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Three Poems: Northleigh, 1940; In Stereo; all of it
I suppose I never questioned why I was only one piece before
A woman trapped at home during an air raid.
A mother who starts to see double.
A whole life in one breath.
Three short plays by Alistair McDowall introduce us to three women whose ordinary lives mask extraordinary internal worlds.
This trilogy includes the plays Northleigh, 1940 , In Stereo and all of it , written for and performed by Kate O'Flynn. This edition was published to coincide with the run at the Royal Court and the Avignon Festival in June 2023.
A woman trapped at home during an air raid.
A mother who starts to see double.
A whole life in one breath.
Three short plays by Alistair McDowall introduce us to three women whose ordinary lives mask extraordinary internal worlds.
This trilogy includes the plays Northleigh, 1940 , In Stereo and all of it , written for and performed by Kate O'Flynn. This edition was published to coincide with the run at the Royal Court and the Avignon Festival in June 2023.
96 pages, Paperback
Published August 24, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 9, 2024
I won't pretend for a second that I fully understood all the nuances of form and substance of these plays, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading them and thinking about them after seeing a version of production. Hypnotic and intense mix of narration and stream of consciousness, logic and surreal.
"but then I felt the bedclothes move I began to feel the sheets moving and I realized I was getting into bed with myself I was getting in on the other side which I found unnerving at first I wasn't used to being in two pieces like this and I hadn't expected to share a bed with myself but that's what was happening and I was facing away luckily or at least luckily to some extent because I could feel my eyes boring into the back of my skull I could tell I was staring at myself I could feel that".
Amazing how something quite abrupt can be so poignant and convey so much, must be the empathy and attuning to what the protagonist is symbolizing.
"don’t give me leaflets anymore I walk past people promoting things and they don’t see me as a reasonable home for their flyer I am not a target demographic I don’t know when that happened I never see a woman my age on tv or in a film having a good time I never see a woman my age I never see women my age maybe they don’t see me either we’re all just as invisible to each other as we are to everyone else".
As I said, there are depths and meaning still hidden to me, which only means that I will re-read "Three Poems".
"think i had a good life but its hard to tell really i don't have anything to compare might have been happier at times but then probably everyone could have"
"but then I felt the bedclothes move I began to feel the sheets moving and I realized I was getting into bed with myself I was getting in on the other side which I found unnerving at first I wasn't used to being in two pieces like this and I hadn't expected to share a bed with myself but that's what was happening and I was facing away luckily or at least luckily to some extent because I could feel my eyes boring into the back of my skull I could tell I was staring at myself I could feel that".
Amazing how something quite abrupt can be so poignant and convey so much, must be the empathy and attuning to what the protagonist is symbolizing.
"don’t give me leaflets anymore I walk past people promoting things and they don’t see me as a reasonable home for their flyer I am not a target demographic I don’t know when that happened I never see a woman my age on tv or in a film having a good time I never see a woman my age I never see women my age maybe they don’t see me either we’re all just as invisible to each other as we are to everyone else".
As I said, there are depths and meaning still hidden to me, which only means that I will re-read "Three Poems".
"think i had a good life but its hard to tell really i don't have anything to compare might have been happier at times but then probably everyone could have"
June 15, 2023
I bought this immediately after watching the trilogy of plays/poems at the Royal Court Theatre.
This is a superb piece of work. I have been a fan of Alistair McDowell since Pomona and All of It may be my favourite of his creations.
Highly recommended!
This is a superb piece of work. I have been a fan of Alistair McDowell since Pomona and All of It may be my favourite of his creations.
Highly recommended!
June 13, 2023
Ali McDowall 🐐
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews