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Silence (StageScript) by M. Buffini
A typical end of the millennium story involving cross dressing, hallucinogenic drugs, confused sexuality, alternative religions, and apocalyptic dreams ... end of the first millennium, that is.
A not-so-pure Maiden is sent to marry a not-so-manly Lord, who is advised by a not-so-celibate Priest, and protected by a not-so-insensitive Thug in an England ruled by a King who won't get out of bed.
Silence premiered at The Door, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, in October 1999.
A not-so-pure Maiden is sent to marry a not-so-manly Lord, who is advised by a not-so-celibate Priest, and protected by a not-so-insensitive Thug in an England ruled by a King who won't get out of bed.
Silence premiered at The Door, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, in October 1999.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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About the author
Moira Buffini
36 books167 followersMoira Buffini (born 1965) is an English dramatist, director, and actor.
She was born in Carlisle to Irish parents, and studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths. She subsequently trained as an actor at the Welsh College of Music and Drama.
For Jordan, co-written with Anna Reynolds in 1992, she won a Time Out Award for her performance and Writers' Guild Award for Best Fringe play. Her 1997 play Gabriel was performed at Soho theatre, winning the LWT Plays on Stage award. Her 1999 play Silence earned Buffini the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for best English-language play by a woman. Loveplay followed at the RSC in 2001, then Dinner at the National Theatre in 2003 which transferred to the West End and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Comedy.
Buffini wrote Dying For It, a free adaptation of Nikolai Erdman's classic, The Suicide, for the Almeida in 2007. She followed it with Marianne Dreams, a dance play with choreographer Will Tuckett, based on Catherine Storr's book. Her play for young people, A Vampire Story was performed as part of NT Connections in 2008.
Buffini is said to advocate big, imaginative plays rather than naturalistic soap opera dramas, and is a founder member of the Monsterists, a group of playwrights who promote new writing of large scale work in the British theatre. She has been described by David Greig as a metaphysical playwright. All her plays have been published by Faber.
Buffini is also a prolific screenwriter. In 2010 her film adaptation of Posy Simmon's Tamara Drewe was released followed by her adaptation of Jane Eyre for BBC Films and Ruby Films in 2011. The script appeared on the 2008 Brit List, a film-industry-compiled list of the best unproduced screenplays in British film. It received nine votes, putting it in second place. Buffini also adapted her play A Vampire Story for the screenplay of Neil Jordan's film Byzantium released in 2013.
She took part in the Bush Theatre's 2011 project Sixty Six for which she wrote a piece based upon a chapter of the King James Bible.
- Wikipedia
She was born in Carlisle to Irish parents, and studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths. She subsequently trained as an actor at the Welsh College of Music and Drama.
For Jordan, co-written with Anna Reynolds in 1992, she won a Time Out Award for her performance and Writers' Guild Award for Best Fringe play. Her 1997 play Gabriel was performed at Soho theatre, winning the LWT Plays on Stage award. Her 1999 play Silence earned Buffini the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for best English-language play by a woman. Loveplay followed at the RSC in 2001, then Dinner at the National Theatre in 2003 which transferred to the West End and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Comedy.
Buffini wrote Dying For It, a free adaptation of Nikolai Erdman's classic, The Suicide, for the Almeida in 2007. She followed it with Marianne Dreams, a dance play with choreographer Will Tuckett, based on Catherine Storr's book. Her play for young people, A Vampire Story was performed as part of NT Connections in 2008.
Buffini is said to advocate big, imaginative plays rather than naturalistic soap opera dramas, and is a founder member of the Monsterists, a group of playwrights who promote new writing of large scale work in the British theatre. She has been described by David Greig as a metaphysical playwright. All her plays have been published by Faber.
Buffini is also a prolific screenwriter. In 2010 her film adaptation of Posy Simmon's Tamara Drewe was released followed by her adaptation of Jane Eyre for BBC Films and Ruby Films in 2011. The script appeared on the 2008 Brit List, a film-industry-compiled list of the best unproduced screenplays in British film. It received nine votes, putting it in second place. Buffini also adapted her play A Vampire Story for the screenplay of Neil Jordan's film Byzantium released in 2013.
She took part in the Bush Theatre's 2011 project Sixty Six for which she wrote a piece based upon a chapter of the King James Bible.
- Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 27, 2023
“Ölmek istedim sandım ama yaşamak için boğuştum.”
“Kelimeler hep tuzak kurar bana. Daha ağzımdan çıkmadan ihanet ederler bana. Yalanların sazıdır kelimeler. Gün gelecek insanoğlu yalnızca düşüncelerle konuşacak, yalan kalmayacak o zaman. “
Sessizlik, İstanbul Devlet Tiyatrosunda oynanmış bir oyun. Türkçe çevrisi basılmamış. Metne İstanbul Devlet Tiyatrosu Dramaturji bölümünden ulaştım ve Serdar Biliş’in çevirisinden metni okudum.
