Product Description

Bill Bryden's Cottesloe Company, which flourished at Peter Hall's National Theatre, was the English theater's only true ensemble of the last thirty years. Impossible Plays tells the story of the company and the many actors and musicians connected to it. Co-written by Keith Dewhurst and Jack Shepherd, the book explains the ideas behind the company and provides an idiosyncratic, personal take on the company.

Beginning with a Royal Court Theatre Sunday night performance in 1970 and including photographs by John Haynes, Michael Mayhew, and Nobby Clark, Impossible Plays is a glorious and timely tribute to one of theater's most innovative companies.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3430169 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Review
'A vivid, nuanced and intimate account of the National Theatre's only true ensemble, Bill Bryden's Cottesloe Theatre company. Playwright Keith Dewhurst and actor Jack Shepherd tell an inspiring story of the company they helped to make. Anyone who cares about popular theatre, Britishness, the alchemy of theatrical space, acting as a group process and performance as a midfield football match, needs this book.' Michael Kustow 'The Cottesloe gang were an extraordinary troupe: a company within a company that created a style of theatre that was vigorous, popular and life-enhancing. The work they did deserves permanent recognition.' Michael Billington, The Guardian 'The Bill Bryden Company produced an extraordinary cannon of highly original innovative work at a time when British theatre was stagnating ensemble at its best and sometimes at its not so best.' Richard Wilson 'Here playwright Keith Dewhurst and actor Jack Shepherd povide an absorbing and entertaining behind-the-scenes account of celebrated productions such as 'The Mysteries' and 'Lark Rise to Candleford', and describe in revealing fashion the company's attempts to create a genuine popular theatre.' StageWrite (Spring 2007) 'A glorious and timely tribute to one of theatre's most innovative companies.' Wrinternet Bulletin (December 2006)

About the Author
A leading actor of his generation, Jack Shepherd was one of the founding actors of the Cottesloe Company as well as being a playwright. In 2005 his play Many Falling Down: A Mask Play was staged at the Globe Theatre, London.

Writer of eight plays produced by the Cottesloe Company including Lark Rise to Candleford.