Helen Edmundson

Four superlative stage adaptations by contemporary playwrights, giving bold new interpretations of classic novels This volume, relaunching the Frontline Intelligence series, contains stage adaptations by contemporary dramatists of well-known, well-loved classics. Included are Jane Austen's "Emma" by Michael Fry, John Cleland's "The Life and Times of Fanny Hill" by April De Angelis, Charles Dickens's "Great Expectations" by John Clifford and George Eliot's "The Mill on the Floss" by Helen Edmundson. The introduction by Michael Fry discusses the issue of adapting classics in context.

Helen Edmundson's gripping play tells the little-known story of a monarch caught between friendship and duty. 1702. William III is on the throne and England is on the verge of war. Princess Anne is soon to become Queen, and her advisors vie for influence over the future monarch. Who can Anne turn to when even her most trusted friends seem bent on pursuing power? Contending with deceit and blackmail, Anne must decide where her allegiances lie, and whether to sacrifice her closest relationships for the sake of the country. Commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Queen Anne premiered at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in November 2015, and was revived at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, in 2017.

Helen Edmundson's gripping play tells the little-known story of a monarch caught between friendship and duty. 1702. William III is on the throne and England is on the verge of war. Princess Anne is soon to become Queen, and her advisors vie for influence over the future monarch. Who can Anne turn to when even her most trusted friends seem bent on pursuing power? Contending with deceit and blackmail, Anne must decide where her allegiances lie, and whether to sacrifice her closest relationships for the sake of the country. Commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Queen Anne premiered at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in November 2015, in a production directed by Natalie Abrahami.

In the late 1600s, in a convent in Mexico, a gifted and progressive writer finds herself at the centre of a deadly battle of ideas. Celebrated by the Court but silenced by the Church, she is betrayed by the very people she thought she could trust. Inspired by the extraordinary life of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Helen Edmundson's The Heresy of Love is a powerful drama about a clash between organised religion and personal faith, full of intrigue and danger, ruthless ambitions and illicit desire. Premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2012, The Heresy of Love was revived in a new production at Shakespeare's Globe, London, in 2015.

This title presents the astonishing tale of Mary Shelley - and how she came to write one of the greatest stories ever told, aged just 19. This powerful new play explores Shelley's remarkable life: her controversial philosopher father, her scandalous elopement aged 16 and how she wrote a novel, so radical in its ideology, that in 1817 she changed the literary landscape forever. This title comes from the award-winning writer Helen Edmundson whose ground breaking adaptations ("Coram Boy", "Swallows and Amazons") have inspired generations of theatre makers.

An epic adventure filled with danger and excitement. Perfect for studying author s craft, plot and comparing two writers from different centuries. On stage, this script is great for creating high dramatic tension and provides 15 colourful parts.

An explosive retelling of the most savage and powerful of ancient myths - the story of avenging siblings, Electra and Orestes - premiered by Shared Experience Theatre Company. As children, Orestes and his sister, Electra, were sent far away, banished by their own mother. Years later, the city must vote to determine their future, as they stand trial for her murder. Some say the killing should be met with banishment and that the cycle of revenge must be stopped. Others want blood... Exploring the tragedy of human relationships set against the backdrop of war, Helen Edmundson's play Orestes: Blood and Light is based on Euripides' Electra. The play was first staged by Shared Experience at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, in September 2006, before touring.

A gripping play exploring Western guilt towards the Third World, from an author well-known for her award-winning adaptations for Shared Experience and the National Theatre. 'You're not a saint. Saints don't exist. You're just a woman doing her best.' Mark arrives in a village in India to try and find his wife. He doesn't understand what has driven her to abandon her young son. Jane cannot explain why she needed to escape or how she ended up looking after children in India – or what is in the bag she's been holding on to. It is hot, dusty and poor, and a long way from their comfortable life in London. Helen Edmundson's play Mother Teresa is Dead was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in June 2002.

A powerful play about the effects of Oliver Cromwell's military campaign in Ireland - a ruthless conquest whose folk memories still sit uncomfortably in the Irish psyche. Winner of the John Whiting Award for Drama. In the 17th century Cromwell moved English troops into a war-weary Ireland, forcing the local inhabitants onto barren land as the English gentry took over their homes. The cruelty of this racial persecution is brought into sharp focus through the tragic love of an Englishman for a local Irish woman. Helen Edmundson's play The Clearing was first performed at the Bush Theatre, London, in November 1993.