'No talent at all when it comes to cooking – as you will discover – but when it comes to pissing off my children – immense talent – Olympian talent.'Newbury, 1997. Sal is attempting to cook dinner for the family. She and husband David have pulled off a coup and gathered their brood back home for the weekend. Eldest son Carl is bringing his new girlfriend to meet everyone for the first time; middle daughter Polly is back from Cambridge University for the occasion; and young...

A play about grief and looking at someone that little bit more closely.Tom's brother Luke is dead. This has upset a lot of people but it hasn't upset Tom. Or, rather, it has upset him, but in ways he can't explain and other people can't understand. You see, Tom and Luke were never friends. In fact, Tom didn't really like Luke at all.So it's an odd decision - to try and bury Luke in the pavement of the Tunstall Estate where he was killed. But to Tom, it sort of makes sense, ...

In "Hanover; Or The Persecution of the Lowly," Jack Thorne presents a vivid exploration of social injustice and the human condition through a richly layered narrative that blends realism with poignant character studies. Set against the backdrop of a society deeply stratified by class and power dynamics, Thorne employs a lyrical yet accessible prose style, drawing on traditional storytelling techniques while infusing contemporary sensibilities. The book's fervent dialogue and evocative desc...

What on earth is happening to our planet? And who knows what to do? Certainties are few: every living thing is related to every other living thing; our actions have consequences; change is continual and inevitable.The National Theatre asked four of the country's most exciting writers to investigate. The team spent six months interviewing key individuals from the worlds of science, politics, business and philosophy to create a fast-paced and provocative new play.Gree...

A two-part play presenting two distinct moments in the life of Mary Bell, the eleven-year-old Newcastle girl who was convicted of the manslaughter of two toddlers in 1968.In the first part, Two Little Boys, two actors play childish games that gradually reveal the facts of the case, stepping in and out of several roles including judges, parents and abusers.The second part, Superstar, takes place ten years later in 1978. Mary and a friend from the open priso...

'We live in an age of cuts. We are a working-class town, that's our strength – and in the current climate, our weakness.'An urgent political play from the writer behind Let The Right One In and This is England '86. Hope is a funny and scathing fable attacking the squeeze on local government.How do you save twenty-two million pounds? Mark and Hilary, the leaders of the Council, are about to find out.Jack Thorne's play Hope

One bathroom. Two people. One day. A relationship witnessed in minute, devastating detail.A story of intimacy, fragility and the darker side of love, Jack Thorne's play Mydidae exposes the private and disturbing moments a couple share, and explores what becomes of a relationship when it is held together not only by love, but by fear, guilt and despair.Mydidae was commissioned by DryWrite theatre company and first performed at Soho Theatre, London, in Decem...

"Hanover; Or The Persecution of the Lowly" by Jack Thorne is a powerful novel that serves as both a gripping narrative and a poignant commentary on social justice issues. Set in the fictional town of Hanover, the story exposes the pervasive themes of persecution, injustice, and discrimination faced by the lowly members of society. Thorne's storytelling prowess shines as he navigates the complexities of oppression and inequality, shedding light on the struggles of the marginalized in a hist...

A heartbreaking short play about guilt, grief and responsibility, written for and performed at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2011.

After the breakout success of his early work for stage and screen, Jack Thorne turned for inspiration to his own family for a series of plays about hope, idealism and domestic politics. The work in this collection – five full-length plays and two shorts – showcases his extraordinary ability to combine electrifying dialogue with heartfelt warmth, candour and humour.Hope(Royal Court Theatre, 2014) is a funny and scathing fable about the leaders of a local co...

Acclaimed for his screenplays for TV dramas including Skins, Shameless, The Fades, This is England '86/'88/'90 and Glue, Jack Thorne first emerged as a writer of unflinching, compassionate and often challenging plays for the stage. Described as a 'powerful voice for Britain's youth' ( Independent), he remains one of the most distinctive talents working in theatre today and was chosen by JK Rowling to write the script for Ha...

A painful – and painfully funny – play about being very young and in love – and coping with serious illness at the same time.Rachel and Peter are seventeen. They have been going out for six months. It's love's young dream. Then Rachel gets ill – seriously ill. She doesn't want her mum to fuss; she doesn't want Alice to pretend she's her best friend; and she certainly doesn't want Alice's boyfriend telling bad jokes at her bedside. The only person she wants is Peter, but Peter doesn...