Kirjahaku

As a boy, Horatio Higgins was ignored by the other children, but that didn't stop him having lots of friends...friends only he could see and whom he'd regale with tales of his fantastical exploits. Eventually, though, his parents became concerned at the inordinate amount of time their son appeared to spend talking to himself and took him for treatment, which, in time, proved successful...almost. One friend remained. Unfortunately it was the spiteful one.Years later, living alone in his tiny London flat, Horatio's loneliness is mitigated only by his acid-tongued friend and the company of what he affectionately refers to as "my wife". After losing his job, however, his life begins a rapid downward spiral...that is, until he meets a sweet, impressionable young woman named Nore. As their relationship lurches unsteadily forward, Horatio finds himself struggling against a riptide of conflicting realities he's ill-equipped to cope with. Can Nore save him from himself or will she, too, be dragged into a world where the line between fantasy and reality becomes increasingly and perilously blurred?Weaving together dark humour with shocking, unsettling twists, Schism is sure to stay with you long after you've turned the last page.Warning: This book contains Adult Subject Matter.

A collection of six poignant, sometimes heart-wrenching, sometimes heart-warming and frequently witty first person short stories from award-winning author Andrew Biss They say never judge a book by its cover but it's something many of us are apt to do at some point or another. Judging a person by their appearance is equally unwise, as none of us can know the personal turmoil behind the public fa ade of a perfect stranger. But what if we could... Each of these stories juxtapose the public face with the private, conflicted person behind it. BIG GIRL: An overweight young woman named Peggy appraises her recently purchased self-help book, "The Bigger the Better." THE REPLICA: An abused wife reflects on her past and deconstructs the emergence of the replica that now haunts her present. A SMALL ACT OF VANDALISM: Malcolm, a gentle, middle-aged soul with a troubled mind, keeps his mother's remains sealed in a small porcelain box. What he keeps hidden among his memories, however, isn't so easily contained. ONE NIGHT ONLY: Denny, a prisoner on death row in an Alabama State Penitentiary, spends his final moments reviewing his career as a serial killer in an interview with himself. ORGAN FAILURE: A woman in the viewing room of a funeral home addresses the body of her lover in the coffin before her. WYWH: Eileen, a reclusive, middle-aged divorcee, still haunted by the loss of her son, discovers a new life in the virtual world.

Strange Tales of the Curiously Uncommon is a collection of darkly humorous short stories, each with a cunning twist in the tale. When extraordinary events befall some of London's most ordinary of inhabitants, unexpected turns lead to some witty, strange, yet ultimately satisfying results. An Honest Mistake: Madge has long since surrendered herself to the verbal abuse doled out to her by her belligerent husband, Stan. On this particular evening, however, her fears of a rat beneath the floorboards, combined with her natural absent-mindedness, result in her dishing up Stan not only his evening meal...but perhaps his just deserts A Familiar Face: Two elderly Cockney women, old friends, meet up in a London caf shortly after one them, Dora, has been widowed. As Dora's grief and anger grows increasingly fervent, her good friend Eydie begins to suspect there may be more to her angst than the loss of a loved one. When Dora calmly removes from her shopping bag a large glass jar containing a human head, discussions over its mysterious identity and how it came to be lodged in the cupboard under her stairs lead to some startling revelations. A Slip of the Tongue: Miss Perkins, tired of the constant innuendos and sexual insinuations of her employer, Mr. Reams, has decided to hand in her notice. On this particular morning, however, Mr. Reams decides to take things one step further. Unfortunately for him, due to Miss Perkins' natural nervous disposition and a telephone that rings at a shockingly high pitch, he soon discovers he's bitten off more than he can chew...or at least, one of them has. An Embarrassing Odour: Ethel, a frail, widowed pensioner, sits down one evening to tackle her daily crossword puzzle, when suddenly her tranquil world is turned upside down as a burglar breaks into her home believing it to be unoccupied. While Ethel vainly attempts to forge a relationship with the violent delinquent before her, his concerns lie only in getting his hands on her valuables...that and the unpleasant smell that fills the room. As Ethel shamefully admits, it's an embarrassing odour for a seventy-eight year old to have, but what her intruder doesn't know is quite why...though he's about to find out A Stunning Confession: As Ron and Jan made themselves comfortable on their sofa, they thought they were settling in for just another quiet night in front of the television. But beneath the surface of this seemingly benign evening of domestic routine, each was withholding a guilty secret from the other, and on this particular evening one of them found they could contain themselves no longer.

