Daniels Plays: 1: Ripen Our Darkness; The Devil's Gateway; Masterpiece; Neaptide; Byrthrite

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Ripen Our Darkness was the play that established Sarah Daniels as a writer; The Devil's Gateway carries the flavour of life in Bethnal Green in the 1980s; Masterpieces, Daniels' most controversial play is a radical take on the porn industry and caused outrage among critics - "The play has bite, anger and tenacity and many of its arguments are true... the supreme merit of Ms Daniels' combative work is that it makes me want to argue back." (Michael Billington, Guardian) Neaptide looks at lesbianism and prejudice - "A lacerating wit" (City Limits), whilst Byrthrite is set in the 17th century, at the point when the role of the healer was taken over by the male profession of doctor, it examines the implications and dangers of reproductive technology - "Daniels puts her case with vigour and wit." (Financial Times)

Author Bio

Sarah Daniel's plays include Ripen Our Darkness (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, 1981); Ma's Flesh is Grass (Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield, 1981); The Devil's Gateway (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, 1983); Masterpieces (Manchester Royal Exchange, 1983; Royal Court Theatre, London, 1983/4); Neaptide, winner of the 1982 George Devine Award (Cottesloe, National Theatre, London, 1986); Byrthrite (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, 1986); The Gut Girls (Albany Empire, Deptford, 1988); Beside Herself (Royal Court, London, 1990); Head-Rot Holiday (Clean Break Theatre Company, 1992); The Madness of Esme and Shaz (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, 1994); Blow Your House Down, based on the novel by Pat Barker (Live Theatre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1995); Dust (Cottesloe, National Theatre, London, 2003); and Flying Under Bridges (Watford Palace Theatre, 2005).