In the 1990s playwright Anthony Neilson garnered a reputation for hard-hitting, morally disturbing plays that saw him labelled as one of the 'In Yer Face' dramatists who emerged from that decade. This second volume of plays showcases the comic, surreal and gloriously off-kilter side of his more recent work. Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness! (Theatre Royal, Plymouth, 2002) mixes Victorian melodrama with a catalogue of grotesque comic tales; The Lying Kind (Royal Court, 2002), a black farce set at Christmas involving two hapless policeman who must break news of tragedy to an elderly couple, 'often reduced much of the audience to tears of laughter' (Financial Times). Produced originally for the 2004 Edinburgh International Festival, The Wonderful World of Dissocia wowed critics and audiences alike. A hugely original play inspired by Alice in Wonderland, it is both magical and moving and confirmed Neilson as one of the major voices in contemporary British Theatre. Realism premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2006. It follows the life of one man during an ordinary day but veers off to become a deliriously surreal trip inside his wayward imagination. It was described by the Guardian as a 'bold and utterly distinctive all-singing, all-dancing show, like nothing else you'll ever see'.

In 2007 Methuen Drama's top-selling new play was the 2-play volume The Wonderful World of Dissocia and Realism, selling over 4000 copies during its national tour. Toured by the National Theatre of Scotland in 2007, Dissocia was a critical hit: 'a modern classic' (Daily Telegraph), 'the sheer audacity of Neilson's theatical imagination and style leaves the audience gasping from first to last' (Scotsman). Realism opened at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2006 and was described as being a 'riotously funny fantasy ... the play potently haunts the memory' (Daily Telegraph). Edward Gant's Amazing Feats...! will be revived by Headlong Theatre Company in a national tour from September - November 2008. Neilson has a new play opening at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in June 2008.

About the Author
Anthony Neilson is an Artistic Associate of National Theatre of Scotland and a creator of pioneering, taboo-breaking new work. He has a new play opening at the Royal Court, London, in June.


Book Information
ISBN 9781408106808
Author Anthony Neilson
Format Paperback
Page Count 368
Imprint Methuen Drama
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 298g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 126mm * 22mm