This witty satire set in England centers around a bored housewife, her presumed gay son, and supporting characters with secrets of their own Award-winning playwright Andrew Biss turns the average coming out of the closet story on its head in a hilarious and poignant script about truth, love and acceptance.Raising Cuthbert in the hope that he was homosexual, Mrs. Pennington-South is at long last forced to confront her son's deep, dark secret: his heterosexuality. Heartbroken but accepting, she soon finds solace in the company of Tristram, a shy, awkward young man more than half her age. When their friendship begins to take on more amorous overtones, Mrs. Pennington-South is plunged into a state of emotional turmoil. But when Cuthbert returns with his new female companion, the reality of having to face her son's new lifestyle sends her reeling. Nothing, however, could have prepared her for what would come next.Suburban Redux is the full-length play version of the award-winning, critically acclaimed one-act comedy Cuthbert's Last Stand. Note: This play can also be performed with a cast of 2 Male, 2 Female.Suburban Redux premiered at the Th tre Ste-Catherine in Montr al.

A collection of short comedic plays that take theatrical conventions on a metaphysical joyrideThis unique compilation of wittily inventive short comedies can be performed by as few as 4 actors or as many as 18, all with minimal set and prop requirements. Many of these plays have gone on to receive highly successful productions around the world, garnering glowing reviews along the way.The plays included in the collection are: The Craft1M/1F Approx. 10 minutesIt's Act 2, Scene 3 in another night's performance of a less-than-riveting romantic drama. As the two young leads navigate their turgid love scene, employing all their dramatic skills in an attempt to breathe life into their two-dimensional characters, another, far more gripping story is unfolding just beneath the surface. Despite a mutual loathing of each other, a devotion to the craft ensures that the show will go on; but the inner dialogues that play out inside each of them reveal a far different narrative than the one being played out on the stage.A Flawed Character2 Any Age/Race/Gender Combination Approx. 10 minutesThe playwright creates the first character of his new play, but soon after the entire process grinds to a halt. As time marches on and the play continues to stagnate, the character's patience begins to wear thin. As frustration turns into animosity and antagonism, the playwright begins to realize that perhaps this is one relationship that was never meant to be. But what's a writer to do?The Skewed Picture1M/1F Approx. 10 minutesBob and Betty have settled in for a quiet night at home. That is, until Bob makes a startling discovery that has the potential to reshape their entire existence...or at least their living room.Filler1M/1F Approx. 10 minutesTwo characters come to realize that the extended scene written for them in the middle of the play has no intrinsic value, does nothing to propel the story forward, and to all intents and purposes is completely extraneous. Their raison d' tre pulled from under them, can they still maintain their credibility and sanity through several pages of what's little more than filler?The Curious Art of Critique2M/1F Approx. 15 minutesWhen reaction to his work on a new drama appears tepid at best, the director decides he must tackle the problem head-on and root out whatever it is that's leaving the audience unmoved. One way or another, the evening seems destined to end in tears.What's the Meta?2 Any Age/Race/Gender Combination Approx. 10 minutesTwo written parts wait to be brought to life on a stage. One of them, however, is found to be mired in a crisis of self-worth due to the size and quality of their role. The larger, more developed part must then attempt to convince its smaller counterpart of just how necessary they both are to the production that is soon to begin, and of the true and indisputable collaborative nature of theatre.A Rebel Among the Wretched1M/2F Approx. 10 minutesA celebrated, multi-award winning dysfunctional family drama continues to enthrall audiences night after night. But what happens when one of the characters finally decides they've had enough doom and despair and resolves to leave the play to join...a musical?Tacked-on Ending2M Approx. 10 minutesIt's the end of the evening and two actors pack up their belongings and prepare to leave the theatre. While one of them felt the show went great, the other is left with the uneasy feeling that the final scene didn't quite deliver. Was his performance to blame, or was it the play's deus ex machina, which is not only highly implausible but also oddly familiar?

