Mandragola
Mandragola / The Mandrake: A Dual-Language EditionEnglish and Italian Parallel Text - Perfect for Italian Language Learners and Renaissance Literature StudentsNiccol簷 Machiavelli's Mandragola (1518), one of the greatest comedies of the Italian Renaissance, is a sharp, witty satire of human folly, desire, deception, and corruption. Often hailed as the finest comedy written between the ancient Roman playwrights and Shakespeare, this play follows the cunning schemes of Callimaco to seduce the virtuous Lucrezia, wife of the gullible lawyer Nicia, with the help of a clever parasite, a corrupt friar, and a miraculous (but entirely fabricated) mandrake root potion.This specially prepared dual-column edition presents Machiavelli's original Italian text alongside a clear, accurate, and readable English translation on facing pages. Designed primarily for college and university students of Italian: Read the authentic Renaissance Italian to improve fluency, grasp idiomatic expressions, and appreciate Machiavelli's elegant yet biting prose. Use the parallel English to clarify meaning, check comprehension, and expand vocabulary without constant dictionary lookups. Ideal for intermediate to advanced Italian courses, Renaissance literature classes, theater studies, or self-study.Features include: Full original Italian text from a reliable scholarly edition. Faithful modern English translation by Professor Newbigin that preserves the humor, wordplay, and tone of the original. Classic five-act structure with clear scene divisions. Perfect for close reading, translation exercises, or performance preparation.Whether you're tackling Machiavelli in an Italian literature seminar or honing your language skills through one of the most entertaining works of the Renaissance, this bilingual edition makes Mandragola accessible, engaging, and educationally powerful.Discover why generations of readers have delighted in Machiavelli's only major comedic masterpiece-a timeless exploration of cunning, morality, and the absurdities of human nature.
The Desolate Land
'A short, tremendously powerful novel, it features Sameer, Meera, Narendra, and Pushpa from the same generation. The story progresses from the serene times of the 90s to the changing landscape of the 21st century. Through the freedom of the characters, the novel offers a close examination of the contemporary perspectives that women and men have acquired according to their situations. However, in this process, many families end up breaking their relationships and marriages. Sameer, Meera, and Pushpa belong to the same generation. The narrative continues to highlight the transition from the tranquility of the 90s to the evolving dynamics of the 21st century, emphasizing the impact of character choices on their lives.
Who Knows When Death Arrives?
England, 1953. A series of ritual murders, uncovered in an ancient private school, leaves the authorities fearful and confused. An urgent appeal to the Vatican brings a young Demonhuntress, Alexis, whose presence is not welcomed. In the midst of this oppressive atmosphere the only witness is Neil, a boy suspicious and withdrawn by nature, who talks with the dead...This second volume in The Demonhuntress graphic novel series picks up immediately after Karavalitz (the first graphic novel) and reveals Alexis in action in her first mission for the Vatican Secret Services - as an agent who is officially disappeared, working for a bureau that officially does not exist.
Macbeth
Unlock Macbeth with ConfidenceThe Macbeth Pocket Study Guide gives Years 9-10 students everything they need to understand, analyse, and write confidently about Shakespeare's iconic tragedy. Written in Dyslexic Font for improved accessibility, it breaks challenging ideas into clear, student-friendly explanations.Inside you'll find: Essential quotes and key themes made easyHand-drawn illustrationsContext explained simply and clearlyGuidance on tragic form and genreA detailed Act-by-Act character progression mapTurning points, motivations, and shifting relationships unpackedBonus vocabulary list with definitionsDesigned for clarity and impact, this guide supports stronger essays, deeper analysis, and greater confidence in English.Perfect for classroom study, revision, and exam preparation.
Droll Stories
Droll stories: Collected from the abbeys of Touraine Volume III, The third ten tales presents a lively collection of narratives that blend humor, moral tension, and sharply observed human behavior. The work immerses readers in an imaginative world shaped by expressive personalities whose choices reveal the contrast between desire and the expectations imposed by society. Rather than relying on strict historical framing, the collection focuses on the energetic interactions within its settings, highlighting contradictions in social conduct and the often-comic gap between public virtue and private impulses. The tales introduce a variety of situations where individuals negotiate temptation, authority, and personal ambition, using playful exaggeration to expose the inconsistencies of human nature. As the stories unfold, moments of satire and subtle critique underscore how easily ideals can be distorted when confronted with opportunity or indulgence. Through its vivid scenes and spirited tone, the collection offers an entertaining exploration of morality, desire, and the perpetual tension between restraint and curiosity, creating a portrait of life full of wit, mischief, and reflection.
Every Man Out Of His Humour
Every man out of his humour unfolds as a lively exploration of exaggerated traits that shape human behavior, using its structure to reveal how personal flaws and social desires collide in humorous ways. The play follows several figures whose habits, insecurities, and aspirations reflect wider patterns of ambition and vanity. Instead of relying on straightforward storytelling, the work highlights the contrast between outward appearances and inner motivations, showing how people chase status, admiration, and reinvention even when these pursuits lead to absurd results. The opening establishes this satirical tone through direct commentary on social expectations and the tendency to imitate fashionable manners. As different personalities intersect, the play exposes the restless desire for recognition and the confusion that arises when individuals lose themselves in imitation rather than sincerity. Through sharp dialogue and amplified behavior, the work blends social observation with comedic exaggeration, creating a portrait of society shaped by restless desires and distorted self-perception.
