{"title":"Books","description":"\u003cp\u003eAre you searching for your next read? Whether your ready to tackle a fiction hardback or perhaps learn about the craft of theatre-making, our book collection is a comprehensive overview of all our titles.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-two-noble-kinsmen","title":"The Two Noble Kinsmen","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsidered by Thomas de Quincey to be 'perhaps the most superb work in the language', The Two Noble Kinsmen is set in Athens and was co-written by Shakespeare with John Fletcher. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by N. W. Bawcutt with an introduction by Peter Swaab. 'Once, he kissed me. I loved my lips the better ten days after'. When Theseus, Duke of Athens, learns that the ruler of Thebes has killed three noble kings he swears to take revenge. But after Athens triumphs over the rival city, Theseus is struck by the bravery of two Theban cousins and orders his surgeons to attend to them. Soon, the cousins' lifelong friendship is threatened, as both become overwhelmed with love for the duke's beautiful sister.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to the play, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701276590152,"sku":"9780241200568","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780241200568.jpg?v=1722528178"},{"product_id":"henry-v","title":"Henry V","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the most well-loved of William Shakespeare's history plays, Henry V is the gripping conclusion to the story of young 'Prince Hal' begun in Henry IV, edited by A R Humphreys with an introduction by Ann Kaegi. 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers For he today that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother' Young King Henry wages war on France. But, tainted by his father's crimes, and with enemies among his own men, he must confront the difficult responsibilities of kingship. In rousing speeches, first at the siege of Harfleur where he urges his men 'Once more into the breach', and again on St Crispin's Day before the Battle of Agincourt, Henry rallies the English troops to spectacular victories which change the course of history. But even with the battles won, the war is not yet over - for to make safe his success, Henry must secure a marriage with the French princess, Catherine of Valois. And can triumph in France prevent civil war in England?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701276688456,"sku":"9780141396675","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396675.jpg?v=1721218062"},{"product_id":"a-midsummer-nights-dream","title":"A Midsummer Night's Dream","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a raucous comedy that thrusts a quartet of reckless young lovers headfirst into a world of magic and fantasy, William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is edited by Stanley Wells with an introduction by Helen Hackett in Penguin Shakespeare. \"Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, such shaping fantasies that apprehend more than cool reason ever comprehends.\" (Lovers Lysander and Hermia flee). Athens to escape the authority of their parents, only to be pursued by Hermia's betrothed Demetrius, and her friend Helena. Unwittingly, all four find themselves in an enchanted forest where Oberon, the king of the fairies, and Titania, his queen, soon take an interest in human affairs, dispensing magical love potions and casting mischievous spells. In this dazzling comedy, confusion ends in harmony, as love is transformed, misplaced, and - ultimately - restored.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to A Midsummer Night's Dream, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701276721224,"sku":"9780141396668","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/AMidsummerNight_sDream9780141396668.jpg?v=1720004712"},{"product_id":"richard-iii","title":"Richard III","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a history play whose villainous usurper is one of William Shakespeare's most memorably cunning and sinister characters, Richard III is edited by E.A.J. Honigmann with an introduction by Michael Taylor in Penguin Shakespeare. 'Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichard of York, the bitter, deformed brother of King Edward IV, is secretly plotting to seize the throne of England. Charming and duplicitous, powerfully eloquent and viciously cruel, he is prepared to go to any lengths to achieve his goal. In his skilful manipulation of events and people - coercing the king into eliminating the Duke of Clarence, next in line to the throne; imprisoning the King's sons, princes Edward and Richard, in the Tower of London; and purging court of any who might oppose his rule - Richard is a chilling incarnation of the lure of evil and the temptation of power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Richard III, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701276917832,"sku":"9780141396651","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396651.jpg?v=1721906382"},{"product_id":"richard-ii","title":"Richard II","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the first part of the 'Henriad', continued with the two parts of Henry IV and concluded by Henry V. William Shakespeare's Richard II is a history play dramatizing the rebellion of Henry Bolingbroke, that would eventually see him made King of England. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by Stanley Wells with an introduction by Paul Edmondson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBanishing his cousin, Bolingbroke, King Richard II prevents a dispute from turning bloody. But Richard is an arrogant and despotic ruler, prone to tyranny and vanity, who listens only to his flatterers. As favour turns against him and Bolingbroke returns to reclaim his land, Richard is humbled and grieved to see that the throne given to him by God might be taken from him by men.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Richard II, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701276950600,"sku":"9780141396644","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396644.jpg?v=1721906331"},{"product_id":"pericles","title":"Pericles","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePericles was Shakespeare's first full-blown tragicomedy, the precursor to The Winter's Tale, Cymbeline and The Tempest, and one of his most popular plays in the seventeenth century. This Penguin edition is edited by Eugene Giddens. 'One sin, I know, another doth provoke; Murder's as near to lust as flame to smoke'. Pericles, Prince of Tyre, must solve a riddle in order to marry the daughter of the King of Antioch, or be put to death. But when the answer reveals a horrific secret, the young man faces his greatest dilemma. Danger and adventure follow as Pericles flees the city to find his fortune elsewhere, in a romantic drama of families lost and reunited, evil punished and virtue rewarded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Pericles, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701276983368,"sku":"9780141396637","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396637.jpg?v=1721817813"},{"product_id":"henry-viii","title":"Henry VIII","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilliam Shakespeare's Henry VIII is a compelling history play, recreating a crucial moment in the Tudor dynasty, and the events that marked the beginning of the English Reformation. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by A.R. Humphreys, with an introduction by C.M.S. Alexander.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConspiracies and intrigue are rife in the court of Henry VIII as the Duke of Buckingham is executed for treason, having been tricked by his enemy Cardinal Wolsey. And when the King falls in love with Anne Boleyn and decides to divorce his wife, Katherine of Aragon, he causes an irrevocable rift with the Catholic Church. After the King's secret marriage to Anne, courtiers fall in and out of favour and deaths abound, with far-reaching consequences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Henry VIII, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277081672,"sku":"9780141396620","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396620.jpg?v=1721218124"},{"product_id":"much-ado-about-nothing","title":"Much Ado About Nothing","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMuch Ado About Nothing is on the English Literature GCSE syllabus for the AQA, Edexcel and OCR exam boards. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a dazzling display of William Shakespeare's fondness for wit and wordplay, Much Ado About Nothing is a high-spirited comedy, edited with notes by R.A. Foakes, and an introduction by Janet Dillon. 'Some, Cupid kills with arrows, some, with traps'. Proud, vivacious Beatrice and a high-spirited rake Benedick both claim that they are determined never to marry. But when good-hearted mischief-maker Don Pedro tricks them into believing that each harbours secret feelings for the other, Beatrice and Benedick begin to question whether their witty banter and sharp-tongued repartee conceals something deeper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSchemes abound, misunderstandings proliferate and matches are eventually made in this sparkling and irresistible comedy, famously adapted by Kenneth Branagh in a film starring Keanu Reeves and Emma Thompson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e This book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Much Ado About Nothing, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277147208,"sku":"9780141396590","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396590.jpg?v=1721320787"},{"product_id":"the-taming-of-the-shrew","title":"The Taming of the Shrew","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKing Lear is on the English Literature A-Level syllabus for the AQA exam board. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA relentlessly witty battle of the sexes, William Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew is edited by G.R. Hibbard, with an introduction by Margaret Jane Kidnie in Penguin Shakespeare. The beautiful but sharp-tongued 'shrew' Katherina has sworn never to accept the demands of any would-be husband. Her younger sister Bianca, meanwhile, is forbidden to be married until Katherina finds a suitable match - much to the dismay of Bianca's suitors, Hortensio and Gremio. But when Katherina is pursued by the wily Petruchio, it seems that she has finally met her match. And as he meets her own caustic words with a feigned, capricious cruelty, Katherina quickly comes to understand the absurdity of her shrewish behaviour, in one of the greatest of all comic conquests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFamously adapted into Cole Porter's musical Kiss Me, Kate and filmed as 10 Things I Hate About You with Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles, The Taming of the Shrew is an unforgettable battle of wits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to The Taming of the Shrew, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277179976,"sku":"9780141396583","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396583.jpg?v=1722527129"},{"product_id":"the-merry-wives-of-windsor","title":"The Merry Wives of Windsor","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilliam Shakespeare's comic encore for one of his best-loved characters - the rascally Falstaff from Henry IV and Henry V - The Merry Wives of Windsor is edited by G.R. Hibbard with an introduction by Catherine Richardson in Penguin Shakespeare.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'We'll leave a proof, by that which we will do, Wives may be merry, and yet honest too'. In need of money, the fat and foolish Falstaff devises a scheme to seduce two married women and steal their husbands' wealth. By talking to each other, however, the wives soon discover his plan and begin to plot their own revenge. Relentlessly inventive, this comic humiliation of a foolish would-be seducer is a lively, compelling and ultimately joyous celebration of the all-conquering power of laughter. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to The Merry Wives of Windsor, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary. \"It never yet had reader or spectator, who did not think it too soon at end.\" (Samuel Johnson).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277245512,"sku":"9780141396576","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396576.jpg?v=1722348586"},{"product_id":"the-winters-tale","title":"The Winter's Tale","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough sometimes classified as a 'problem play' for its mix of turbulent emotional and light-hearted comedy, William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale is a timeless study of jealousy and desire. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by Ernest Schanzer with an introduction by Russ McDonald.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeontes, the jealous King of Sicily becomes convinced that his wife, Hermione is carrying the child of his best friend Polixenes. Imprisoned and put on trial, the Queen collapses when the King refuses to accept the divine confirmation of her innocence. The child is abandoned to die on the coast of Bohemia. Sixteen years later, Polixenes' son Prince Florizel, incurs his father's wrath by eloping with Perdita, the daughter of a local shepherd. But Perdita's origins are not as humble as they appear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book includes a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and the Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to The Winter's Tale, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277278280,"sku":"9780141396569","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396569.jpg?v=1722529290"},{"product_id":"measure-for-measure-1","title":"Measure For Measure","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeasure for Measure is on the English Literature A-Level syllabus for the AQA exam board. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLabelled as a 'problem play' for its marriage of comic overtones to serious moral inquiry, William Shakespeare's Measure for Measure is a peerless black comedy of justice, pride and desire. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by J.M. Nosworthy with an introduction by Julia Briggs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Duke Vincentio's absence from Vienna, his strict deputy Angelo revives an ancient law forbidding sex outside marriage. The young Claudio, whose fiancee Juliet is pregnant, is condemned to death by the law. His sister Isabella, soon to become a nun, pleads with Lord Angelo for her brother's life. But her purity so excites Angelo that he offers her a monstrous bargain - he will save Claudio if Isabella will visit him that night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Measure for Measure, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277311048,"sku":"9780141396552","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396552.jpg?v=1721314134"},{"product_id":"the-merchant-of-venice","title":"The Merchant of Venice","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\"\u003eThe Merchant of Venice is on the English Literature GCSE syllabus for the AQA, OCR and Edexcel exam boards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilliam Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice is both a witty comedy and a moving exploration of bigotry and stigmatisation, and this Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by W. Moelwyn Merchant with an introduction by Peter Holland.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBassanio, a noble but impoverished Venetian, asks his friend the merchant Antonio for a loan to impress an heiress. Antonio agrees, but is forced to borrow the sum from a cynical Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who forces him into a chilling contract, which stipulates he must honour the debt with a pound of his own flesh. But Bassanio's beloved is not as demure as she seems, and disguising herself as a lawyer, Portia proves herself one of Shakespeare's most cunning heroines, in a witty attack on Shylock's claim. A complex and controversial comedy, The Merchant of Venice explores prejudice and the true nature of justice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to The Merchant of Venice, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277343816,"sku":"9780141396545","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396545.jpg?v=1722348539"},{"product_id":"julius-caesar","title":"Julius Caesar","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJulius Caesar is on the English Literature GCSE syllabus for the AQA exam board. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSet at the birth of the Roman Empire, William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is a taut historical drama exploring the violent consequences of betrayal and murder. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by Norman Sanders with an introduction by Martin Wiggins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it seems that Julius Caesar may assume supreme power, a plot to destroy him is hatched by the senators Brutus and Cassius, who are determined to preserve the threatened Republic. But the different motives of the conspirators soon become apparent when high principles clash with malice and political realism. Seizing his opportunity, the ambitious young Mark Antony turns public opinion against the conspirators, plunging the nation into a bloody civil war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book includes a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Julius Caesar, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277376584,"sku":"9780141396538","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396538.jpg?v=1721302002"},{"product_id":"othello","title":"Othello","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOthello is on the English Literature A-Level syllabus for the Edexcel and AQA exam boards and GCSE syllabus for Eduqas.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInexorably poisoned against the woman he loves by his trusted friend Iago, Shakespeare's Othello is a timeless tragic figure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by Kenneth Muir with an introduction by Tom McAlindon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA popular soldier and newly married man, Othello seems to be in an enviable position. And yet, when his supposed friend Iago sows doubts in his mind about his wife Desdemona's fidelity, and his friend Cassio's true intentions, he is gradually consumed by suspicion. In this powerful tragedy, innocence is corrupted and trust is eroded as every relationship is drawn into a tangled web of jealousies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Othello, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277507656,"sku":"9780141396514","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396514.jpg?v=1721742939"},{"product_id":"hamlet","title":"Hamlet","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHamlet is on the English Literature A-Level syllabus for the Edexcel exam board. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerhaps the single most influential work of English drama, William Shakespeare's Hamlet is a timeless tragedy of the conflicted loyalties, madness, betrayal and terrible revenge. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by TJB Spencer with an introduction by Alan Sinfield.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomething is rotten in the state of Denmark. When young prince Hamlet is confronted by his father's ghost on the battlements of Castle Elsinore, he is burdened with a terrible task: slay King Claudius, Hamlet's uncle, who the ghost alleges murdered him. Wrestling with his conscience, Hamlet feigns wild madness while plotting a brutal revenge, alienating his mother Queen Gertrude and spurning his lover Ophelia. But the act of insanity takes Hamlet perilously close to the reality, wreaking havoc on guilty and innocent alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Hamlet, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay by Paul Prescott discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277573192,"sku":"9780141396507","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396507.jpg?v=1721216416"},{"product_id":"timon-of-athens","title":"Timon of Athens","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA tragicomedy, a satire on materialism and a scream of pain and injustice, Timon of Athens depicts Shakespeare's greatest optimist and his most vehement pessimist in its central character, the wealthy and deluded Timon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by G. R. Hibbard with an introduction by Nicholas Walton. 'What viler thing upon the earth than friends, Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends!' After squandering his wealth with prodigal generosity, a rich Athenian gentleman finds himself deep in debt. Unshaken by the prospect of bankruptcy, he is certain that the friends he has helped so often will come to his aid. But when they learn his wealth is gone, he quickly finds that their promises fall away to nothing in this tragic exploration of power, greed, and loyalty betrayed. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to the play, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277605960,"sku":"9780141396491","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396491.jpg?v=1722600147"},{"product_id":"cymbeline","title":"Cymbeline","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of Shakespeare's late, fantastical plays, Cymbeline considers human love and art through the thrilling wonder of the Renaissance theatre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited with an introduction by John Pitcher.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe King of Britain, enraged by his daughter's disobedience in marrying against his wishes, banishes his new son-in-law. Having fled to Rome, the exiled husband makes a foolish wager with a villain he encounters there - gambling on the fidelity of his abandoned wife. Combining courtly menace and horror, comedy and melodrama, Cymbeline is a moving depiction of two young lovers driven apart by deceit and self-doubt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to the play, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277638728,"sku":"9780141396484","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396484.jpg?v=1721044677"},{"product_id":"romeo-and-juliet","title":"Romeo and Juliet","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\"\u003eRomeo and Juliet is on the English Literature GCSE syllabus for the AQA, Edexcel and OCR exam boards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe greatest love story in English, William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is a play of star-crossed lovers who take a valiant stand against social convention, with tragic consequences. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited with notes by T.J.B. Spencer, and an introduction by Adrian Poole.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe city of Verona, torn apart by the violent feud between the families of Montague and Capulet, is a powder keg waiting to explode; the Prince of Verona, seeking to restore order, has declared any breach of the peace punishable by death. But for the young Montague Romeo, and his lover, the Capulet Juliet, the enmity of their families is immaterial. Meeting in secret, the two lovers gradually spiral towards disaster as their respective families edge closer towards open warfare. A play that has inspired films as diverse as Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story and Baz Luhrmann's Romeo+Juliet, Romeo and Juliet is a dazzling combination of passion and hatred, bawdy comedy and high tragedy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Romeo and Juliet, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277868104,"sku":"9780141396477","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396477.jpg?v=1721906857"},{"product_id":"king-lear","title":"King Lear","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA moving tragedy of political intrigue and family strife, William Shakespeare's King Lear is edited by George Hunter, with an introduction by Kiernan Ryan in Penguin Shakespeare.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ageing King Lear, tired of office, decides to split his kingdom between his three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia; but the decision to allot their share based on the love they express for him proves to be a terrible mistake. When Cordelia refuses to take part in her father's charade, she is banished, leaving the king dependent on her manipulative and untrustworthy sisters. In the scheming and recriminations that follow, not only does the king's own sanity crumble, but the stability of the realm itself is also threatened. Cast out into the wilderness with a wise Fool and a cunning madman, it is only after losing what he values most that Lear understands the depth of his folly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to King Lear, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277933640,"sku":"9780141396460","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396460.jpg?v=1721302931"},{"product_id":"coriolanus","title":"Coriolanus","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA gripping historical tragedy, set during the turbulent period just before the establishment of the Roman Republic, William Shakespeare's Coriolanus is edited by G R Hibbard with an introduction by Paul Prescott in Penguin Shakespeare.