The NHB Playgroup from Nick Hern Books brings you one great play to read and discuss each month, followed by a Q&A with the writer. In this episode of The NHB Playgroup Q&A Podcast, we spoke to Frances Poet about her moving, award-winning play Adam. We were also joined by special guest Adam Kashmiry, whose story inspired the play and who starred in the premiere production. Adam was first performed by the National Theatre of Scotland at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017, where it won a Fringe First award. It was later performed on tour around t ..read more

The NHB Playgroup from Nick Hern Books brings you one free play to read and discuss each week, followed by a Q&A with the writer.  In this episode of The NHB Playgroup Q&A Podcast, we spoke to Ella Hickson about her epic and explosive play Oil, which premiered at the Almeida Theatre, London, in 2016, directed by Carrie Cracknell.  See more about The NHB Playgroup and find out how to get involved here: www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/playgroup  Host: Siân Mayhall-Purvis  Producer: Jon Barton  Executive Producer: Matt Applewhite  ..read more

The NHB Playgroup from Nick Hern Books brings you one great play to read and discuss each month, followed by a Q&A with the writer. In this episode of The NHB Playgroup Q&A Podcast, we spoke to Jessica Swale about her funny and eye-opening play Blue Stockings. We discuss how she approached researching the history behind the story, what it feels like to have your play studied at GCSE, how Jessica's background as a director has influenced her writing, and more. Blue Stockings had its professional premiere at Shakespeare's Globe, London, in 2013, directed by John Dove. An earlier versio ..read more

The NHB Playgroup from Nick Hern Books brings you one great play to read and discuss each month, followed by a Q&A with the writer.  In this episode of The NHB Playgroup Q&A Podcast, we spoke to John O'Donovan about his haunting and funny drama Flights. We discuss how real-life events formed part of the play's development, just how many litres of liquid the actors had to consume every night, and how John's writing may change now he's returned from London to his homeland of Ireland.  Flights premiered in 2020 at glór in Ennis before transferring to Dublin and London, directed ..read more

The NHB Playgroup from Nick Hern Books brings you one great play to read and discuss each month, followed by a Q&A with the writer.  In this episode of The NHB Playgroup Q&A Podcast, we spoke to Janice Okoh about her outrageous and thought-provoking play The Gift. We also discuss how winning the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting in 2011 boosted Janice's career, what to do with ideas that don't quite become fully written plays, using other people's work as a benchmark for your own, and more.  The Gift premiered at the Belgrade Theatre Coventry in January 2020, followed by a UK ..read more

The NHB Playgroup from Nick Hern Books is BACK - now with one fantastic play to read and discuss each month, followed by a Q&A with the writer. In this episode of The NHB Playgroup Q&A Podcast, we spoke to Jez Butterworth about his fascinating and enigmatic play The River.  We also explore Jez's massively successful career as a playwright and screenwriter - including why his debut play winning an Olivier Award was actually 'disastrous', how it feels to write a James Bond film, what makes an idea worth pursuing, and more. The River premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 2 ..read more

The NHB Playgroup from Nick Hern Books brings you one free play to read and discuss each week, followed by a Q&A with the writer. In this episode of The NHB Playgroup Q&A Podcast, we spoke to Jemma Kennedy about her wry and inventive play Second Person Narrative. Second Person Narrative was released in 2015 as part of Platform, a partnership between Nick Hern Books and Tonic Theatre. It was originally workshopped with the National Youth Theatre and the National Theatre's Young People's Programme. We're joined for this episode by Lucy Kerbel, NHB author and director of Tonic. See more a ..read more

The NHB Playgroup from Nick Hern Books brings you one free play to read and discuss each week, followed by a Q&A with the writer.  In this episode of The NHB Playgroup Q&A Podcast, we spoke to Jessie Cave about her heartfelt and hilarious solo play Sunrise.  Sunrise was first seen in 2018 at Soho Theatre, London, performed by Jessie herself, and also had two runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, multiple further performances at Soho Theatre and went on tour around the UK. It was produced by Soho Theatre and directed by Adam Brace.  See more about The NHB Playgroup and ..read more

The NHB Playgroup from Nick Hern Books brings you one free play to read and discuss each week, followed by a Q&A with the writer.  In this episode of The NHB Playgroup Q&A Podcast, we spoke to Chris Bush about Faustus: That Damned Woman, her radical take on the classic cautionary tale. It was co-produced by Headlong and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, in association with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, and first performed at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in January 2020 before embarking on a UK tour, which was sadly cut short by the theatre shutdown.  See more about The NHB Play ..read more

The NHB Playgroup from Nick Hern Books brings you one free play to read and discuss each week, followed by a Q&A with the writer.  In this episode of The NHB Playgroup Q&A Podcast, we spoke to Chinonyerem Odimba about her passionate and affecting play Princess & The Hustler, which premiered at the Bristol Old Vic in 2019, followed by a UK tour, in a co-production between Eclipse Theatre Company, Bristol Old Vic and Hull Truck Theatre, directed by Dawn Walton.  See more about The NHB Playgroup and find out how to get involved here: www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/playgroup  H ..read more