The Acharnians
The acharnians presents a lively comedic exploration of war, peace, and the everyday burdens placed on ordinary citizens. The work opens with a frustrated individual who has grown weary of ongoing conflict and the strain it places on agricultural life. Seeking relief from the constant disruptions around him, this figure chooses an unusual path by pursuing a private agreement to escape the instability affecting his home and livelihood. His decision becomes a lens through which the play examines public attitudes toward warfare, revealing how political maneuvering, collective pressure, and idealized visions of heroism can overshadow the basic human need for stability. As he navigates encounters with officials, neighbors, and exaggerated public voices, the contrasts between personal wellbeing and civic expectation emerge with sharp humor. Throughout the narrative, satire and bold commentary highlight the contradictions of a society that glorifies struggle while neglecting the cost paid by its people. By blending wit with pointed social reflection, the play underscores the value of peace in a world captivated by conflict.
Two Men Of Sandy Bar
Two men of sandy bar follows the shifting identities, personal conflicts, and competing values that unfold in a setting shaped by ambition, social tension, and the search for belonging. The play explores how an individual adopting a false identity becomes entangled in expectations, hidden motives, and the pressures created by community and family. The opening scene at a rural estate introduces spirited conversations that hint at romantic complications, authority, and suspicion, revealing a society where personal desires often collide with imposed roles. As the central figure balances a concealed persona with the responsibility of guiding another toward emotional clarity, the narrative highlights misunderstandings, unexpected alliances, and the emotional risks tied to reinvention. The work blends humor with reflection, suggesting that personal transformation can be both liberating and destabilizing. Through shifting alliances, dramatic revelations, and the tension between public image and inner intention, the play examines the struggle for authentic expression in a world where identity is shaped as much by circumstance as by personal will.
Minna Von Barnhelm
Minna von Barnhelm or the soldier's fortune explores the shifting boundaries of dignity, affection, and social expectation in a society adjusting to the pressures and uncertainties that follow conflict. The account opens with a focus on disrupted stability, revealing how altered circumstances challenge an individual's sense of worth and redefine familiar relationships. As the narrative develops, it portrays a world where misunderstandings arise easily, influenced by pride, disrupted fortunes, and an intense concern for personal reputation. The interplay between loyalty and doubt becomes central, showing how steadfast devotion can clash with the fear of becoming a burden or appearing diminished in the eyes of others. The work blends humor with emotional nuance, using moments of tension and reconciliation to reflect on the fragile balance between love and honor. Through its examination of mistaken assumptions and heartfelt perseverance, the play emphasizes how genuine connection withstands hardship when individuals are willing to confront insecurity and embrace trust. The result is a thoughtful yet playful reflection on resilience, reconciliation, and the human longing for acceptance.
Rosamund, Queen Of The Lombards
Rosamund, Queen of the Lombards: A tragedy presents a sweeping portrayal of conflict, devotion, and the destructive power of unresolved emotion within a turbulent royal world. The play unfolds in a shifting landscape marked by political strain and private unrest, where personal allegiance clashes with duty and long buried grievances shape the course of events. The opening evokes an atmosphere of unease within the ruling household, revealing tensions that arise when past actions cast long shadows over present relationships. As loyalties fray, the story highlights how fear, suspicion, and unspoken desires can distort judgment and push individuals toward choices that undermine stability. Power struggles intertwine with intimate rivalries, illustrating how ambition and vulnerability often coexist beneath outward authority. The drama gradually exposes the cost of manipulating trust and relying on secrecy, suggesting that attempts to control fate through force or deception inevitably unravel. Through mounting turmoil and irreversible decisions, the play examines how passion, resentment, and moral uncertainty converge to produce a tragic downfall that echoes through the community left behind.
Polyeucte
Polyeucte examines the profound struggle between spiritual awakening and the demands imposed by earthly ties, presenting a narrative shaped by conviction, inner conflict, and the cost of unwavering belief. The story follows an individual whose sudden embrace of a new faith transforms every aspect of life, creating a divide between personal devotion and the expectations of a familiar world fearful of change. As pressure mounts from powerful authorities determined to enforce obedience, the work highlights the tension between human law and a higher moral calling. Alongside this conflict, the emotional turmoil of a devoted partner reveals the fear, love, and uncertainty felt when loyalty is tested by forces beyond personal control. Through moments of confrontation, reflection, and sacrifice, the narrative portrays how courage can emerge from deeply held truth, even when the consequences are severe. By blending emotional complexity with broader questions of integrity and duty, the work offers a compelling meditation on the resilience of conscience and the transformative strength found in spiritual commitment.
Pillars Of Society
Pillars of society: A play in four acts presents a dramatic exploration of moral pressure, social ambition, and the fragile foundations of public honor within a coastal community. The work follows the unraveling of a respected figure whose carefully cultivated reputation begins to strain under returning memories, shifting loyalties, and the resurfacing of earlier misjudgments. The opening scenes depict a household immersed in civic activity and charitable discussion, offering a polished image of harmony that contrasts with the uncertainty beneath it. Conflicts surrounding industrial progress, labor concerns, and public projects highlight the tension between economic advancement and ethical responsibility. As conversations hint at buried scandals and strained relationships, the narrative reveals how easily power can overshadow integrity and how public admiration can mask unresolved truths. The unfolding drama reflects the consequences of choosing appearance over honesty, suggesting that genuine stability arises not from status but from the courage to confront past actions. Through its layered interactions, the play portrays the intricate dynamics of a society where personal choices shape collective values and hidden conflicts gradually push private guilt into the open.
Rosmersholm
Rosmersholm: A play in four acts offers a tense and introspective exploration of inner conflict, emotional entanglement, and the weight of unspoken history within a once distinguished household. The opening scenes evoke a quiet but unsettling atmosphere where returning memories and unresolved guilt shape every interaction. The narrative follows an individual attempting to reconcile personal beliefs with lingering attachments, while navigating a relationship marked by unacknowledged motives and shifting loyalties. Conversations within the manor reveal divisions influenced by political change, social pressure, and the expectations imposed by community and tradition. As visitors revive old grievances and challenge emerging convictions, the story gradually exposes how deeply the past influences present choices. The work highlights the struggle between personal freedom and inherited duty, suggesting that liberation requires confronting truths long avoided. Through hushed revelations, emotional restraint, and the steady erosion of certainty, the play examines how ideals can clash with human vulnerability, and how the pursuit of clarity may lead to sacrifices that redefine both identity and belonging.
Amphitryon
Amphitryon: A Play presents a lively exploration of shifting identities, desire, and the uneasy boundaries between mortal experience and divine interference. The narrative follows a household disrupted when a powerful figure from the heavens assumes the form of a returning warrior, creating emotional uncertainty and unexpected tension. As illusions and disguises unfold, the story highlights how easily trust can falter when appearances are manipulated, revealing the fragility of certainty in relationships. The work blends playful humor with reflections on loyalty, perception, and the instability that arises when reality becomes indistinguishable from impersonation. Through doubled figures, mistaken encounters, and escalating confusion, the play examines how individuals struggle to make sense of conflicting truths, emphasizing the comedic yet unsettling consequences of deception. The contrast between ordinary life and unchecked divine influence further reinforces the idea that human affairs can be reshaped by forces beyond control, turning everyday expectations into chaotic misunderstandings. In combining wit with an undercurrent of social observation, the work offers a timeless portrayal of love, vulnerability, and the unpredictable nature of identity.
A Blot In The 'Scutcheon
A blot in the 'scutcheon is a tragedy that examines the intense pressures of honor, love, and societal expectation within aristocratic life. The play investigates how human actions, particularly those driven by passion and secrecy, can lead to devastating consequences, highlighting the delicate balance between personal desire and familial loyalty. Through its focus on emotional conflict, the work explores the psychological turmoil experienced when private choices collide with public reputation. The narrative emphasizes the destructive potential of unchecked emotions and the rigid codes of conduct that govern social interactions, showing how a single misstep can cascade into irreversible tragedy. By portraying the tension between aspiration and societal constraint, the play reflects on the fragility of relationships and the weight of ethical obligations. The interplay of guilt, ambition, and moral reckoning underlines the enduring human struggle with conscience and consequence. The work ultimately offers a poignant meditation on the cost of passion, the vulnerabilities inherent in social standing, and the tragic outcomes that arise when honor and desire clash.
Plays
Plays: Third series presents a set of dramatic works that examine shifting emotions, social pressures, and the quiet tensions that shape human decisions. The collection moves through situations where individuals confront expectations that limit their sense of identity, revealing how inner conflicts often emerge from the struggle between personal desire and imposed duty. The opening play introduces a domestic setting marked by unease, using small gestures and strained interactions to show how distance grows in relationships when communication falters. Early scenes depict an atmosphere filled with anticipation and uncertainty as differing perspectives on loyalty, independence, and obligation begin to surface. Through conversations that hint at hidden disappointments and unspoken fears, the narrative explores how external judgments intensify private turmoil. As the play progresses, the search for personal freedom becomes central, illustrating how emotional confinement can lead to choices that unsettle established norms. Across the series, the works highlight the delicate balance between societal expectations and the longing for self-directed purpose.
The Merry Devil Of Edmonton
The merry devil of edmonton presents a lighthearted tale shaped by enchantment, confusion, and shifting loyalties, using magical intervention to heighten the comic energy of overlapping storylines. The narrative follows intersecting households caught in tensions between personal desire and imposed obligation, where unexpected alliances emerge as individuals attempt to escape restrictive arrangements. At the center of the unfolding events is a figure whose mastery of supernatural forces becomes a catalyst for disguises, misdirection, and humorous disruptions that alter the course of planned unions. The story highlights how rigid expectations can be overturned through cleverness and subtle manipulation, allowing hidden intentions to surface and concealed affections to be acknowledged. As conflicting plans collide, comedic misunderstandings build toward a resolution that restores order while affirming the importance of sincerity and emotional clarity. The conclusion reinforces the idea that affection, when supported by courage and insight, has the power to reshape entrenched social expectations, offering a vision of harmony made possible through wit, cooperation, and an imaginative reworking of fate.
