LITMIR.BIZ

Ambivalences is a document of Arnold Wesker in conversation with the Italian academic Chiara Montenero. Here he discusses his ideas on art and drama with a particular focus on some of his most enduring characters. Betraying his reputation as theatre's perennial outsider Ambivalences finds Wesker in generous and engaging form, offering a valuable insight into the mind of one of the definitive post-war British dramatists. First published in Italy, Ambivalences is now available to read in English for the first time.

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Just because you appear to have secrets don't mean your secrets are all that interestin'.A young female soldier returns from Afghanistan to a home she no longer recognises or connects with. She has proved herself in combat but her hardest battle is yet to come, as she navigates family politics, old relationships, and the memory of betrayal. From the deserts of a modern war to the battleground of a family kitchen, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm's explosive new play delves into one woman's quest for identity and a place she can call home.Nominated for Charles Wintour Most Promising Playwright Award (Evening Standard Awards) ‘If this outstanding debut from Morgan Lloyd Malcolm doesn’t feature [in the end of year awards] I’ll be staggered, as it packs – and elegantly – into 75 minutes what most dramas could only dream of fitting into double the time… a terrific addition to the West End.’ 4 stars – Evening Standard ‘A major find… she writes with such lightness of touch and such depth of feeling that the evening never slackens its grip. It packs a huge amount in… recommended.’ 4 stars – Daily Telegraph ‘There are great lines and powerful moments… Writing of this calibre is a pleasure to good to spoil.’ – The Times

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Two new plays by Howard Barker Slowly As barbarians approach the palace of a decaying culture, four princesses debate their fate. Decorum demands suicide. But, for some, the possibility of life is all too compelling. In a culture of conformity, it may not be up to the individual to decide… Hurts Given and Received Howard Barker re-examines the creative life of the artist through one of his most fascinating and appalling creations. Provocative ideas, pungent poetic language, and savage wit build a thought-provoking allegory of the artist’s relationship with society.‘Barker, with witty, wicked glee, pricks the pomposity of the tortured artist.’ – The Times ‘Howard Barker’s new play is an ambiguous interrogation of the artistic impulse.’ – Andrzej Lukowski, Time Out London

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Includes the plays Victory , The Europeans , The Possibilities and Scenes from an Execution .Howard Barker is one of the most significant and controversial dramatists of his time. His plays challenge, unsettle and expose. These plays are among his best-known works, and their energy, poetic language and imagination have fixed them firmly in the international repertoire.Exploring the tragic form defined by Barker as Theatre of Catastrophe, three of the plays speculate on human behaviour in moments of historical crisis. Victory is set in the English Civil War and follows the ethical voyage of a widow towards personal reconstruction. The Europeans takes one of the great eruptions of Islamic imperialism as the background for a young woman's insistence on her right to her own identity. Scenes from an Execution shows the struggle of an independently-minded artist against the power of the Venetian state. The Possibilities , a disturbing series of short plays set in various times and cultures, reveals Barker's unconventional way with moral dilemmas.

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Features the plays Hannah and Hanna[/i], Virgins , Risk and Club Asylum .In Hannah & Hanna having escaped from Kosovo, Hanna, 16 meets Hannah, 16, from Margate. An unlikely friendship develops when they find that music is a common bond between them despite their different cultures and circumstances. Virgins explores issues of sexuality for young people: How do you explore your sexuality when you are still living at home with your parents? How do your parents sustain their love life with you in the house? And why do we find it so difficult to talk about? Risk asks how young people can discover their limits, how can they find out who they are? It asks why young people are drawn to danger; why they risk their freedom, their bodies, their minds and their futures, through dangerous activities and crime.Club Asylum[/i] is a devised dance theatre piece about teenage asylum seekers in Glasgow based on research with both young asylum seekers and residents. A thrilling fusion of dance, theatre and music.

