Stephens Plays: 3 Harper Regan, Punk Rock, Marine Parade and On the Shore of the Wide World

This third collection of plays by Simon Stephens showcases the development of one of the most exciting and impressive theatre talents of recent years. The range of plays in this volume displays a tough sensibility and a courage to confront the more unsettling challenges of our times. Harper Reganfollows a woman's road trip through the heart of England in a violent and comic exploration of the moralities of sex and death. Quietly harrowing, this play is a barometer for our times exploring dark secrets and familial estrangement. Marine Paradeis a musical about sex, betrayal and hope, set in a run-down B&B on Brighton's waterfront. A moving and poignant play, it 'captures the peculiar aroma of Brighton, with its mix of the bracing and the melancholy' ( Guardian). Olivier award-winning play On the Shore of the Wide Worldis an epic piece about love, family, Roy Keane and the size of the galaxy. Punk Rock is based Stephens' experience as a teacher and he describes this play as ' The History Boyson crack'. It explores the underlying tensions and potential violence in a group of affluent, articulate seventeen year old students.

Simon Stephens has been the recipient of both the Pearson Award for Best New Play 2001-2 for his play Port, and the Olivier Award for Best New Play 2005 for On the Shore of the Wide World. His recent plays include Harper Regan (National Theatre) and Punk Rock (Lyric Hammersmith/Royal Exchange, Manchester).