Beneath The Pink And White Rose Bushes
Cynthia proceeds to adopt seven children, much to the horror of her partner, Rob. Feeling left out and ignored, he becomes increasingly jealous and tries to control her.Cynthia has much attention from the opposite sex, but she is only interested in adopting the children. Having successfully completed the adoption process, disappointingly the eldest adopted daughter becomes pregnant. The boyfriend reluctantly agrees to marry the girl, but soon becomes abusive towards her. Years later, Cynthia becomes ill and feels she must confess to the children that she had buried her own dead baby in the garden 17 years ago and had also stolen a baby.With the family in shock at the revelations, they turn against one another. Will they be able to forgive the woman who has done everything for them and loved them all as if they were her own children?
Writing For Vaudeville
Writing for vaudeville presents a detailed exploration of how performance material is shaped for a lively and highly responsive stage tradition, offering guidance that blends practical instruction with a broader look at how engaging acts are built. The text explains how this form of entertainment relies on sharp timing, audience awareness, and an understanding of stage rhythm, showing how a writer becomes central to shaping the mood and momentum of each performance. It highlights how the craft draws on both natural creativity and disciplined technique, encouraging readers to think about structure, pacing, and the interplay between performer and audience. The book reflects on the evolution of the form, emphasizing how its dynamic nature demands adaptability and a strong grasp of what captures attention. Through discussions of act construction and collaborative preparation, it reveals how successful material requires careful refinement and sensitivity to what keeps spectators invested. The work ultimately serves as a guide that combines artistic reflection with actionable direction, helping writers refine their instincts as they develop original stage-worthy ideas.
The Quiet House Book 2
The silence is back... and this time, it's watching.After the unsettling events that shattered their sense of safety, Christopher hoped life inside the quiet house would finally return to normal. But peace proves to be an illusion. Subtle disturbances begin creeping back into daily life - lights flicker at impossible moments, cold spots linger in empty rooms, and familiar spaces no longer feel welcoming.Bosco growls at corners that hold nothing. Lilly refuses to enter certain rooms. And Christopher can't shake the growing feeling that the house is no longer merely holding secrets...It's reacting.As he begins digging into the property's shadowed history, Christopher uncovers fragments of past events that were never meant to surface. Each discovery pulls him deeper into a pattern of unexplained incidents tied to the house - a pattern that suggests what happened before was only the beginning.But the closer he gets to the truth, the more the house pushes back.What starts as quiet unease slowly escalates into something far more deliberate and far more dangerous. And Christopher must face a chilling possibility: The house isn't just haunted. It's aware.In this gripping second installment of The Quiet House series, tension tightens, the mystery deepens, and the line between coincidence and intention begins to fracture. Perfect for fans of slow-burn psychological suspense and domestic thrillers, Book 2 raises the stakes and leaves readers questioning what's real... and what's waiting in the dark.Because some houses don't forget. And some never let go.
A Little Traitor to the South; A War Time Comedy with a Tragic Interlude
Smoke coils above a ravaged landscape, yet beneath the chaos, hearts dare to hope and betray in equal measure. In the crucible of the American Civil War, love and loyalty are tested by the sharp edge of survival, revealing the true cost of devotion and the bittersweet ache of sacrifice. Here, amid the uncertainty of battle and the haunting beauty of the South, a spirited heroine finds herself torn between the bonds of family and the stirrings of forbidden affection, her every decision echoing with the weight of history. This rediscovered gem stands among the finest civil war fiction and southern literature classics, weaving a tapestry of wartime love stories and the tangled loyalties that defined a nation's darkest hour. The narrative pulses with the urgency of 19th century novels, capturing not only the grandeur of sweeping conflict but also the intimate struggles that shape destinies. With a deft blend of comedy and tragedy, it explores the paradox of finding laughter and tenderness amid devastation, making it a singular addition to the canon of american civil war novels. Restored for today's and future generations, this edition brings back a work that was out of print for decades and is now republished by Alpha Editions. Its pages resonate with themes of love and loyalty, as well as the harrowing choices that demand both courage and compassion. For those who cherish novels about loyalty and sacrifice, or seek novels about love and sacrifice that linger long after the final page, this volume offers a rare and moving experience. More than just a reprint-it's a collector's item and a cultural treasure, inviting both new readers and classic-collection enthusiasts to rediscover a story that continues to illuminate the complexities of the human heart in times of war.
Ludus Coventri疆
Beneath the vaulted ceilings of medieval Coventry, entire communities once gathered to witness the spectacle of biblical reenactments, where faith and artistry intertwined in the open air. These mysteries-rich in pageantry, devotion, and the pulse of fifteenth-century England-now return from the shadows of history, offering a rare window into the soul of medieval theatre. Long out of print and largely inaccessible, this book was out of print for decades and is now republished by Alpha Editions. It has been restored for today's and future generations, inviting readers to experience the drama that shaped both English religious drama and the broader tapestry of Christian liturgical traditions. Within these pages, the ancient voices of guildsmen, priests, and townsfolk echo through the carefully preserved text, revealing not only the artistry of the plays themselves but also the communal spirit that animated the Corpus Christi plays. This edition is not just a reprint - it's a collector's item and a cultural treasure, meticulously presented for scholars, drama historians, and classic-collection enthusiasts alike. Whether you are drawn by curiosity about the origins of the York Mystery Plays or the enduring legacy of the Everyman morality play, here lies an essential companion for anyone fascinated by medieval theatre history. More than a relic, the collection breathes with the vibrancy of its time, capturing the intersection of performance, faith, and daily life. Medieval literature students will discover a living curriculum in these texts, while those enthralled by Coventry's medieval festival will find the roots of a tradition that has echoed across centuries. Reacquaint yourself with the creative spirit and communal devotion that defined an age, and let these mysteries illuminate the enduring power of storytelling at the heart of English culture.
