Late-night taxis, teen discos, home nurses, Jewish launderettes, vigilantes, babies, immigrants, seagulls. Citysong is a play, a poem and a chorus of voices showing three generations of a Dublin family on one day.

Intimate and sweeping, joyous and ridiculous, it's modern-day Dublin's Under Milk Wood via Metamorphoses (not the book about the cockroach). It's different things at different times, which makes sense seeing as it's about change.

Carys D. Coburn's Citysong was winner of the 2017 Verity Bargate Award, and premiered at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in May 2019, before transferring to Soho Theatre, London.

The author was named Most Promising New Playwright at the 2020 Off-West End Theatre Awards for Citysong.

This edition also contains the plays Boys and Girls, which won the Fishamble Best New Writing Award at the Dublin Fringe and was nominated for the Stewart Parker Trust Award, and Drawing Crosses on a Dusty Windowpane.

About the Author
Carys D. Coburn (they/them) is a writer and theatre maker based in Dublin. Their plays include Boys and Girls (Dublin Fringe Festival 2013, winner of Best New Writing Award, nominated for the Stewart Parker Trust Award); Drawing Crosses on a Dusty Windowpane (Dublin Fringe 2015); Citysong (winner of the Verity Bargate Award; Abbey Theatre Dublin and Soho Theatre London 2019); Briseis after the Black and Blackcatfishmusketeer (Dublin Fringe 2016); and This is a Room (Dublin Theatre Festival 2017). They are a collaborating writer with MALAPROP Theatre, with whom they have co-written JERICHO (Bewleys Cafe Theatre, 2017), Everything Not Saved (Dublin Fringe, 2017), Before You Say Anything (Dublin Fringe, 2020), Where Sat the Lovers (Dublin Fringe, 2021) and HOTHOUSE (Dublin Fringe, 2023). Carys D. Coburn was formerly known as Dylan Coburn Gray.

Reviews

'Stunning... If you want brave new writing, here is your salvation'

* Irish Times on Boys and Girls *

'Dublin shimmers in poetic celebration of the cycle of life... linguistically playful and fresh, the play's poetic origin gives it energy and rhythm, creating an impressionistic sweep rather than in-depth characterisations'

* Guardian on Citysong *

'Entrancing... sumptuous and sinuous writing'

* Irish Times on Citysong *

'A poetic masterpiece... Citysong weaves a rich human tapestry through times and spaces... its poetry proves to be nothing short of sublime'

* The Arts Review on Citysong *

'In 90 minutes [Coburn Gray] captures our imagination with dozens of joyous, tender and intimate family interludes... Citysong resembles a symphony, with every element resonating with the living, breathing, buzzing city of Dublin'

* Broadway World on Citysong *


Awards
Winner of Most Promising New Playwright, Off-West End Theatre Awards 2020 and Verity Bargate Award 2017.



Book Information
ISBN 9781848428508
Author Carys D. Coburn
Format Paperback
Page Count 120
Imprint Nick Hern Books
Publisher Nick Hern Books