The multi-award winning, critically acclaimed "Indigenous Peoples", (Winner "Best Play"- New York's Wonderland One-Act Festival, 2007) is paired with three other cheeky, uproarious comedies in what is guaranteed to be an unforgettable, side-splitting evening's entertainment. Also included are "The Man Who Liked Dick", "Kitchen Sink Drama" and "Carbon-Based Life Form Seeks Similar" - all outrageously funny British comedies that have received lauded productions in London, New York and beyond.Cast size: 4M / 5F (Roles can be doubled for a 2M/2F cast configuration)Reviews: "My favourite play of the evening] is Andrew Biss' 'Indigenous Peoples'...Hilarious" --The Stage"Andrew Biss proves that simplicity can be far more engaging with 'Indigenous Peoples'...Biss' writing is warm and funny...Amusing and likeably daft" --Time Out, London"An extremely funny masterpiece of Cowardesque dialogue...A hilarious play" --Theatreworld Internet Magazine"There is one charming exception in Andrew Biss' Indigenous Peoples...The dialogue is so chirpily surreal...Succeeds on its own daft level...Brings a moment of erotic comedy which almost justifies the cost of a ticket." --What's On, London"Amusingly clever and eruditely absurd" --Extra Extra

From award-winning author Andrew Biss comes a riveting story of top secret experiments, government deception and fatally misplaced trust.May, 1953. Stalin has just died and the Cold War is in full swing. As relations between East and West continue to deteriorate, the race is on to research and develop the most advanced nuclear and biochemical weaponry, all beneath a heavy cloak of secrecy. A young RAF Leading Aircraftman, meanwhile, has answered an advertisement looking for volunteers for tests to find a cure for the common cold. For fifteen shillings and a precious three-day pass, it was an offer that Ronald Maddison couldn't refuse. The reality of what he was letting himself in for, however, was something he couldn't have imagined in his worst nightmares.A Cure for the Common Cold is a haunting, harrowing drama based on actual events, recalling the horrific fate of a young RAF volunteer under the guise of national security. With the issue of informed consent at its core, the story of a young man's life cut tragically short and his family's decades-long quest to unearth the truth became one of the most enduring cover-ups of the Cold War era.

In this novella adaption of his hit stage play Suburban Redux, award-winning author and playwright Andrew Biss presents us with a hilarious and poignant tale about love, truth and acceptance in a romantic comedy for the modern family. After thirty years of arid matrimony and suburban monotony, Mrs. Pennington-South's only dream was that her son, Cuthbert, would break free of the cycle of upper-middle class inertia that had suffocated her. Raising him in the hope that he was homosexual, she soon begins dragging home potential suitors for tea - on this particular occasion a rather shy, awkward young man named Tristram. Cuthbert, however, finds he can no longer maintain his fa ade and at last confesses to his mother his guilty secret: his heterosexuality. When Cuthbert leaves to meet Trixie, his new female friend, Mrs. Pennington-South - heartbroken but accepting - takes solace in the company of Tristram, and a mutual love of the arts soon leads to a new found friendship. After several weeks, however, Tristram's feelings take on more amorous overtones and a confession of love for a woman almost thirty years his senior sends Mrs. Pennington-South into a state of emotional turmoil. Her anxiety is further heightened by the unexpected arrival of Cuthbert, merrily announcing that he has brought Trixie home for an introduction, and of the "big news" they wish to impart. Mrs. Pennington-South, mortified at having to face the reality of her son's lifestyle choice, fearfully awaits the dreaded Trixie. Nothing, however, could have prepared her for what would come next...

Valentine's parents have decided that the time has finally come for their son to leave home and discover life for himself. As he ventures forth into the vast world beyond, his new adventure is soon drawn to a halt when he is mugged at gunpoint. Frightened and exhausted, he seeks shelter at a bed and breakfast establishment named The End of the World, run by the dour Mrs. Anna. Here Valentine encounters a Bosnian woman with a hole where her stomach used to be, an American entrepreneur with a scheme to implant televisions into people's foreheads, and a Catholic priest who attempts to lure him down inside a kitchen sink. And then things start getting strange...The End of the World had its world premiere at the hotINK Festival of International Plays at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 2009, and starred Broadway's Theo Stockman in the role of Valentine.

After a young student is brutally raped and murdered, her parents, Tom and Christine, are confronted with the daunting task of processing their grief and attempting to come to terms with the horror that befell their child. The paths they take in doing so, however, couldn't be starker in contrast. Christine has withdrawn into a deadened world of suppressed rage and bitterness that has left her incapable of seeing beyond the terrible tragedy that has visited her. Her husband, Tom, on the other hand, has taken the unusual step of publicly announcing his forgiveness of their daughter's killer.At the most difficult moment in their lives, a wedge has been driven between them, threatening to destroy the only thing they have left - each other. On this explosive evening of final reckoning, as home truths and simmering resentments are laid bare, each will learn painful, often brutal lessons on love, hate, and the elliptical nature of forgiveness.The world premiere of The Treachery of Images was presented by Heiress Productions at Simple Studios in New York in 2011.

As a boy, Horatio Higgins was ignored by the other children, but that didn't stop him having lots of friends...friends only he could see and whom he'd regale with tales of his fantastical exploits. Eventually, though, his parents became concerned at the inordinate amount of time their son appeared to spend talking to himself and took him for treatment, which, in time, proved successful...almost. One friend remained. Unfortunately it was the spiteful one.Years later, living alone in his tiny London flat, Horatio's loneliness is mitigated only by his acid-tongued friend and the company of what he affectionately refers to as "my wife." After losing his job, however, his life begins a rapid downward spiral...that is, until he meets a sweet, impressionable young woman named Nore. As their relationship lurches unsteadily forward, Horatio finds himself struggling against a riptide of conflicting realities he's ill-equipped to cope with. Convinced that only Nore can save him from himself, it soon becomes apparent that she, too, will be dragged into a world where the line between fantasy and reality becomes increasingly and perilously blurred.

Dr. Pecksniff, a most singular psychiatrist, is relishing the prospect of fleecing yet another unsuspecting troubled soul - on this occasion a gullible housewife with a crumbling self-image and a sizable nest egg. Seizing on her admittance of a penchant for romance novels, Pecksniff convinces his patient, Mrs. Flagg, of her imminent slide into moral turpitude, offering salvation through his own unique, very expensive (and battery-assisted) approach to mental health.But, just as in psychiatry, things aren't always quite what they appear to be on the surface, and when dark deeds and a dead cat make an appearance, Dr. Pecksniff's unorthodox therapy session is soon sent hurtling towards its shocking conclusion "Clever, witty, funny - made me laugh out loud." Playwrights' Center of San Francisco"An engaging comedy...Demonstrates a real talent for absurdist, comic dialogue." - Stageplays.com"Revels in the language of its characters...Captures their tone and cadence extremely well." - Soho Theatre, London"Very funny, well-written. I want to see it on the stage " Playwrights' Center of San Francisco"Exploits the potential of farce well...Well-constructed and often funny." - Soho Theatre, London