The Shoemakers. A scientific play with 'songs' in three acts.
The Shoemakersby Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz (Witkacy)A wildly original political satire that feels startlingly modern.Written in 1934, The Shoemakers is a bold, darkly comic stage play that explores revolution, power, class struggle, and the rise of technocracy. Set in a shoemakers' workshop that becomes the unlikely center of social upheaval, the play follows a series of rapid political transformations-each more extreme and absurd than the last.As governments fall and new regimes take control, one question remains: does revolution truly change anything-or simply replace one system with another?Blending satire, absurdist theatre, and sharp philosophical commentary, Witkacy creates a world where ideology turns theatrical, language becomes unstable, and human identity is caught in the machinery of history. The play's subtitle-"a scientific play with songs in three acts"-hints at its experimental form: part political farce, part intellectual drama, part grotesque comedy.Readers and theatre lovers will discover: A biting critique of authoritarianism, revolution, and technocratic ruleA groundbreaking work of 20th-century European dramaA precursor to the Theatre of the AbsurdSharp political satire that still resonates todayA daring mix of comedy, philosophy, and theatrical experimentationBoth unsettling and darkly hilarious, The Shoemakers challenges audiences to rethink power, ideology, and the future of society.Perfect for readers interested in political drama, absurdist theatre, modernist literature, and avant-garde European plays, this classic work by Witkacy remains as provocative and relevant as ever.If you are drawn to bold ideas, experimental theatre, and sharp social commentary, The Shoemakers is an essential addition to your library.
Who's Got the Plutonium? Another Ken McComas Production
Come follow Steve in his adventures of espionage, mystery, spies and the nuclear world in Who's Got the Plutonium!
What Are We Doing to Our Children? - A Teacher's Journey Through the British Education System
What Are We Doing to Our Children charts my thirty-year journey as a drama teacher, both in and beyond the classroom. Part memoir, part social commentary, it shines a light on what is really happening in our schools, blending lived experience, observation, and the stories I felt urgently needed to be told.At its core, this book explores why parents, students, teachers and those working across education are drowning under the weight of expectation imposed by the current system. It exposes the damaging mismatch between a rigid national curriculum and the specific, local and diverse realities in which teachers are compelled to work. Above all, it reveals how we consistently underestimate our young people - masking their insight, creativity and emotional intelligence beneath relentless pressures of attainment and performance.What Are We Doing to Our Children? is a powerful book which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Karen Wilson's writing is personal, passionate and perceptive: she discusses all the major issues in the light of her own wide experience; she clearly cares deeply about children and young people; and she understands their needs and the damage done to them by aspects of the current education system. Derek Gillard Education in the UK: a history
And Breathe
Malaika's journey begins with trying to fan out the flames of heartbreak with some fun-filled chaos, but reality hits when she lands back in England to find herself back at square one.With very little left to lose she takes on an assignment in Lisbon, where she rediscovers herself in many ways.However, the trouble she left at home soon catches up with her and she's forced to make some difficult choices as her family will be changed forever.
Secrets and Lies under Japanese Skies
A group of travellers join a Sakura tour to discover Japan. Each carries private struggles- grief, secrets, prejudice, or relationship difficulties. Through shared experiences, they form bonds, together face tragedy and find healing.Dr Ban Hammadi travels alone to fulfil her late father's wish to have his ashes scattered in a sacred cemetery in the Japan.The tour is led by Kimiko a novice guide whose friends call her Cho, the butterfly mind. Abbie Thompson a teacher coping with trauma finds Mikolaj Chlebek a restaurateur irritating with his food obsessions whilst Alfie Hall is a man with hatred for the JapaneseSatoshi, Izumi and little Hoshiko are a warm Japanese family central to the group's bonding. But they too have disturbing secrets.Ban Hammadi finds unexpected connections and unearths secrets and truths. It is a story of loss, courage and sacrifice, love and death.
Medea
In this urgent new adaptation after Euripides, Kathy McKean brings Medea startlingly close. In a space between myth and modernity, an outsider in Corinth watches her life rewritten: Jason trades the woman who saved him for power, and Creon offers exile as "mercy". With no chorus of citizens to hide behind, the audience becomes witness, jury, confidant-drawn into Medea's fierce intelligence, corrosive grief and incandescent rage. McKean's language is contemporary, muscular and lyrical, honouring the epic scale of Greek tragedy while exposing its intimate damage: love as compulsion, humiliation as fuel, vengeance as a force that burns everyone it touches. Medea fights to reclaim her story, her children and the sovereignty of her own heart. Written for a small cast-Nurse, Tutor, Jason and Creon-it builds to a breathtaking, brutal reckoning: terrifying, exhilarating and impossible to forget. A bold, accessible classic for modern audiences. Cast: 4 actors Duration: 90 minutes
Blood and Sapphire
Destiny has a way of revealing demons in us all. This is a reality that Sapphire, a bartender with empathic abilities, soon discovers. After a close call, her true identity is revealed, and she must forge her way through Hell. In the chaos of her new life, she has to learn to control the demon within. If she fails, she loses those she loves. Again. Forged in fire and blood, can Sapphire rise to the throne, or will she crumble under the weight of Hell's wrath?
