The Birds (stage version) (NHB Modern Plays) E-Book

Conor McPherson

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

A suspenseful, atmospheric adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's enthralling short story. Mysterious masses of birds have begun to violently attack at high tide, driving strangers Nat and Diane to take refuge in an isolated, abandoned house by the sea and form a bond to survive their haunting new circumstance. With no electricity and scarce food, the tension is palpable and hope is waning. Yet if two is company, three is a crowd, as the sudden arrival of a young woman with a mysterious nature of her own ruffles feathers in the house and quickly threatens to destroy their so-called sanctuary. Conor McPherson's adaptation of The Birds premiered at the Gate Theatre, Dublin in September 2009. 'deliciously chilling... spring-loaded with tension' Irish Independent 'McPherson keeps us on the edge of our seat' Irish Times

Leseprobe

Conor McPherson

THE BIRDS

From the short story by Daphne du Maurier

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Title Page

Epigraphs

Original Production

Characters, Setting and Author’s Note

The Birds

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Then the Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it. He said to him, ‘You may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. You must not eat that fruit of that tree; if you do, you will die the same day.’

Genesis 2:16-17

I am the eye with which the Universe

Beholds itself, and knows it is divine.

Percy Bysshe Shelley,Song of Apollo, 1820

The Birds was first performed at the Gate Theatre, Dublin, on 29 September 2009, with the following cast:

DIANE

Sinead Cusack

JULIA

Denise Gough

NAT

Ciarán Hinds

TIERNEY

Owen Roe

Director

Conor McPherson

Designer

Rae Smith

Lighting Designer

Paul Keogan

Sound Designer

Simon Baker

The play received its American premiere at the Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, on 25 February 2012, with the following cast:

NAT

J.C. Cutler

JULIA

Summer Hagen

DIANE

Angela Timberman

TIERNEY

Stephen Yoakam

Director

Henry Wishcamper

Set Designer

Wilson Chin

Costume Designer

Jenny Mannis

Lighting Designer

Matthew Richards

Sound Designer

Scott W. Edwards

Characters

DIANE, late forties/fifties

NAT, forties/fifties

JULIA, twenties

TIERNEY, fifties

Setting

A house in the countryside.

Author’s Note

It would be preferable if stage management remained invisible for this play and the actors make any necessary changes to the set between scenes themselves. This way we also get an opportunity to watch them living together.

Scene One

In the darkness we hear DIANE.