As part of Nick Hern Books' 25th anniversary celebrations, on Thursday, 4 June four NHB playwrights - Alecky Blythe, Lucy Kirkwood, Conor McPherson and Nicholas Wright - gathered at the Almeida Theatre, Islington for a free panel event on playwriting, hosted by Michael Attenborough, former Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre. Here are some of the highlights … Continue reading ‘Having A Play: playwrights on playwriting in the last 25 years’ – our writers speak
Giles Block: ‘I see a voice’ – the clues in Shakespeare’s words
In his role as 'Master of the Words' at Shakespeare's Globe, it is Giles Block's job to help both actors and audiences fully understand and enjoy Shakespeare's words. As his new book Speaking the Speech is published, Giles reflects on how he came to work with the language, and how 'trusting the detail' can enable … Continue reading Giles Block: ‘I see a voice’ – the clues in Shakespeare’s words
Conor McPherson: A flash, an image, a feeling – the mysterious art of playwriting
As his modern classic The Weir receives its first major UK revival at London's Donmar Warehouse, playwright Conor McPherson reflects on the creative process, and how hard it all seems to explain. The best plays come in a flash. An image, a feeling, and that’s it. You know these ideas because they are the undeniable … Continue reading Conor McPherson: A flash, an image, a feeling – the mysterious art of playwriting
Janice Okoh: Three Birds in rehearsal – the evolution of a Bruntwood Prize winner
Janice Okoh's Three Birds - her startling and darkly comic play that won the 2011 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting - premieres at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester later this month. In this piece, the playwright talks about how the script has continued to evolve throughout pre-production, and the importance of the relationship between collaborators. When … Continue reading Janice Okoh: Three Birds in rehearsal – the evolution of a Bruntwood Prize winner
Paul Harvard: Do You See the Singers Act? – Acting Through Song in Les Misérables
With Les Misérables enjoying award nominations and critical acclaim in addition to its box office success, most critics are praising the emotion on display in the film. In this piece, Paul Harvard, musical director, composer and author of new book Acting Through Song, asks why that isn't always the case. The barricade has been erected, … Continue reading Paul Harvard: Do You See the Singers Act? – Acting Through Song in Les Misérables
Fin Kennedy: Calling all Theatre-Makers! An extraordinary challenge from Culture Minister Ed Vaizey
As an award-winning playwright, university tutor and writer-in-residence at an East London school, Fin Kennedy has a keen interest in the future of British theatre and the new writing that will lie at the heart of it. In this piece, he explains how a remarkable conversation with Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has spurred him into … Continue reading Fin Kennedy: Calling all Theatre-Makers! An extraordinary challenge from Culture Minister Ed Vaizey
Thomasina Unsworth: ‘peeling off the labels’ – why I wrote Becoming an Actor
Thomasina Unsworth teaches at Rose Bruford College, one of the UK's leading drama schools. In this blog piece, she explains her frustrations at the labelling of students, and how that inspired her to write her enlightening new book. My youngest daughter came home from school the other day in a miserable state. During swimming lessons … Continue reading Thomasina Unsworth: ‘peeling off the labels’ – why I wrote Becoming an Actor
Steve Waters: Stepping back from the end-game – the story of Ignorance/Jahiliyyah
As the Middle East seemingly teeters once more on the precipice of war and the excitement of the Arab Spring gives way to a new, uncertain reality, playwright Steve Waters explains the process behind Ignorance/Jahiliyyah, his timely new drama for Hampstead Theatre which delves into the life and legacy of the influential author, thinker and … Continue reading Steve Waters: Stepping back from the end-game – the story of Ignorance/Jahiliyyah
Howard Brenton: A forgotten revolution – the historical context to 55 Days
As his fascinating new play 55 Days opens at Hampstead Theatre, starring Mark Gatiss as King Charles I and Douglas Henshall as Oliver Cromwell, playwright Howard Brenton provides an insight into the pivotal, tumultuous historical background to the drama, and the men who embodied it... A LOST HISTORY Recently I met a Frenchman in London … Continue reading Howard Brenton: A forgotten revolution – the historical context to 55 Days
Sandi Toksvig: Why I Wrote Bully Boy
As her play, Bully Boy, opens at the all-new St. James Theatre in London, Sandi Toksvig explains how her own sense of rage led her to write about the impact of a contemporary military occupation on the mental health of serving soldiers... For someone who thinks of themselves as a pacifist I have written a … Continue reading Sandi Toksvig: Why I Wrote Bully Boy
The Prompt Book 