Since You've Been Gone
Grief has left Jess moving through life like a shadow, her cat the only steady presence in the quiet house she once filled with love.Then she meets Louise - a woman whose calm warmth feels uncannily familiar, as though she's known Jess far longer than their first conversation.Under Louise's gentle guidance, the fog begins to lift. Jess finds herself drawn back toward the one person she never truly stopped loving: Matt. But as old feelings resurface and she starts to reclaim her life, small, unsettling moments begin to gather - coincidences that don't feel accidental, echoes that feel intentional.Something about Louise doesn't just comfort Jess. It connects to her in ways she can't yet name. And when the truth finally reaches her, it alters everything she thought she understood about love, loss, and the unseen ties that never let us go.
Since You've Been Gone
Grief has left Jess moving through life like a shadow, her cat the only steady presence in the quiet house she once filled with love.Then she meets Louise, a woman whose calm warmth feels uncannily familiar, as though she's known Jess far longer than their first conversation.Under Louise's gentle guidance, the fog begins to lift. Jess finds herself drawn back toward the one person she never truly stopped loving: Matt. But as old feelings resurface and she starts to reclaim her life, small, unsettling moments begin to gather, coincidences that don't feel accidental, echoes that feel intentional.Something about Louise doesn't just comfort Jess. It connects to her in ways she can't yet name. And when the truth finally reaches her, it alters everything she thought she understood about love, loss, and the unseen ties that never let us go.
The Arthur Miller Tapes
Christopher Bigsby and Arthur Miller shared a regular correspondence which stretched over nearly three decades of friendship. Their interaction and collaboration included a unique series of recorded interviews which now bring fresh and surprising perspectives to the life, thought and creative motivations of one of the greatest modern dramatists. The conversations range richly across topics such as the notorious McCarthy trials, the intent behind Miller's own work, and his family dynamics and relationships - including his short-lived marriage to Marilyn Monroe. Containing new insights into Miller's celebrated plays, including extensive meditations on Death of a Salesman and The Crucible, these illuminating interviews also give readers unrivalled access to the playwright himself.
The Containers at the Edge of the Shore
Deja-Vu, Multiverses, Multiplicities of spirit on overlapping levels where time does not pass and yet is continuous. These stories are mind expanding and salve for the soul. Glimpses into the ether that we can recall as past and future excerpts from the energy that is us. Take a trip through time, inner space and outer dimensions that collapse through each other and blend into the spark of life that is us. Death and life walk hand in hand changing spaces, faces and realities.
Darker Shades of Black
Tony was born and raised in one of the most notorious ghettos in the island of Jamaica, a place called Tivoli Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica.His father, Fitzy, was one of the area leaders and therefore was labeled a don. Because of this fact, Tony was required to follow in his father's footsteps per tradition.At this time, the island was polluted with politics between the two political parties, one called the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) and the other called the Peoples' National Party (PNP).The area that Tony was born and raised in belongs to the JLP party; therefore, he had no choice but to fight for that party and community.As a youth growing up, Tony had witnessed a lot of both physical and mental abuse toward his mother at the hands of his father. He also had witnessed a lot of fighting and killings in the name of the JLP party.Because of this, Tony had grown to be a natural cold-blooded killer. After doing a lot of fighting and killing for the party, he became a wanted person by both the authority and other killers from the other political party, the PNP.After several shoot-outs and encounters with both, Tony narrowly escaped out of Jamaica to another island called The Bahamas, where Tony then hooked up with one of the most powerful drug cartels on the island and became a killer and enforcer for them. Tony again became hot wanted. Tony was smuggled off to the island to Miami, Florida. This is when all hell broke loose because most of the wanted guys from the PNP party from Jamaica were now also in Miami, with also wanted guys from his JLP side; therefore, the political war continued.By this time, the two political parties had taken on another name to them. Members from the JLP party was now called Shower Posse, and members from the PNP were now called The Spanglers.Tony and his crew traveled through several states in America and created havoc over drug turf in the name of politics.Over the years, several members from both sides got killed or ended up in prison, sentenced to life. Tony had gotten shot more than once but had survived.Somehow, Tony always was lucky to stay out of prison, even though he got locked up on serious charges on multiple occasions. People always said it was because he was using science or voodoo for his protection.Over the years Tony had gotten locked up and was deported back to Jamaica over three times, but by that time, his political party was now in power, so Tony would be held in jail in Jamaica for a little time then set free. He was never charged for any of the incidents he had pending in Jamaica against him before the first escape to The Bahamas. Tony would spend a few weeks or even months in Jamaica, having fun with girls and other JLP members through the island before returning back to America without any problems because by that time he had all the contacts to get back to America.Tony eventually got set up by some of his close friends, who were now working as informers for the authorities in New York. Tony was arrested and charged for several shootings and murders and was facing over one hundred years in prison, but eventually ended up beating several of the charges against him and ended up only being convicted of murder and attempted murder with weapon charges and was sentenced to 33 1/3 to life.Tony is now serving out his sentence in a New York state maximum-security prison and will not be eligible for parole until the year 2027.
Everyone Vanishes Eventually
Between crooked streets and lonely coasts, magic festers in the cracks. You will find yourself in a seaside shop where good-luck bells are sold, in a town where light depends on endings, you'll meet a loyal dog and follow him to his first ever visit to a museum, you will learn about a lighthouse and its keeper (and a sea gull named Greg), cheer for a moth, and read about a crow thinking yeah, typical crow. These six short stories offer a brief adventure to everyone who prefers it a little dark and bittersweet.
I'll Suffer First
Opal May Kane's courageous journey is a tale of triumph over overwhelming adversity. A poor Southern girl, she who grew up on a small pig farm in Mississippi facing the harsh realities of poverty and missed opportunities. Her life is ravished by the depths of an unjust, unfair, and cruel existence. The normalcy of childhood and lost innocence marred by family responsibilities, proved to set off a life cycle of pain and suffering. From the beginning of her early childhood, her family life as she knew it, was in disarray. Through a history of repeated physical, emotional violence, coupled with sexual, and substance abuse, Opal May's setbacks were seeded in intense agony and self-torment. Through the various hardships, Opal May's life led to many destructive social romantic relationships.Despite the suffering darkness that has surrounded her, Opal May Kane's resilience, determination, unwavering faith and desire for a better life propels her forward. Her journey serves as an inspiring example of the human spirit's ability to overcome even the most challenging circumstances. In an effort to confront her traumatic past, she seeks a path to break free from the shadows that haunt her.
Windows
I am a voyeur. I look in your windows and gain sexual pleasure from watching your most-intimate acts. Right, or wrong, I will keep your secrets. This is for my enjoyment and only mine. I am not a judge. I will not harm you. Just let me in for a short while.
De Turkey And De Law A comedy in three acts
De Turkey and De Law by Zora Neale Hurston is a spirited comedy that blends humor, folk wisdom, and sharp social observation. Set within an African American community, the play uses courtroom antics and everyday conflicts to explore themes of justice, power, and human behavior through laughter and satire.Written in Hurston's distinctive vernacular style, the three-act comedy captures the rhythms of speech, cultural traditions, and communal life that define her dramatic work. The play reflects Hurston's commitment to portraying Black life with authenticity, humor, and complexity, making it both entertaining and culturally significant.This work is ideal for readers, students, and performers interested in African American theater, folk comedy, Harlem Renaissance literature, and character-driven stage plays.
Three Plays Lawing and jawing; Forty yards; Woofing
Three Plays by Zora Neale Hurston brings together three short theatrical works-Lawing and Jawing, Forty Yards, and Woofing-that showcase her sharp ear for dialogue, humor, and the rhythms of everyday African American speech. Rooted in Black folk culture and community life, these plays explore themes of rivalry, social status, pride, and human connection through lively conversation and dramatic tension.Hurston's theatrical writing reflects her deep engagement with folklore and oral tradition, transforming everyday interactions into compelling stage performances. These plays offer valuable insight into early twentieth-century African American theater and highlight Hurston's versatility as a writer beyond fiction and anthropology.This volume is ideal for readers, students, and performers interested in African American drama, Harlem Renaissance literature, folk expression, and culturally grounded theatrical works.
Author's Nightmare
Sixty-five-year-old Walter M羹ller, an author with a string of bestsellers and a wife who loved him, thought his life was going fine - until his wife serves him with divorce papers and his writing muse disappears. Plagued by writer's block, Waltz struggles to balance reality with fiction as he creates Ambrosia; her ex-lover, Autor; their daughter, Rose; and their grandchild, Poppy. As their complicated story reveals itself, Waltz is forced to confront the truth about his marriage and his broken relationship with his daughter - and within that tangled web of fiction and reality, Waltz begins to unravel the lies he'd been told by the woman he was supposed to spend happily ever after with.
Cassandra
CASSANDRA paces for a little while, her tenuous connection with reality wavering. Could she have convinced CLYTEMNESTRA not to kill her, if she'd said the right words? If she did, would that have spared AGAMEMNON? How would she have felt if that was so?Cassandra, a Trojan princess, has been taken captive by the king who destroyed her home to live as his new consort. But the god Apollo has other plans, Cassandra can see them coming, and worst of all? No one will listen. Goodbody's debut play reworks Aeschylus' Agamemnon to give voice to a woman abused by gods and men. Weaving the writer's personal experience with sexual assault and abusive relationships into an ancient tale, the play takes us on an intimate journey as Cassandra struggles to tell her story before it's too late.
Veiled Memories
Veiled Memories is Angela O'Malley's debut novel; it is a slow-burn, atmospheric mystery that blends the poignancy of a family saga with the tension of a psychological thriller. The narrative weaves between a1960s and 1970's London suburb in England, a coastal town in the west of Ireland and the cool, unsettling present day, creating a palpable sense of secrets buried just beneath the surface. The tone is deeply empathetic, exploring the fragility of memory and the enduring weight of trauma, making the story a compelling and emotional journey into one woman's fragmented past and its impact on the present.When Kate Davis, a compassionate nurse, discovers Maggie Randall, a woman with early stage dementia, lost and searching for a mysterious letter, she is drawn into a web of family secrets stretching back nearly fifty years. As Maggie's fragmented memories reveal a past entangled with the unsolved 1964 murder of a young woman named Mandy O'Donnell, Kate and Maggie's family must piece together the truth. Their investigation uncovers a history of violence, deceit, and a devastating confrontation that led to the disappearance of Maggie's first husband, Michael, and their young son, forcing them to confront the veiled memories that have shaped their family for generations.The search for answers leads to Ireland, where the truth behind a tragic family event is waiting to be uncovered. What really happened on that stormy night, and why were they there? As the family draws closer to the truth, the secrets they reveal become ever more threatening and could destroy the family forever.
