We're their food source and we're heading towards extinction.

Mia is going out of her mind. Her baby won't feed; Alfie is being bullied at school; Joe is working long night shifts at a job he won't talk about. The upstairs neighbour keeps blasting music at 2 a.m. Another mutilated body has been found floating in the Thames.

Then Mia meets Ana, Alfie's art teacher, who proposes an unconventional route to empowerment.

Apex Predator opened at Hampstead Theatre, London, in March 2025.

John Donnelly's brilliant new play is at once a supernatural thriller and a sophisticated critique of the way we live now.

About the Author
John Donnelly is a past winner of the Tom Erhardt Award, the PMA Award for Best New Writer and the NSDF Sunday Times Playwriting Award. His plays include The Pass (Royal Court), a version of The Seagull (Headlong/UK Tour), Little Russians (Tricycle Theatre/ First Blast: Proliferation Season), The Knowledge (Bush Theatre), Encourage the Others (Almeida Projects), Songs of Grace and Redemption (Liminal Theatre/Theatre 503), Showtime (LAMDA), Conversation #1 (The Factory/V&A/Latitude Festival) and Bone (Royal Court Theatre). John's work for television includes the short film Henry (Channel 4's Coming Up, 2013) and two episodes of Utopia (co-writer; Kudos/Channel4) and an episode of Glue (Channel 4/Eleven Films), both 2014. Most recently, he adapted his stage play The Pass for screen, produced by Duncan Kenworthy/Toledo Productions and starring Russell Tovey. The Pass was chosen to open the BFI Flare Festival before returning to BFI London Film Festival; it was the opening night film for NewFest and closed Twist: Seattle Queer Film Festival, all 2016.


Book Information
ISBN 9780571398089
Author John Donnelly
Format Paperback
Page Count 80
Imprint Faber & Faber
Publisher Faber & Faber