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA peerless general is offered the consulship of Rome after his triumph over the city of Corioles. Too proud to respect the will of the people, however, he soon finds himself despised by the mob, and speaks out passionately against popular rule. Driven from the city as a traitor, he allies himself with his old enemies and begins to plot a merciless revenge. Adapted into an acclaimed film directed by Ralph Feinnes and starring Gerard Butler and Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus is a brilliant adaptation of historical events from Plutarch's Lives, bringing to life all the power and glory of Ancient Rome.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book includes a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and the Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Coriolanus, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701277966408,"sku":"9780141396453","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396453.jpg?v=1721043942"},{"product_id":"twelfth-night","title":"Twelfth Night","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTwelfth Night is on the English Literature A-Level syllabus for the AQA exam board. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the best-loved comedies ever written, Twelfth Night is perhaps Shakespeare's most lyrical as well as most experimental play.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by M M Mahood with an introduction by Michael Dobson. 'If music be the food of love, play on...'. Separated from her twin brother Sebastian after a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a boy to serve the Duke of Illyria. Wooing a countess on his behalf, she is stunned to find herself the object of his beloved's affections. With the arrival of Viola's brother, and a trick played upon the countess' steward, confusion reigns in this romantic comedy of mistaken identity. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Twelfth Night, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary. William Shakespeare was born some time in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and died in 1616. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701278031944,"sku":"9780141396446","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396446.jpg?v=1722606021"},{"product_id":"loves-labours-lost","title":"Love's Labours Lost","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilliam Shakespeare's comedy Love's Labours Lost is edited with an introduction by John Kerrigan in Penguin Shakespeare.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"What fool is not so wise to lose an oath to win a paradise?\" Ferdinand, King of Navarre and his lords Berowne, Dumaine, and Longaville agree to form an austere academy, taking a solemn to have no contact with women for three years. But when the Princess of neighbouring France arrives with her female attendants, their pledge is quickly placed under strain. Soon all are smitten and confusion abounds, as each struggles to secretly declare his love in this comedy of deception, desire and mistaken identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Love's Labours Lost, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701278097480,"sku":"9780141396439","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396439.jpg?v=1721305551"},{"product_id":"the-two-gentlemen-of-verona","title":"The Two Gentlemen of Verona","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith an engaging comedy of love, The Two Gentlemen of Verona deals with the conflict between friendship and romance, and features one of Shakespeare's most memorable clowns. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by Norman Sanders with an introduction by Russell Jackson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeaving behind both home and beloved, a young man travels to Milan to meet his closest friend. Once there, however, he falls in love with his friend's new sweetheart and resolves to seduce her. Love-crazed and desperate, he is soon moved to commit cynical acts of betrayal, revealing how passion can prove more powerful than even the strongest loyalty owed to a friend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to the play, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701278261320,"sku":"9780141396422","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396422.jpg?v=1722528131"},{"product_id":"troilus-and-cressida","title":"Troilus and Cressida","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by Homer's Iliad and Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, Shakespeare's play explores heroism, love and betrayal against the backdrop of the Trojan War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by R. A. Foakes with an introduction by Colin Burrow. 'Lechery, still wars and lechery; nothing else holds fashion'. It is the seventh year of the Trojan War. The Greek army is camped outside Troy and Achilles - their military hero - refuses to fight. Inside the city Troilus, the Trojan King's son, falls in love with Cressida, whose father has defected to the Greek camp. In an exchange of prisoners the couple are split - they believe forever. The honour of lovers and soldiers is tested as a fierce battle begins and heroes must prove their worth. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to the play, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701278457928,"sku":"9780141396415","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396415.jpg?v=1722605440"},{"product_id":"titus-andronicus","title":"Titus Andronicus","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis extraordinarily gory and spectacularly violent revenge tragedy, William Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus is edited by Sonia Massai, with an introduction by Jacques Berthoud in Penguin Shakespeare. 'Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand'. Rome is in turmoil. With the Emperor dead, his two sons, Saturninus and Bassianus, quarrel over who should succeed him; but neither are as popular as the general Titus Andronicus, returned to Rome victorious after a ten-year campaign, with Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and her three sons as his prisoners. Eschewing the throne, he endorses Saturninus as successor, and sacrifices the Queen's son Alarbus in memory of his own, lost in the war. But when the new emperor spurns Titus's amity and chooses Tamora for his wife, she quickly begins to plot a murderous revenge of barely conceivable cruelty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Titus Andronicus, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701278523464,"sku":"9780141396323","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396323.jpg?v=1722604733"},{"product_id":"macbeth","title":"Macbeth","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMacbeth is on the English Literature GCSE syllabus for the AQA, Edexcel and OCR exam boards. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes'. Promised a golden future as ruler of Scotland by three sinister witches, and spurred on by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan to ensure his ambitions come true. But he soon learns the meaning of terror - killing once, he must kill again and again, and the dead return to haunt him. A story of war, witchcraft and bloodshed, Macbeth also depicts the relationship between husbands and wives, and the risks they are prepared to take to achieve their desires. This book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Macbeth, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by George Hunter with an introduction by Carol Rutter.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701278589000,"sku":"9780141396316","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396316.jpg?v=1721312651"},{"product_id":"the-tempest","title":"The Tempest","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\"\u003eThe Tempest is on the English Literature GCSE syllabus for the AQA and Edexcel exam boards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerformed variously as escapist fantasy, celebratory fiction, and political allegory, The Tempest is one of the plays in which William Shakespeare's genius as a poetic dramatist found its fullest expression. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited with an introduction by Martin Butler.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA storm rages. Prospero, his daughter Miranda, and his monstrous servant Caliban watch from their desert island as a ship carrying the royal family is wrecked. Miraculously, all on board survive. Plotting, mistaken identities, bewitching love and drunkenness follow as the travellers explore the strange place of spirits and monsters on which they have landed. They soon begin to realize all is not as it seems, in a play whose magical setting and classical unity of time and place have inspired films as varied as Forbidden Planet, Peter Greenaway's Prospero's Books, and Julie Taymor's The Tempest, starring Helen Mirren as 'Prospera'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to The Tempest, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701278621768,"sku":"9780141396309","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396309.jpg?v=1722527175"},{"product_id":"the-comedy-of-errors","title":"The Comedy of Errors","description":"\u003cp\u003eby William Shakespeare\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA farcical comedy of mistaken identity and outrageous trickery, William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors is edited by Stanley Wells with an introduction by Randall Martin in Penguin Shakespeare.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo sets of identical twins - Dromio and Antipholus of Syracuse, and their brothers Dromio and Antipholus of Ephesus - having been separated at sea as children, find themselves in the same city for the first time as adults. Soon, their friends mistake the twins for one another and bewilderment abounds, as the wife of one man declares the other to be her husband, pronouncing him mad when he denies the claim. Exuberant, complex and brilliantly farcical, this is a hilarious comedy of confusion and ultimate reunion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to The Comedy of Errors, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31701278687304,"sku":"9780141396286","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141396286.jpg?v=1722265791"},{"product_id":"company-the-complete-revised-book-and-lyrics","title":"Company: The Complete Revised Book and Lyrics","description":"\u003cp\u003eby George Furth, Stephen Sondheim\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's Bobbie's thirty-fifth birthday party, and all her friends are wondering why she isn't married. Why can't she find the right man, settle down and start a family? \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA breakthrough on Broadway in 1970, Company is Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's legendary musical comedy about life, love and loneliness, featuring some of Sondheim's most iconic songs including 'Company', 'You Could Drive a Person Crazy', 'The Ladies Who Lunch', 'Side by Side' and 'Being Alive'. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe acclaimed West End revival in 2018 was conceived and directed by award-winning director Marianne Elliott and produced by Elliott \u0026amp; Harper Productions. Reimagining the musical by switching the gender of several characters, including the protagonist Bobbie, played by Rosalie Craig, the production also starred Patti LuPone, Mel Giedroyc and Jonathan Bailey. It won the Peter Hepple Award for Best Musical at the 2018 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis edition features the complete revised book and lyrics for the production, colour production photographs, and an introduction by Sondheim's biographer David Benedict.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703279435848,"sku":"9781848428355","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848428355.jpg?v=1721041282"},{"product_id":"snatches-moments-from-100-years-of-womens-lives-eight-monologues","title":"Snatches: Moments from 100 Years of Women's Lives - Eight Monologues","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Vicky Featherstone, Various\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA young actress meets a powerful film producer in his hotel suite. A revolutionary leads an attack on a colonial club in India. A bereaved mother defends herself against charges of infanticide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSnatches: Moments from 100 Years of Women’s Lives documents, remembers and bears witness to a century of struggle for progress and equality for women in the United Kingdom. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMoving, funny, tragic and empowering, these eight monologues address the constant efforts of women to carve out their rights both in domestic and public spheres – from the criminalisation of marital rape to the first Reclaim the Night march – proclaiming a history of perseverance and resilience shown by women’s rights activists in this country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurated by Royal Court Artistic Director, Vicky Featherstone, the monologues for Snatches were commissioned to mark the centenary of women’s suffrage in the United Kingdom. They were broadcast on BBC Four in 2018, directed by Vanessa Caswill, Vicky Featherstone and Rachna Suri, and starring Jodie Comer, Siobhan Finneran, Romola Garai, Shirley Henderson, Liv Hill, Corinne Skinner-Carter, Kiran Sonia Sawar and Antonia Thomas. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis volume includes:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePig Life by E V Crowe\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTipping Point by Rachel De-lahay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePritilata by Tanika Gupta\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMultiples by Zinnie Harris\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOutside by Theresa Ikoko\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReclaim the Night by Charlene James\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBovril Pam by Vicky Jones\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompliance by Abi Morgan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703280582728,"sku":"9781848427884","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848427884.jpg?v=1722250085"},{"product_id":"heretic-voices-three-award-winning-monologues","title":"Heretic Voices: Three Award-winning Monologues","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Annie Fox\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn anthology of the three winning plays in the inaugural Heretic Voices competition, seeking out the best new writing in monologue form. First performed at the Arcola theatre, London. This volume contains: Woman Caught Unaware by Annie Fox - a searing and bleakly funny debut play which examines of the culture of body shaming Dean McBride by Sonya Hale - a vivid and poetic story of loss and redemption set on a Croydon council estate A Hundred Words for Snow by Tatty Hennessy - a thrilling and brave exploration of mortality, adolescence and the Arctic\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703281958984,"sku":"9781848427358","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848427358.jpg?v=1721218302"},{"product_id":"queers-eight-monologues","title":"Queers: Eight Monologues","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Mark Gatiss and Various\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQueers celebrates a century of evolving social attitudes and political milestones in British gay history, as seen through the eyes of eight individuals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePoignant and personal, funny, tragic and riotous, these eight monologues for male and female performers cover major events – such as the Wolfenden Report of 1957, the HIV\/AIDS crisis, and the debate over the age of consent – through deeply affecting and personal rites-of-passage stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurated by Mark Gatiss, the monologues were commissioned to mark the anniversary of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act, which decriminalised homosexual acts in private between two men over the age of twenty-one. They were broadcast on BBC Four in 2017, directed and produced by Gatiss, and starring Alan Cumming, Rebecca Front, Ian Gelder, Kadiff Kirwan, Russell Tovey, Gemma Whelan, Ben Whishaw and Fionn Whitehead. They were also staged at The Old Vic in London.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis volume includes:  The Man on the Platform by Mark Gatiss, The Perfect Gentleman by Jackie Clune, Safest Spot in Town by Keith Jarrett, Missing Alice by Jon Bradfield, I Miss the War by Matthew Baldwin, More Anger by Brian Fillis, A Grand Day Out by Michael Dennis, and Something Borrowed by Gareth McLean.