stevenson
3 - Death to the Dead For Evermore by Robert Louis Stevenson
4 - The Land of Nod by Robert Louis Stevenson
5 - A Song of the Road by Robert Louis Stevenson
6 - The Vagabond by Robert Louis Stevenson
7 - Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson
8 - The Canoe Speaks by Robert Louis Stevenson
9 - Men Are Heaven's Piers by Robert Louis Stevenson
10 - I Do Not Fear to Own Me Kin by Robert Louis Stevenson
11 - To by Robert Louis Stevenson
12 - Windy Nights by Robert Louis Stevenson
13 - I Sit Up Here at Midnight by Robert Louis Stevenson
14 - Youth and Love by Robert Louis Stevenson
15 - A Valentines Song by Robert Louis Stevenson
16 - Markheim by Robert Louis Stevenson

Show book

Ideal Husband An

Oscar Wilde

A tender love story, a serpentine villainess, a glittering setting in London society and a shower of Wildean witticisms are only a few of the reasons this play has enjoyed hugely successful revivals in London and New York. This 1895 drama also seems eerily prescient, as it explores the plight of a promising young politician, desperate to hide a secret in his past. With empathy and wit, Wilde explores the pitfalls of holding public figures to higher standards than the rest of us.An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Rosalind Ayres, Jacqueline Bisset, Paul Gutrecht, Martin Jarvis, Robert Machray, Miriam Margolyes, Alfred Molina, Jim Norton and Yeardley Smith.

Show book

Rubber Houses - Love and Loss...

Ellen Yeomans

Kit is a typical teenage girl happily engaged in school and family life. She and her younger brother, Buddy, are deeply bonded. Despite their age difference, they're connected by a love of baseball and math. Then Kit learns that Buddy has been diagnosed with cancer.
The poems that follow capture both devastating loss and the beginnings of recovery in spare, lyrical verse that throbs with raw emotional power.

©2007 Ellen Yeomans; (P)2009 Full Cast Audio

Show book