“Kelimeler hep tuzak kurar bana. Daha ağzımdan çıkmadan ihanet ederler bana. Yalanların sazıdır kelimeler. Gün gelecek insanoğlu yalnızca düşüncelerle konuşacak, yalan kalmayacak o zaman. “
Sessizlik, İstanbul Devlet Tiyatrosunda oynanmış bir oyun. Türkçe çevrisi basılmamış. Metne İstanbul Devlet Tiyatrosu Dramaturji bölümünden ulaştım ve Serdar Biliş’in çevirisinden metni okudum.
November 2, 2022
Eleventh century English history isn't the most obvious source material for a comedy, but Moira Buffini has mined it quite successfully in her generally delightful play Silence. The title character is Silence of Cumbria, a 14-year-old Viking lord who has been ordered by Ethelred, the King of England, to marry the French noblewoman Ymma of Normandy. Ymma is at least twice Silence's age and objects fairly strenuously to the match, which she views as a punishment and which has forced her to leave her beloved homeland for the colder, damper, and less "civilized" England.
Nevertheless, the marriage takes place, overseen by Roger, the earnest young priest who has been given the task of converting Silence to Christianity. Also present are Agnes, Ymma's dutiful but high-spirited maid, and Eadric Longshaft, one of Ethelred's chief warriors, who believes he has seen a vision of the Virgin Mary in Ymma's presence.
Harsh words pass between Ymma and Ethelred, with two results. First, Ymma, believing that her disrespect might cost her her life, decides to flee immediately to Cumbria, abetted by Agnes, Roger, and Eadric (and of course accompanied by her young spouse Silence). But, second, Ethelred finds that Ymma's fiery nature has aroused in him a genuine (and unexpected) passion. He sets out to make her his own, determined to kill every Viking he sees on his way to Cumbria--including her husband, Silence.
And so begins a journey that will prove remarkably eventful for all concerned. Rigid bonds based on class, religion, and gender are all tested and broken as all six characters set out in search of both security and freedom. Silence is mostly a tongue-in-cheek adventure story, but playwright Buffini does touch on some serious issues here, particularly as cowardly, weak-willed Ethelred discovers the (illusory) transformative power of brute force and terror.
Silence's first act sails along brightly and cleverly, but things bog down somewhat in Act Two, as the play's themes get mired both in the characters' messy relationships and the dictates of the historical record. But this is mostly a very entertaining play, and Buffini delivers a socko surprise that will delight you even as it makes you feel foolish for not having seen it coming.
Nevertheless, the marriage takes place, overseen by Roger, the earnest young priest who has been given the task of converting Silence to Christianity. Also present are Agnes, Ymma's dutiful but high-spirited maid, and Eadric Longshaft, one of Ethelred's chief warriors, who believes he has seen a vision of the Virgin Mary in Ymma's presence.
Harsh words pass between Ymma and Ethelred, with two results. First, Ymma, believing that her disrespect might cost her her life, decides to flee immediately to Cumbria, abetted by Agnes, Roger, and Eadric (and of course accompanied by her young spouse Silence). But, second, Ethelred finds that Ymma's fiery nature has aroused in him a genuine (and unexpected) passion. He sets out to make her his own, determined to kill every Viking he sees on his way to Cumbria--including her husband, Silence.
And so begins a journey that will prove remarkably eventful for all concerned. Rigid bonds based on class, religion, and gender are all tested and broken as all six characters set out in search of both security and freedom. Silence is mostly a tongue-in-cheek adventure story, but playwright Buffini does touch on some serious issues here, particularly as cowardly, weak-willed Ethelred discovers the (illusory) transformative power of brute force and terror.
Silence's first act sails along brightly and cleverly, but things bog down somewhat in Act Two, as the play's themes get mired both in the characters' messy relationships and the dictates of the historical record. But this is mostly a very entertaining play, and Buffini delivers a socko surprise that will delight you even as it makes you feel foolish for not having seen it coming.
June 26, 2021
Esta obra es un 10/10
February 9, 2023
I liked it! For a bit it seemed so odd, but the feelings really come at you and fill your brain with lots of complex thoughts.
June 30, 2024
On stage this play has some real funny moments while addressing serious issues. It dragged at times though. Apparently the editor was silenced.
July 28, 2011
The play was brilliant, the set wonderful and the actors memorable. This edition was published by Birmingham Repertory Theatre and may represent an early version of the play. We saw Silence at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick in 2010, we had the good fortune to be talking to one of the actors and between us we discovered at least one substantial change of script.
Authors revise their work all the time. It is rare however, to find one version published and another performed. This was that exception.
January 24, 2016
Ymma reminds me so much of Celaena Sardothien????
Also, I absolutely loved this play. Seriously. I've been reading more plays lately, and this one is def my fave so far!
I love the story progression, I really like the tempo and I love love loveeee Ymma! One of my audition monologues will be from this play. I just put it together, it will be amazing I am so excited :D
I also wanna see this play so badly now..
Also, I absolutely loved this play. Seriously. I've been reading more plays lately, and this one is def my fave so far!
I love the story progression, I really like the tempo and I love love loveeee Ymma! One of my audition monologues will be from this play. I just put it together, it will be amazing I am so excited :D
I also wanna see this play so badly now..
June 29, 2013
As any good play, or book, should, it makes you think.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews