'Stories from the past just simply don't get told unless someone bothers doing it. And I really believe this story needs to be told.'

1604. A small village outside Oxford. Two boys have been murdered by local brute Brian Gunter at a football match and their mum wants justice. But Brian is also the richest and most powerful man in the village, and has an ego too fragile to tolerate public slander...

A nasty feud begins, and when Brian's daughter Anne starts demonstrating strange afflictions, an allegation is made: she has been bewitched.

Impassioned and highly theatrical, Dirty Hare's award-winning production of Gunter, co-created by Lydia Higman, Julia Grogan and Rachel Lemon, tells a true story of deception, witchcraft and football.

The play premiered at Summerhall at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2023, where it was awarded a Scotsman Fringe First Award, Pick of the Fringe from both Playbill and Lyn Gardner, whilst Dirty Hare were named one of The Stage's Fringe Five list of breakout theatremakers. It transferred to the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 2024.

About the Author
Lydia Higman is a historian, writer and musician. She was a co-creator and cast member of Gunter (Dirty Hare, Edinburgh Fringe 2023; Royal Court Theatre, 2024). She has consulted on a range of theatre projects and history books, and is the main songwriter for folk band Iris & Steel. Julia Grogan is an actor and writer. She was a co-creator and cast member of Gunter (Dirty Hare, Edinburgh Fringe 2023; Royal Court Theatre, 2024). She has been a Writer on Attachment at the RSC and part of Channel 4 Screenwriters. Rachel Lemon is a freelance theatre director, teacher and facilitator. She is a member of Dirty Hare theatre company, whose productions include: Gunter (Edinburgh Fringe 2023; Royal Court Theatre, 2024) and Belly up (2020).

Reviews

'An incantation, working dark magic into a small room'

* Financial Times *

'Vital and exciting... anarchic... fizzes with fairground energy'

* Guardian *

'Incendiary theatre-makers Dirty Hare bring an exhilarating punk attitude to this little-known historical tale of murder, revenge and supernatural hoaxes... visceral, high-energy storytelling... thrillingly urgent'

* The Stage *

'Electrifying... equally intense and playful'

* Playbill *

'An energetic, subtle, genuinely amusing, hard-hitting piece that ties the effects of violence and suspicion to the patriarchal structure and all its demands... feminist fringe theatre at its best'

* Broadway World (2023) *

'Tantalisingly layered... deceptively messy and exquisitely controlled... Dirty Hare is undoubtedly a company to follow'

-- Lyn Gardner * Stagedoor *

'Fresh, exhilarating and enormous fun... brilliant'

* Evening Standard *

'Enjoyably hallucinatory... a wild piece of gig theatre... very unconventional... A gleeful slap in the face of a show'

* Time Out *

'An exhilarating feat of historical storytelling... a rare gem of a show... grabs your attention and doesn't let go... thrilling, bold and metatheatrical... truly remarkable'

* Broadway World (2024) *

'Riveting... a masterful command of storytelling... a nuanced exploration of witch-hunting and the pervasive effects of the patriarchy... vivid, feverish, and visually captivating'

* Reviews Hub *

'Provocative and electrifying... a gripping and surreal narrative... an exhilarating experience that is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant'

* Theatre Weekly *

'Explosive, sophisticated and unapologetic... [Dirty Hare is] a true ensemble of creatives who have their teeth in all aspects of the play and have something to say'

* West End Best Friend *


Awards
Winner of Edinburgh Fringe First Award 2023.



Book Information
ISBN 9781839043383
Author Lydia Higman
Format Paperback
Page Count 80
Imprint Nick Hern Books
Publisher Nick Hern Books
Weight(grams) 100g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 6mm