'Entertaining...revealing, shocking' BERNARDINE EVARISTO

'Sublime' CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS

Actor and director Zawe Ashton brings us a unique look at life, work and the absurdities of today's world

Zawe Ashton has been acting since she was six. She has played many different roles, from 'cute little girl' to 'assassin with attitude', Oscar Wilde's Salome to St Trinian's schoolgirl by way of Fresh Meat's Vod.

In Character Breakdown, Zawe scrolls through a version of her life. Or is it a version of her art? Or something in between. In it, she encounters glamour, horror, absurdity and questions like: is a life spent more on performance than reality any life at all?

'Smart, funny, vivid, honest, dark, timely' The Times

'A smart, funny and well-written take-down of modern showbiz' Elizabeth Day, author of How To Fail

Selected by Bernardine Evaristo as one her 20 books by Black British Womxn Writers

Sharp satirical, unconventional memoir about modern life from rising, non-conformist British star

About the Author
Zawe Ashton is an actress, playwright and director who started acting at the age of six. Her portrayal of Vod in Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong's Fresh Meat won her a cult following and the diversity of her work across television, film and stage has attracted numerous accolades. Recent credits include the BBC/Netflix TV series Wanderlust, the Netflix feature film Velvet Buzzsaw and Betrayal at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Her play for all those women who thought they were Mad will be staged for the first time this year. She lives in London.

Reviews
A very great book
A smart, funny and well-written take-down of modern showbiz -- Elizabeth Day * Mail on Sunday *
Smart, funny, vivid, honest, dark, timely * The Times *
An entertaining and original memoir touching on career, life and identity. It is an enjoyable read, despite the humiliating tales of auditions or filming situations where she is physically assessed, objectified or subject to casual racism. Understandably there is an undertone of rage in her keen observations -- Hannah Beckerman * Observer *
Character Breakdown embraces darkness while also being a wickedly absurd look at modern show business * Stylist *



Book Information
ISBN 9781784703387
Author Zawe Ashton
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint Vintage
Publisher Vintage Publishing
Weight(grams) 223g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 19mm