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Sam Mendes and Simon Russell Beale have forged one of the most successful working partnerships in contemporary theatre history. Across twenty years and eight productions their collaboration has evolved, matured and keeps thriving through their work on stage; six Shakespeare and two Chekhov plays form their common body of work so far.Mark Leipacher’s correspondence with Mendes and Beale and his thorough research into archival material on their collaborations, offers the reader a detailed account of the productions and, uniquely, Mendes’ and Beale’s own observations on their method of work and on the discoveries they made in each of the plays. How do moments of magic on stage arise in the rehearsal room? Catching the Light , full of anecdotes and gems of knowledge, is an indispensable read for actors, directors, students and anyone who loves the theatre.Features a foreword from Kevin Spacey, Artistic Director of the Old Vic.

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Sound theatre is a performance art of special purity, cousin to music.A meditation on the nature of sound how it shapes and colours our daily experiences. Sound Theatre is a series of short missives, both whimsical and profound, that collectively form an intimate portrait of the award-winning playwright and his artistic philosophy, providing a great insight into writing drama for the radio, a unique and much cherished medium. …the ninth and latest series in the Oberon Masters series is Pownall’s thoughts presented as an enjoyable series of missives. It goes beyond authorship, although it has plenty to say about script writing, and discusses the nature of sound and how it colours daily experiences – The Stage

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Ninette de Valois was an extraordinary woman. Not only did she create The Royal Ballet, The Royal Ballet School and the company that has become Birmingham Royal Ballet – in themselves great achievements – but she was a gifted choreographer, dancer, teacher, administrator, speaker and writer. She also identified and developed so many of the talented dancers, choreographers and teachers who went onto make Britain a world leader in ballet and dance.During the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of The Royal Ballet in 1981, Ninette de Valois accepted an invitation to speak to the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars. In that illuminating talk, printed here for the first time, she focuses on what ‘English Ballet’ is. Combined with her 1955 article, Some Problems of Ballet Today, and Sir Peter Wright’s fascinating Madam’s Memorial Address, this volume raises questions as meaningful today as they were when de Valois first addressed them. In an increasingly connected dance world, what does it mean to have a national style? Why is a national style important? How might a national style be identified, developed and nurtured? This volume provides thought-provoking and fascinating reading for all lovers of ballet, dance and art.‘Madam’s voice comes across… her no nonsense advice and instinctive reactions which she passionately believed in and which she used to form The Royal Ballet School and The Royal Ballet company. You get a clear sense that the threads of her advice are fully knitted within the school and company and remain there to this day.’ – balletnews.co.uk ‘Full of wise reflection and vigorous advice… Likewise, Sir Peter’s eloquent tribute provides reminders of Madam’s own contribution to that “English style”’ – Dancing Times ‘Raises thoughtful, still relevant questions… a neat way of presenting de Valois’s life, work and philosophy from a multiplicity of angles.’ – The Stage

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Unexpected, quirky and provocative, BALL & Other Funny Stories About Cancer is a unique collection of performances about illness and the changing body over time. Documenting a trilogy of Brian Lobel’s monologue performances from 2001-2011, this collection challenges the inspirational stories of survivors and martyrs that have come before, infusing the ‘cancer story’ with an urgency and humour which is sometimes inappropriate, often salacious and always, above all else, honest and open.Published together for the first time, this collection of performances goes beyond the chemotherapy to include reflections on politics, sexuality and gender, providing cancer – and cancer narratives – with a much-deserved kick in the ball(s).

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Amy's found another body in a hotel bedroomThere's a funny smell coming from one of Jim's storage units.And Kate's losing it after spending all day with the police. There's no going back after what they've seen. Breathing Corpses was first performed at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs in February 2005.'The tension, the emotions and the sense of absurdity and fear are brilliantly handled… A terrifying tour de force.' – Sunday Times '[a] powerful new play… The clash between the tone of sadness and the tricksiness of the play’s structure gives the evening its undeniable edge.' – The Stage 'a highly intriguing new play' – The Independent

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