Three Plays by Squint & How They Were Made: Long Story Short, Molly, The Incredible True Story of the Johnstown Flood

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Are you a theatre-maker looking for devising tools A writer wanting to improve your dialogue A director trying to create a story through improvisation Three Plays by Squint & How They Were Made brings three of the companys plays together with the methods used to create them, in a practical, user-friendly toolkit. Three of Squints plays - created by Lee Anderson, Adam Foster and Andrew Whyment - are published here for the first time. At the heart of each, a character is struggling to process their personal trauma under the intense glare of the public eye. Long Story Short (2014) dissects journalism in the digital age, Molly (2015) takes a reality television-style journey into the mind of a sociopath, and The Incredible True Story of the Johnstown Flood (2021) embarks on a transatlantic exploration of class, exploitation and appropriation. Developed over ten years through Squints education programme, the exercises in this book distil the companys collaborative practice into over 25 tools for writing and devising. The Squint Toolkit covers the entire theatre-making process, from carrying out research and improvising story to writing subtext, devising from music and making cuts.

Reviews

Squints trio of fast-paced plays, combined with the activities used to create them, are an invaluable resource for directors, ensembles, devisers and playwrights alike * Emma Rice, Wise Children *
You cant help but feel nourished by Squints collective spirit and markedly more equipped to originate theatre * Holly Race Roughan, Artistic Director of Headlong *
Its fascinating to read this generous and detailed articulation of the tools and methods of Squints theatre making * Amit Lahav, Artistic Director of Gecko *
An invaluable resource for theatre makers and educators * Anna Niland, Associate Director of the National Youth Theatre. *
A punchy collection of swaggeringly smart plays coupled with a generous toolkit of inspirations for making new work * Dan Rebellato, Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Royal Holloway. *

Author Bio

Squint is an award-winning British theatre company that stages stories about the here and now. They collide new writing, choreography and genre in unexpected ways to create thrilling nights at the theatre. They develop projects through in-depth primary research and create collaboratively in spaces that are welcoming and playful. They also offer learning opportunities that inspire and empower those who feel theatre is not for them. Founded at the University Of Reading in 2009, Squint is led by Artistic Director, Andrew Whyment. Today, theyre London-based but work internationally. Previous productions include Long Story Short (Charing Cross Theatre) and Molly (Charlie Hartill Award, The Stage Award). Website: squinttheatre.com.