Ore and Empire
Photography and the history of extraction combine as Marty Stupich's extraordinary images map the 600 year oppression of the lands and people from the Mexican Conquest to the Guggenheims, from deep inside present-day Mexico to southern Wyoming. For centuries the Spanish Empire's conscripted laborers extracted silver from hand-dug tunnels and shafts deep beneath the mountain spine of the Americas. By the late nineteenth century, mining engineers in the United States and in Mexico were refining not just silver ores but also lead, gold, and copper.Copper was especially crucial to the looming industrial century. Not since the days when Spanish treasure galleons carried off the New World's silver had anyone seen the sort of vast mineral wealth amassed by the "copper kings" of the Gilded Age. First among them was the Guggenheim family, whose American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) controlled more than 80 percent of the world's supply of silver, copper, and lead by the early twentieth century. Like the Spanish conquistadors before them, the ASARCO empire extended over 1,500 miles, from Central Mexico to Colorado. Its epicenter straddled the Mexico-Texas borderlands where the Rio Grande and the ancient Camino Real de Tierra Adentro converge at El Paso, the home of one of America's largest smelters--and the centerpiece of Martin Stupich's photographic journey. The hundred-acre ASARCO site was, until its 2013 demolition, more than a gritty industrial tract. For a century the company was central to El Paso's vitality, even as Mexican American workers' families in Smeltertown, the company barrio, died slowly under its toxic plume. Ore and Empire documents this storied landscape in words and images. Original color photographs are complemented with essays by three renowned scholars, adding depth to an already sweeping historic panorama. Created over some fifteen years in the field, Stupich's monumental work serves as an homage to the unnamed thousands who lived and toiled here.
Our Own Miracle
Rosa Flores relives her long struggle for a child on her way to the delivery room in a Los Angeles hospital, having already decided to sacrifice her own life for her unborn baby. Inspired by a true story, this is the journey of a Mexican American woman born and raised in Los Angeles, a teacher and artist in her thirties who dreams of building a loving family. After a painful breakup that affects both her personal life and her work as a kindergarten teacher, Rosa meets Luke Anderson, a lawyer, at a family gathering. Their connection is immediate, and they build a happy marriage that lasts more than a decade. But their dream of becoming parents slowly turns into a relentless battle. Despite consulting leading doctors, enduring repeated miscarriages, isolation, and eventual financial strain, they are told that Rosa cannot have children. Denial, anger, depression, and grief begin to erode the stability of their marriage and shake the foundations of their faith.As time runs out, Rosa and Luke take one final risk and place their hopes in an old friend who is now a fertility doctor. Against the odds, in-vitro fertilization succeeds, and Rosa becomes pregnant with a baby boy. Yet hardship does not ease. Their parents fall ill, and Rosa's deeply religious mother attempts suicide, further destabilising their sense of belief and purpose. On the way to the delivery room, Rosa is prepared to give her life to save her child, while her doctor faces a devastating professional dilemma over who can be saved. Rosa survives the birth, but the baby is discovered to have a potentially severe heart condition and is placed on life support. Almost simultaneously, Rosa is diagnosed with leukemia and is unable to see or hold her son. Powerless in the face of both their lives hanging in the balance, Luke is shattered. Forced to confront mortality, marriage, and motherhood in their rawest form, Rosa begins to reassess her relationship with herself and with life. She chooses to fight, agreeing to aggressive chemotherapy in the hope of survival. As mother and child face their most fragile moment, the question remains: will they survive this final battle, and will life allow them the happiness they have fought so hard to claim?
A Doll's House, Men of Honour, When We Dead Awaken
'Oh, be not afraid. I am cast out of society, but you, is it not true, you walk around as a man of honour? What more do you want?' (Laura Kieler, Men of Honour) Very few readers and audiences know that Ibsen's iconic feminist drama A Doll's House was built upon the real-life story of a woman called Laura Kieler, who was his friend and fellow writer. Her life fell apart when A Doll's House came out and the world saw her deeply private life splashed across its stages. With tremendous determination and perseverance, she managed to recover from the trauma that Ibsen's play caused her, and channelled her pain into a successful play of her own called (pointedly) Men of Honour. The play, performed in Copenhagen in 1890, caused great debate and fierce controversy. Ibsen eventually responded to her play by likewise writing a drama: When We Dead Awaken, his final work. This new edition traces the conversation between Ibsen and Kieler through these plays, across almost two decades and brings Kieler centre stage, and deepens our understanding of Ibsen's A Doll's House and When We Dead Awaken. These three plays create a fascinating whole: a fusion of vantage points, contexts, and visions still reverberating on and off stage today. Furthermore, the two Ibsen plays speak to each other in startling and fresh ways. This volume also explores 21st century concerns about consent and the many ways in which women in particular are still not heard. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
