Bøger udgivet af Nick Hern Books

Five insomniacs try to make it through the night. From dusk to dawn, they struggle with a crisis in their lives which they must resolve by morning. Increasingly conscious of their shortening futures and lengthening pasts, they fill their nights with distracting activities, desperate sleep techniques, evaluations of their lives, delusions, fears, panics and utter foolishness as they prepare to face the day.Five Characters in Search of a Good Night's Sleep was conceived in response to the current public-health crisis of insomnia, with 30% of the UK population suffering from some form of sleep disturbance. It was created through a series of workshops, and first produced by ViSiBLE Theatre Ensemble at Southwark Playhouse, London, in 2022, directed by acclaimed director Mike Alfreds. ViSiBLE is dedicated to creating performance work that throws fresh perspectives on later life and living longer. Their work is created collaboratively, drawing on the creativity and talent of Britain's huge wealth of experienced older actors.The play is a fascinating insight into a condition that is widely experienced but little understood, and will provide valuable material for other actors - especially older ones - to perform.

Two powerful plays about the shattering impact of war, and the astonishing resilience of those living through it, written by two of Ukraine's leading playwrights.'They've mobilised all the living now, the fifth call took the last of the living. But the war keeps on. So high command asked us.'Sasha, a Colonel in the Ukrainian Army, has died suddenly of a heart attack, leaving his relatives Katia and Oksana to mourn for him. But a year later, as war intensifies, the army has resorted to recruiting the dead. Sasha is anxious to be resurrected so he can rejoin the fight, but can his family bear to lose him all over again? Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha by Natal'ya Vorozhbit blends reality and the supernatural in a startling exploration of the effects of war and conflict.'I want to report a robbery... I was robbed. What was stolen from me? Almost everything... Home, land, car, work, friends, city, faith in goodness...'Donbas, 2014. A nameless woman stands in the street, trying to sell a basket of kittens. She has lost everything else she holds dear. Her only remaining hope is to find a home for the kittens, since she cannot offer them one herself. Pussycat in Memory of Darkness by Neda Nezhdana is an unflinching examination of Russia's war on Ukraine through the brutalised eyes of one woman.The two plays were translated by Sasha Dugdale and John Farndon, respectively, and performed in English at the Finborough Theatre, London, as part of their #VoicesFromUkraine season in 2022.10% of the proceeds from sales of this book will be donated to the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation, a Ukrainian charity providing urgently needed psychological and psychosocial support to children affected by the war in Ukraine.

Cordelia Lynn's play Sea Creatures is premiered at Hampstead Theatre in March 2023.

A fast-paced, mesmerising stage version of the prize-winning YA verse novel about a young woman beginning to take control of her life. Edition includes a range of teaching materials and resources.

A stage adaptation of Bill Bryson's smash-hit memoir, one of the nation's most beloved books, and a brilliant dissection of the enduring quirks of our small island.

An urgent coming-of-age story for our times, a lyrical, theatrical journey that spans continents and lives.

A sparky new comedy about the highs and lows of being a mum, becoming a mum and managing your mum. Premiered at Hull Truck Theatre, March 2023.

A stage play based on the true story of six of Germany's top nuclear scientists, detained at a stately home in the Cambridge countryside in the summer of 1945, with no idea that their every word is being overheard.

An anthology of five of the best plays from VAULT Festival 2023, London's leading festival of live performance.

This clear, accessible guide to creating and putting on a solo show is packed with inspiring, practical advice for writers, actors, directors, and anyone who wants to know how solo shows are actually made.Written by two theatremakers with a wealth of experience in the field, it leads you through the whole process - from finding a subject you're passionate about, to developing your ideas and getting the script written, through to rewrites, rehearsals and getting your show on stage. It tackles key questions such as: What makes a 'good' solo show? How do I engage the audience? How should directors and writer-performers work together? And what's the best way of approaching a producer?There's also invaluable advice on looking after yourself, coping with anxieties, dealing with reviews, and taking your show to the Edinburgh Fringe. With practical exercises throughout to help you put everything into action, this book is an indispensable toolkit for making your solo show a reality.Lisa Carroll is a playwright, screenwriter and comedian, whose plays have been staged at Soho Theatre, the Arcola Theatre, and the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. Milly Thomas is an actor and writer whose plays have been staged at Theatre503, the Edinburgh Fringe, Soho Theatre, the West End's Trafalgar Studios and New York Theatre Workshop. Together, Lisa and Milly teach regular solo-show workshops for training and creative organisation The Mono Box.The Compact Guides are pocket-sized introductions for actors and theatremakers, each tackling a key topic in a clear and comprehensive way. Written by industry professionals with extensive hands-on experience of their subject, they provide you with maximum information in minimum time.

160 all-new games and exercises from the author of the bestselling companion for drama teachers and workshop leaders, offering more than one million unique and tasty combinations, ready to be put into action!Simply make a selection from each of the four complementary courses, and your whole drama session will come to life with clarity, intensity and focus: Appetizers are fast-paced warm-up exercises to energize and enthuse;Starters are the intermediary course to challenge and kickstart creativity;Main Courses provide the central part of the session, culminating in a final performance piece;Desserts are there for when you have space at the end of your session for something sweet.Every exercise has been devised, tested and selected for its ability to ignite creativity and develop the performing potential of each player. There's also a downloadable Resource Pack (available below) stuffed with a huge range of new stimuli to engage your students and encourage deeper participation.Drama Menu: Second Helpings has everything you need to spice up your sessions with a variety of new challenges that will invigorate and inspire your students, and ensure that every session is fresh, dynamic and relevant. Bon appétit!

This clear, concise and practical guide provides actors with a structured and effective method for breaking down and understanding a performance script. It offers a flexible approach that works with plays from any period or genre, with television and film scripts, and even when preparing for your audition.Inside, you'll find the tools you need for every step of the process, from making sense of the whole script, to breaking it down scene by scene, through to detailed line-by-line analysis. There are strategies for exploring character arcs, objectives, beat shifts and subtext, as well as practical exercises and sample scenes from leading playwrights to help you put the concepts into action. Also included are worksheets you can use and reuse on all your future projects.Wherever you are in your acting career, this book is your essential working companion - giving you a method for tackling any script, and providing the foundation to take your performances to the next level.The Compact Guides are pocket-sized introductions for actors and theatremakers, each tackling a key topic in a clear and comprehensive way. Written by industry professionals with extensive hands-on experience of their subject, they provide you with maximum information in minimum time.

An innovative one-woman show exploring what it means to be human in an era of ecological disaster.

A new title in the Nick Hern Books Drama Games series, full of games to explore Shakespearean performance.

A new title in the Nick Hern Books Drama Games series, full of games to explore and develop clowning and physical comedy skills.

David is gay, disabled and profoundly horny. He can't eat, drink or shower by himself - or wank. Totally inexperienced, he embarks on a sexual and romantic odyssey, armed with a fierce brain, and dick pics that he has to get someone to take.Can he keep it casual whilst also relying on round-the-clock care? And will he manage the thrill and uncertainty of random hook-ups after a lifetime of knockbacks?Animal is a hilarious, challenging and heartbreaking play by Jon Bradfield, from a story by Bradfield and Josh Hepple. It won the inaugural Through the Mill Playwriting Prize, was shortlisted for the Papatango Prize, and was first performed at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester, and Park Theatre, London, in 2023.

A brutal, unflinching and funny portrait of one man's life spiralling out of control, in an age where our idols are Kings and our superheroes Gods.

A powerful play about family and forgiveness, following a woman after her release from prison. Premiered at the National Theatre.

Best Musical Production, UK Theatre AwardsSouth Bank Sky Arts Award for TheatrePoppy wants to escape her old life in London. Joy and Jimmy want to spend the rest of their lives together. Rose and Harry want the new life they've been promised.A history of modern Britain told through the stories of one Sheffield housing estate, Standing at the Sky's Edge charts the hopes and dreams of three generations over the course of six tumultuous decades. With a book by acclaimed playwright Chris Bush, and set to the irresistible songs of legendary singer-songwriter Richard Hawley, it is a heartfelt exploration of the power of community and what it is we call home.Standing at the Sky's Edge was first performed at Sheffield Theatres in 2019, when it won Best Musical Production at the UK Theatre Awards and the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre. It was revived in 2022, before transferring to the National Theatre, London, directed by Robert Hastie.

The award-winning French play, in an English translation by Waleed Akhtar, published alongside the premiere at Hampstead Theatre, London.

Stephen Karam's award-winning drama - a blackly comic play about dealing with loss - published alongside its European premiere at Hampstead Theatre.

A tender, laugh-out-loud comedy about two friends who form the world's first ABBA tribute band in drag.

Every time you open your mouth on stage you are trying to persuade somebody of something.Sometimes referred to as 'the art of persuasion', rhetoric means using language to communicate your ideas and intentions to other people - and to make sure you are heard, understood and believed. This clear and concise guide explains how it works in plays, and how actors can use it to bring their performances to life on stage.Drawing on her decades of experience working with actors on major productions, including as Head of Voice at the National Theatre, Jeannette Nelson introduces all the major rhetorical techniques and devices that playwrights use. She offers fascinating breakdowns of dialogue and speeches from across the theatrical canon - from Shakespeare and Ibsen, to Tennessee Williams, Lorraine Hansberry and Arthur Miller, right up to contemporary playwrights such as Helen Edmundson and Tanika Gupta. Each chapter also includes a series of practical exercises which combine spoken word with physical action to help you explore and understand these techniques, and harness their power in performance.Whether you're an actor, a director or a drama teacher, Keeping It Active will empower you with a greater understanding of the ways that language underpins all dramatic works, and will give you the tools you need to unlock the text, understand characters, connect with the audience, and perform with greater confidence, focus and authenticity.'As this excellent book outlines, rhetoric is everywhere. It's not simply in the parliament, the press conference and the court; it's in the workplace, the home and the family. There's no argument, classical or modern, in a play that isn't informed and helped by Jeannette's work' Josie Rourke, from her Foreword'A great resource for actors and directors' Ralph Fiennes'Jeannette Nelson's revelatory relationship to language is, quite simply, life-changing' Simon Godwin'Jeannette taught me so much... I felt like I could persuade anybody to do anything' Sophie Okonedo

In this candid and empowering A to Z of being an actor, Julie Hesmondhalgh draws on her decades of experience on stage and screen - including in massively popular television shows such as Broadchurch, Happy Valley and Coronation Street - to lift the lid on the realities of life in today's industry, and show you how to navigate it.She shares practical advice on preparing for roles (don't be afraid of looking like a dick), managing the ups and downs of your career (and how to be out of work without losing your mind), dealing with failure (and success), not constantly comparing yourself to others (bloody hard, but try), looking after your mental health, and the power of knowing when to say "no."Passionate about the arts, she makes a compelling case for their importance to society, but also calls out the industry on where it continues to fall short - including a clear-eyed assessment of what needs to change to make it safer and healthier, more accessible and inclusive.Written with refreshing honesty and self-deprecating humour, An Actor's Alphabet is a book for anyone who dreams of becoming an actor, wants to be a better one, or just wants to learn what being one is really like.

A play about what happens when a Prime Minister ad-libs on live TV, exploring how language seeps into public consciousness and reverberates with far-reaching consequences that will last for generations. Premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London.