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703282843720,"sku":"9781848426962","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848426962.jpg?v=1721904548"},{"product_id":"lazarus-complete-book-and-lyrics","title":"Lazarus - Complete Book and Lyrics","description":"\u003cp\u003eby David Bowie, Enda Walsh\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'I'm a dying man who can't die.' \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThomas Newton came to Earth seeking water for his drought-ridden planet. Years later he's still stranded here, soaked in cheap gin and haunted by a past love. But the arrival of another lost soul brings one last chance of freedom... \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by the book The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis and its cult film adaptation starring David Bowie, Lazarus brings the story of Thomas Newton to its devastating conclusion. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten by Bowie with the playwright Enda Walsh, and incorporating some of Bowie's most iconic songs, Lazarus was first performed at New York Theatre Workshop in 2015, starring Michael C. Hall and directed by Ivo Van Hove. The production transferred to London in 2016.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703284449352,"sku":"9781848426269","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848426269.jpg?v=1721304228"},{"product_id":"bird-and-other-monologues-for-young-women","title":"Bird and other monologues for young women","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Laura Lomas\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA cutting-edge play that throws light on the experience of a teenager in contemporary Britain, from one of the country's most exciting new writers. It's four in the morning and Leah Bird is alone in a flat in Derby waiting for her boyfriend to call. Over the course of a single night she tells us what it's like to be fourteen, fearless and full of love. But everything isn't what it seems, and as the sun comes up, Leah begins to unpick the true nature of her relationship. Bird explores grief, the deep bond of sisters, teenage friendship, first love, and feelings you can't control. It's a play about being young and vulnerable - but resilient.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was first presented by Root Theatre and Echo, on tour of the UK, in 2014. This edition also features two other hard-hitting and distinctive monologues for young female actors - Gypsy Girl and Where I'm From.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703286677576,"sku":"9781848424630","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848424630.jpg?v=1720793671"},{"product_id":"the-methuen-drama-book-of-queer-monologues","title":"The Methuen Drama Book of Queer Monologues","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Scottee\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first collection of its kind, The Oberon Book of Queer Monologues chronicles over one hundred years of queer and trans performance. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCombining stage plays with spoken word and performance art, this anthology features over forty extracts from some of the most exciting stage works in the English-speaking world. It will be an essential tool for artists seeking monologues for auditions or training; a comprehensive guide through the hidden histories of queer theatre; and a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurated by award-winning artist Scottee, featuring work from artists including Neil Bartlett, Mae West, Emma Donoghue, Split Britches, Chris Goode and Travis Alabanza.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703293952072,"sku":"9781350298927","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781350298927.jpg?v=1722350056"},{"product_id":"national-theatre-connections-monologues-speeches-for-young-actors","title":"National Theatre Connections Monologues: Speeches for Young Actors","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Anthony Banks\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the first time, there is an anthology of monologues for young people available, taken from plays commissioned as part of the National Theatre Connections over the past 20 years. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlways drawing together the work of 10 leading playwrights – a mixture of established and current writers – the annual National Theatre Connections anthologies offer young performers between the ages of 13 and 19 an engaging selection of plays to perform, read or study. Each play is specifically commissioned by the National Theatre's literary department and reflects the past year's programming at the venue in the plays' ideas, themes and styles. The plays are performed by approximately 200 schools and youth theatre companies across the UK and Ireland, in partnership with multiple professional regional theatres where the works are showcased. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis anthology of 100 monologues is the ideal resource for teenagers and young people attending auditions either in the amateur or professional theatre world; students leaving secondary school to audition for drama school; as well as teachers of English and Drama looking for suitable dramatic for their students to engage with and perform. It provides suitable scene-study books that are suitable and relevant to the student in terms of tone, style and content. Young actors who have searched for audition material written in the voice of teenage characters will welcome this resource.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaltheatre.org.uk\/learn-explore\/young-people\/connections\/\" title=\"National Theatre Connections Festival\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDiscover more about the yearly National Theatre Connections Festival here\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703298310216,"sku":"9781472573100","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781472573100.jpg?v=1721660152"},{"product_id":"pygmalion","title":"Pygmalion","description":"\u003cp\u003eby George Bernard Shaw; Dan H. Laurence; Nicholas Grene\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeorge Bernard Shaw's witty comedy of manners, Pygmalion includes an introduction by Nicholas Grene in Penguin Classics. Pygmalion both delighted and scandalized its first audiences in 1914. A brilliantly witty reworking of the classical tale of the sculptor Pygmalion, who falls in love with his perfect female statue, it is also a barbed attack on the British class system and a statement of Shaw's feminist views. In Shaw's hands, the phoneticist Henry Higgins is the Pygmalion figure who believes he can transform Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl, into a duchess at ease in polite society. The one thing he overlooks is that his 'creation' has a mind of her own. A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdapted into the Oscar-winning musical film My Fair Lady starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison in 1964, PygmalionThis is the definitive text produced under the editorial supervision of Dan H. Laurence, with an illuminating introduction by Nicholas Grene, discussing the language and politics of the play.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso included in this volume is Shaw's preface, as well as his 'sequel' written for the first publication in 1916, to rebut public demand for a more conventionally romantic ending\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703314595912,"sku":"9780141439501","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141439501.jpg?v=1721821476"},{"product_id":"peer-gynt-and-brand","title":"Peer Gynt and Brand","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Henrik Ibsen, Geoffrey Hill\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA new Penguin edition of Ibsen's two great verse plays, in masterful versions by one of our greatest living poets, Geoffrey Hill. These two powerful and contrasting verse dramas by Ibsen made his reputation as a playwright.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fantastical adventures of the irrepressible Peer Gynt - poet, idler, procrastinator, seducer - draw on Norwegian folklore to conjure up mountains, kidnappings, shipwrecks and trolls in an exuberant examination of truth and the self.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrand, an unsparing vision of an idealistic priest who lives by his steely faith, explores free will and sacrifice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis volume brings together the poet Geoffrey Hill's acclaimed stage version of Brand with a new poetic rendering of Peer Gynt, published for the first time. This Penguin edition includes an interview with Geoffrey Hill about recreating Ibsen in English, an introduction by Janet Garton and editorial materials by Tore Rem.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703314661448,"sku":"9780141197586","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780141197586.jpg?v=1721817133"},{"product_id":"electra-and-other-plays","title":"Electra and Other Plays","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Euripides; Richard Rutherford; Richard Rutherford; Richard Rutherford; John Davie\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf all the ancient Greek tragedians, Euripides was the most sensitive to the lives of women and other outcasts in Athenian society, and Electra and Other Plays collects five plays demonstrating his talent for bringing to life their plight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Penguin Classics edition is translated by John Davie with an introduction and notes by Richard Rutherford. Written during a period overshadowed by the fierce struggle for supremacy between Sparta and Euripides' native Athens, these five plays are haunted by the shadow of war - and in particular its impact on women. In Electra the children of Agamemnon take bloody revenge on their mother for murdering their father after his return from Troy, and Suppliant Women depicts the grieving mothers of those killed in battle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e The other plays deal with the aftermath of the Trojan War for the defeated survivors, as Andromache shows Hector's widow as a trophy of war in the house of her Greek captor, and Hecabe portrays a defeated queen avenging the murder of her last-remaining son, while Trojan Women tells of the plight of the city's women in the hands of their victors. John Davie's compelling translations are accompanied by an introduction by Richard Rutherford describing the tragic genre and Euripides innovations, along with a chronology, prefaces to each play, notes, a bibliography and a glossary of names.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703315284040,"sku":"9780140446685","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780140446685.jpg?v=1721127372"},{"product_id":"aeschylus-the-oresteia","title":"Aeschylus: The Oresteia","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Aeschylus; W. Stanford; Robert Fagles\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe only trilogy in Greek drama that survives from antiquity, Aeschylus' The Oresteia is translated by Robert fagles with an introduction, notes and glossary written in collaboration with W.B. Stanford in Penguin Classics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Oresteia Aeschylus addressed the bloody chain of murder and revenge within the royal family of Argos. As they move from darkness to light, from rage to self-governance, from primitive ritual to civilized institution, their spirit of struggle and regeneration becomes an everlasting song of celebration. In Agamemnon, a king's decision to sacrifice his daughter and turn the tide of war inflicts lasting damage on his family, culminating in a terrible act of retribution; The Libation Bearers deals with the aftermath of Clytemnestra's regicide, as her son Orestes sets out to avenge his father's death; and in The Eumenides, Orestes is tormented by supernatural powers that can never be appeased.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForming an elegant and subtle discourse on the emergence of Athenian democracy out of a period of chaos and destruction, The Oresteia is a compelling tragedy of the tensions between our obligations to our families and the laws that bind us together as a society.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703315349576,"sku":"9780140443332","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9780140443332Aeschylus.jpg?v=1720008134"},{"product_id":"different-every-night-freeing-the-actor","title":"Different Every Night: Freeing the Actor","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Mike Alfreds\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Different Every Night\" is the culmination of a lifetime of work in the theatre, the most complete rehearsal methodology in print since Stanislavsky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt offers a vital masterclass for actors and directors, full of sound practical advice and guidance, and is packed with techniques for bringing the text to life and keeping it alive - both in rehearsal and performance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703456743496,"sku":"9781854599674","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781854599674.jpg?v=1721061024"},{"product_id":"the-actor-and-the-target","title":"The Actor and the Target","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Declan Donnellan\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis immensely popular and ever-practical book on acting takes a scalpel to the heart of actors’ persistent fears, helping them to release their talent on stage. It is straightforward and unpretentious, with a spirit of artistic and personal freedom.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703456809032,"sku":"9781854598387","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781854598387.jpg?v=1722261390"},{"product_id":"actions-the-actors-thesaurus","title":"Actions: The Actor's Thesaurus","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Terry Johnson\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA vital companion for actors in rehearsal - a thesaurus of action-words to revitalise performance Actors need actions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey cannot 'act' adjectives, they need verbs: they need an aim to achieve, an action to perform. 'Actions' are active verbs. 'I tempt you.' 'You taunt me.' In order to perform an action truthfully and therefore convincingly, an actor needs to find exactly the right action to suit that particular situation and that particular line. That is where this book comes in...It is a thesaurus of active verbs, with which the actor can refine the action-word until s\/he hits exactly the right one to help make the action come alive.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703456907336,"sku":"9781854596741","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781854596741ActionstheActorsThesaurus.jpg?v=1720007956"},{"product_id":"oberon-book-of-modern-monologues-for-women-volume-two","title":"Oberon Book of Modern Monologues for Women Volume Two","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Catherine Weate\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn essential part of every actor's toolkit. Actors are required to perform monologues regularly throughout their career: in particular, preparing for drama school entry, showcasing skills for agents or auditioning for a professional role. Following on from the bestselling first volume (2008), this book showcases selected monologues from some of the best modern plays by some of today's leading contemporary playwrights. These monologues contain a diverse range of quirky and memorable characters that cross cultural and historical boundaries. The pieces have been organised into age-specific groups: 'teens', 'twenties', 'thirties' and 'forties plus'.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703457169480,"sku":"9781849434522","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781849434522.jpg?v=1721814775"},{"product_id":"more-golden-rules-for-acting","title":"More Golden Rules for Acting","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Andy Nyman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAndy Nyman's first book, The Golden Rules of Acting, has become a bestseller in the acting world. Now he returns to bring you more priceless nuggets gleaned from more than thirty years in the acting business.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book will help you to...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLearn to love auditions and self-tapes (yes, really!)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLook after your mental health\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeal with success and failure\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBurst a few bubbles that need bursting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten with the same candid wit as his first book, this is every actor's new best friend – in handy paperback form.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703457267784,"sku":"9781848428744","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848428744.jpg?v=1721320399"},{"product_id":"playwriting-structure-character-how-and-what-to-write","title":"Playwriting: Structure, Character, How and What to Write","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Stephen Jeffreys\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor over two decades, Stephen Jeffreys's remarkable series of workshops attracted writers from all over the world and shaped the ideas of many of today's leading playwrights and theatre-makers. Now, with this inspiring, highly practical book, you too can learn from these acclaimed Masterclasses. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlaywriting reveals the various invisible frameworks and mechanisms that are at the heart of each and every successful play. Drawing on a huge range of sources, it deconstructs playwriting into its constituent parts, and offers illuminating insights into: \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStructure – an in-depth exploration of the fundamental elements of drama, enabling you to choose instinctively the most effective structure for your play \u003cbr\u003eCharacter – advice on how to generate and write credible characters by exploring their three essential dimensions: story, breadth and depth \u003cbr\u003eHow to Write – techniques for writing great dialogue, dynamic scenes and compelling subtext, including how to improve your writing by approaching it from unfamiliar directions \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat to Write – how to adopt different approaches to finding your material, how to explore the fundamental 'Nine Stories', and how to evaluate the potential of your ideas \u003cbr\u003eWritten by a true master of the craft, this authoritative guide will provide playwrights at every level of experience with a rich array of tools to apply to their own work. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis edition, edited by Maeve McKeown, includes a Foreword by April De Angelis.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703457333320,"sku":"9781848427907","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848427907.jpg?v=1721819157"},{"product_id":"improv-beyond-rules-a-practical-guide-to-narrative-improvisation","title":"Improv Beyond Rules: A Practical Guide to Narrative Improvisation","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Adam Meggido\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn inspiring, hands-on guide to narrative improvisation, by the co-creator and director of the Olivier Award-winning improv show Showstopper! The Improvised Musical. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImprovisation is a craft that anyone can learn. When freed from endless rules and rigid approaches and allowed to relax, react instinctively and work seamlessly as a group, improvisers can spontaneously create performances that thrill audiences with their liveliness. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrawing on the author's extensive experience teaching and performing around the world, Improv Beyond Rules is a fresh and exciting re-examination of the whole field of improvisation. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStarting with the fundamental principles that work for all forms of improvised performance – and the common traps improvisers fall into – it goes on to explore the elements of narrative improvisation, where performers create a story without any predetermined structure: \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Moment: How to be authentically 'in the moment' by listening and responding to your fellow performers, accepting their suggestions (not necessarily by always saying 'yes') and committing to whatever happens next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Scene: How to connect moments together to build a compelling scene and keep it moving forward; why there's no such thing as a mistake; understanding and working with audiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Story: How to link scenes to build story and plot; what kids can teach us about storytelling; utilising dramatic structure; developing and playing different types of characters; key principles of staging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePacked with dozens of games and exercises, Improv Beyond Rules will give you the tools to build your confidence, empower your performance, and unlock your creativity. Written for improvisers with any level of experience, this book is also the perfect starting point for directors, teachers, actors or anyone eager to learn how improvisation can benefit both rehearsal and performance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703457366088,"sku":"9781848427310","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848427310.jpg?v=1721299864"},{"product_id":"being-a-playwright-a-career-guide-to-writers","title":"Being A Playwright: A Career Guide To Writers","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Chris Foxon and George Turvey\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe essential guide to a career in playwriting, from the team behind the multi-award-winning Papatango, one of the UK’s leading new-writing companies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWriting a good play is only the first step towards becoming a successful playwright; it is just as crucial to understand all the practical and business elements of building your career.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrawing on Papatango’s superlative track record of discovering and launching new writers – including BAFTA, OffWestEnd, Royal National Theatre Foundation and Alfred Fagon Award winners, many of whom have premiered worldwide as well as in the West End – and featuring tips from a host of industry insiders, this encouraging and accessible guide explores the opportunities and pitfalls of life as a playwright.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you’re an aspiring writer wondering how to break into the industry or a working playwright looking to move up to the next level, this is your road map for navigating the world of professional theatre.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703457398856,"sku":"9781848426917","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848426917.jpg?v=1720793037"},{"product_id":"national-youth-theatre-monologues","title":"National Youth Theatre Monologues","description":"\u003cp\u003eby Michael Bryher\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn exciting and invaluable collection of audition speeches, all chosen from plays produced by the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, spanning more than sixty years as one of the world’s leading companies for young performers. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing seventy-five monologues by acclaimed writers such as Zawe Ashton, Moira Buffini, Carol Ann Duffy, Brian Friel, James Fritz, James Graham, Dennis Kelly, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Gbolahan Obisesan, Evan Placey, Sarah Solemani and Jack Thorne, the book offers rich and diverse roles ranging from teens to adults. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach audition speech also comes with invaluable supporting material – compiled by NYT Associate Artist Michael Bryher – to help you perform the piece to its maximum effect, including: \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA detailed description of the play that the speech is originally from\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContextual information such as what’s just happened in the play, where the monologue takes place, to whom the character is talking, and what their motivations are\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThings to think about when rehearsing and performing the speech\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book also provides extensive advice on choosing a speech, working on it and preparing for auditions, plus tips and first-hand insights into the monologues from current NYT members and alumni who’ve performed them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn ideal resource for actors auditioning for drama school, the NYT or elsewhere, as well as those preparing for showcases or competitions, National Youth Theatre Monologues offers a wide and diverse range of roles, themes and styles – meaning you’ll be able to find the speech that’s just right for you.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"National Theatre Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31703457431624,"sku":"9781848426764","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/9562\/5032\/files\/9781848426764.jpg?v=1721727278"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.nationaltheatre.org.uk\/collections\/books.oembed?page=16","provider":"National Theatre Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}