Bookshop
Books we've read that we think are worth investigating and are, of course, somehow related to amateur theatre. If you've read a book that you think should be featured here, then please contact Jane.
Severnpix Publishing have released Elgar and Alice written by Peter Sutton. The play was first performed at the Swan Theatre in Worcester in June 2007 to mark the composer’s 150th anniversary.
This play takes place in Elgar’s later years, March 1920, to be exact and focuses on Elagar’s relationship with his music, and the women in his life, namely his wife Alice and his mistress Windflower.
We find Lady Alice desperately seeking approval from her husband for her poetry, at the same time dealing with her terminal illness. Elgar is critical, dismissive, and at times derogative about her poetry, and the audience get the impression that he has little, if no concern for his wife’s feelings. However we see a different side to him when Lady Alice Stuart of Wortley, affectionately known as Windflower, arrives. She is, and has been, Elgar’s muse, and we get the impression that their relationship was more than professional; also that Windflower wasn’t Elgar’s only muse.
Chris Peach reviews this new play.
Greenwash written by David Lewis is published by Josef Weinberger and available now.
Alan works in Public Relations. He knows how to win friends and influence people. He has worked for George Bush (both the 41st and the 43rd presidents) and now works for Big Oil.
This brand new adaptation from Samuel French and adapted by April De Angelis brings Emily Bronte’s passionate and spellbinding tale of forbidden love and revenge to life on stage.
Josef Weinberger are pleased to announce the publication of The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck and adapted by Tim Baker.
First produced to great acclaim at Clwyd Theatr, Cymru, Baker’s new adaptation is more than just an epic tale of the Joad family’s fated trip from the dust bowls of Oklahoma to the “promised land” of California.
Josef Weinberger Plays are delighted to announce the publication of Timing, which received its World Premiere on October the 7th in 2009 at the King’s Head Theatre in London. Timing is the first play by impressionist and actor Alistair McGowan.
This offering from Josef Weinberger is full of musical numbers and dance/ballet routines all original numbers written by the author Kate Edgar.
Following the world premiere at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London 2007, Josef Weinberger are delighted to announce the publication of the latest farce from the successful writing partnership of Roger Leach and Colin Wakefield. Chris Peach gives his opinion of whether this play is worth considering for the amateur theatre.
A great little play from Josef Weinberger written by Peter Gordon. Easy to set, this is an ideal play for the smaller amateur theatre group.
The play is about the local slimming club, who meet once a week in the local village hall, therefore the set can be as elaborate or as simplistic as you or your groups budget allows.
Patrick Barlow’s Olivier Award winning stage adaptation is now available from Samuel French. It is based on John Buchan’s gripping whodunit which was memorably filmed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1935.
This is finally, an authorized libretto to this modern day classic! “Rent” won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well as four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score for Jonathan Larson. The story of Mark, Roger, Maureen, Tom Collins, Angel, Mimi, JoAnne, and their friends on the Lower East Side of New York City will live on, along with the affirmation that there is ‘no day but today.’ This title includes 16 color photographs of productions of “Rent” from around the world, plus an introduction (“Rent Is Real”) by Victoria Leacock Hoffman.
