Publisher: anamsaleem
This satirical drama from one of the only playwrights regarded as a contemporary equal of Shakespeare may have originally been performed in the early 1600s, but it feels remarkably fresh centuries later. Beginning with a prologue which devolves into a slapstick comedy that presages postmodern irony, the play recounts a solemn religious observance that is much more than it appears to be.
'Shall we have a real conversation? I am ready to stop pretending if you are.' Peace didn't know what she needed when her father died. Then she found Bolu, her halfbrother from Nigeria, whom she didn't know existed. Filled with grief and a thousand questions, Peace ignores her mother's concerns, and invites Bolu to England. His arrival feels like something clicking into place. But questions about this stranger's intentions and his mysterious past hang heavy in the air. Desperate to keep her fractured family – and herself – together, Peace must face the fact that the answers she desperately seeks might just lead to everything falling apart. Faith Omole's play My Father's Fable is a gripping story of grief, belonging, and a family on the edge. It was first performed at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2024, directed by Rebekah Murrell. 'Gripping and amusing… satisfyingly well-crafted… The writing is vigorous with understanding and wit' - The Times 'A thriller… delves into identity and complicated family relationships with flair… Omole writes conversation so genuine it feels like we're peering nosily into their home' - Guardian 'Gripping… packs a punch… had the audience around me gasping out loud… Omole knows how to tell one hell of a story' - Time Out 'Compelling and confident… a heartfelt exploration of families, past and future… My Father's Fable will have you wincing, laughing and gasping out loud in equal measure' - WhatsOnStage 'Really lively and emotionally deep… beautifully written, with enormous perceptiveness and great good humour… My Father's Fable is both fun and a profoundly felt family drama' - Arts Desk 'Emotional and fulfilling' - Reviews Hub 'Wonderfully written… thrilling, gripping and emotive' - Theatre Weekly 'If you're after tension, you'll find it aplenty… a comic thriller that ramps up the tension and keeps the audience guessing… Omole is a talent to be reckoned with, telling stories we all need to hear' - Broadway World 'Marvellous… Omole's writing is authentic and natural… startling, affecting, and incredibly powerful… a roaring success' - All That DazzlesShow book
Rose Heiney's debut play Elephants is a sharp black comedy with a tender heart that explores the paths we take in life and their repercussions on the people we love most. 5.53 p.m. Christmas Eve. Richard and Sally are waiting for their friends and family to join in the festivities - the tree is decorated, the wine is mulling, the presents are wrapped. But behind this shiny facade, nothing is quite right - and as cracks start appearing, attempts to paper over them make for an explosive evening of revelations and dark secrets exposed. Elephants premiered at Hampstead Downstairs in December 2014 in a production directed by Tamara Harvey.Show book
Performed by Dana Delany and Amanda Seyfried ""Bittersweet, funny and achingly real. . . . Kuipers captures the anxiety surrounding tragedy and conveys the importance of fully experiencing life.” — Publishers Weekly Heartfelt, touching and unforgettable, Life on the Refrigerator Door captures the impenetrable fabric that connects mothers and daughters throughout the world and delivers universal lessons about love in a wonderfully simple and poignant narrative. Claire and her mother are running out of time, but they don't know it. Not yet. Claire is wrapped up with the difficulties of her bourgeoning adulthood—boys, school, friends, identity; Claire's mother, a single mom, is rushed off her feet both at work and at home. They rarely find themselves in the same room at the same time, and it often seems that the only thing they can count on are notes to each other on the refrigerator door. When home is threatened by a crisis, their relationship experiences a momentous change. Forced to reevaluate the delicate balance between their personal lives and their bond as mother and daughter, Claire and her mother find new love and devotion for one another deeper than anything they had ever imagined.Show book
The Damon Runyon Theatre Hour. Damon Runyon is acknowledged as one of the great writers to come out of twentieth century America. Runyon's short stories are almost always told in the first person by a narrator who is never named, and whose role is unclear; he knows many gangsters and has no job that can be gleaned from his musings, nor does he admit to any criminal involvement; He’s a bystander, an observer, an average street-corner Joe. Runyon described himself as "being known to one and all as a guy who is just around". That line seems to say a lot about Runyon and his life. It was like you were with him on some street corner hustle or some shady dive and he was filling you in on all the angles, all the gossip, all of life. He was who so many people wanted to be with……or so many people wanted to be. Of course, the cliché about newspapermen and writers is that they are heavy drinkers, chain-smokers, gamblers and obsessively chase women with a sideline in the gathering of stories and facts and actually getting something written just before the deadline hits. That seems like Damon Runyon and his life summed up in one sentence. His stories became legendary ways of looking that bit differently at America, of soaking up the atmosphere of a glamorous and rip-roaring age and distilling it into black and white type or, in our case, The Damon Runyon Theatre Hour.Show book
The Trouble With Everything is a highly eclectic mix of Choyce’s published poetry and Barron’s studio wizardry that will help to shake off the bad vibes of the COVID-19 year and inspire listeners with some heartfelt words.Show book
Judith Ivey recreates her critically acclaimed Broadway performance as a tough, eccentric mother from Chicago's South Side. When she squares off against her husband over the fate of their "precious sons," shattering family secrets come to light. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Barry Cullison, Chad Hutchison, Judith Ivey, Fred Savage and Judy Unger.Show book
