What do you think?
Rate this book
Ravenhill Plays: 1: Shopping and F***ing; Faust is Dead; Handbag; Some Explicit Polaroids
"Ravenhill has more to say, and says it more refreshingly and wittily, than any other playwright of his generation" Time Out
"There are few stage authors writing more interestingly than Mark Ravenhill ... He is - it is now yet more evident - a searing, intelligent, disturbing sociologist with a talent for satirical dialogue and a flair for sexual sensationalism." - Financial Times
Shopping and Fucking: "is a darkly humorous play for today's twenty-somethings ... a real coup de theatre" - Nicholas de Jongh, Evening Standard
Faust: "...an intelligent and witty reappropriation of the legend ... alive, pertinent and disturbing" - Michael Coveney, Observer
Handbag: "...combines urban grit with sly wit, and reveals Mark Ravenhill as a writer of real daring" - Daily Telegraph
Some Explicit Polaroids: "laudably ambitious, pulsates with energy ... very funny" - Financial Times
425 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 25, 2001
5 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Mark Ravenhill
62 books41 followersMark Ravenhill (born 7 June 1966) is an English playwright, actor and journalist.
His plays include Shopping and Fucking (first performed in 1996), Some Explicit Polaroids (1999) and Mother Clap's Molly House (2001). He made his acting debut in his monologue Product, at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He often writes for the arts section of The Guardian. He is Associate Director of London's Little Opera House at The King's Head Theatre.
His plays include Shopping and Fucking (first performed in 1996), Some Explicit Polaroids (1999) and Mother Clap's Molly House (2001). He made his acting debut in his monologue Product, at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He often writes for the arts section of The Guardian. He is Associate Director of London's Little Opera House at The King's Head Theatre.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 3, 2022
paredes de coura type reading
April 8, 2018
When Ben Loory's Falling and Flying become too cutesy, Mark Ravenhill's Shopping and Fucking can be a perfect palette cleanser.
These plays scratch a number of my itches: pre-gentrification London, that messy 90s zeitgeist which (for me) is easy to be nostalgic for, old punks dealing with aging, etc. "Some Explicit Polaroids" is particularly funny and affecting.
I've never seen productions of these four; the texts are mostly just the dialog. I did catch the successor to "Polaroids", "Mother Clap's Mollyhouse", back in the day. But I recall that as being a rather different animal.
These plays scratch a number of my itches: pre-gentrification London, that messy 90s zeitgeist which (for me) is easy to be nostalgic for, old punks dealing with aging, etc. "Some Explicit Polaroids" is particularly funny and affecting.
I've never seen productions of these four; the texts are mostly just the dialog. I did catch the successor to "Polaroids", "Mother Clap's Mollyhouse", back in the day. But I recall that as being a rather different animal.
September 22, 2021
Reflective.
Repungnant.
Remorseful.
Rumbling.
Rudderless.
Ravenhill.
I shall
Recall, recollect amd reread
Ravenhill.
Repungnant.
Remorseful.
Rumbling.
Rudderless.
Ravenhill.
I shall
Recall, recollect amd reread
Ravenhill.
February 11, 2023
my personal ranking:
1. Some Explicit Polaroids (4.25/5)
2. Faust is Dead (4/5)
3. Shopping and Fucking (3.75/5)
4. Handbag (3.25/5)
1. Some Explicit Polaroids (4.25/5)
2. Faust is Dead (4/5)
3. Shopping and Fucking (3.75/5)
4. Handbag (3.25/5)
May 22, 2018
Largely invigorating, Ravenhill's plays hit a couple of duds now and again.
I love the work of Mark Ravenhill. Loved it ever since I first read him in college. His work, to me, seems to epitomize the In-Yer-Face "movement": provocation, sexual violence, all in favor of a bigger message on culture and society. And when Ravenhill is on, he's REALLY on.
But, in rereading his work, I found moments that read a little dry. I like his overarching themes of technology and consumerism-induced isoltaion, rebukes of Thatcherism, a sense of commodity in personal relationships and so on. But, every now and again, moments of dialogue felt like retreads of those themes: obvious reiterations of ideas already stated. And I recognize, of course, that part of this reaction comes from this being a reread. When fresh, these plays are, like I said, incredibly invigorating.
But that's the nature of provocation, isn't it? At first it shocks. But enough experience with it and the shock starts to feel normal. Which is a recurring theme in Ravenhill's work, granted. Part of the provocation in plays like Shopping and Fucking is seeing how jaded these characters are, how drug use and violent sex becomes mundane and blase, in part because of their attitudes and in part because of the society they live in. But I also believe shock can hold up if it has something substantial underneath it. Equus for example, will always compel me, because the writing, the themes, the message underneath, the pageantry all contribute to something greater than a boy stabbing out horses' eyes with a hoof pick.
Ravenhill has that sense of memorable provocation sometimes, and sometimes he doesn't. My ranking of these plays from best to worst:
1. Handbag
2. Shopping and Fucking
3. Some Explicit Polaroids
4. Faust is Dead
But all of them are interesting in their own way, and in their contribution to understanding Ravenhill as an artist. Check them out!
I love the work of Mark Ravenhill. Loved it ever since I first read him in college. His work, to me, seems to epitomize the In-Yer-Face "movement": provocation, sexual violence, all in favor of a bigger message on culture and society. And when Ravenhill is on, he's REALLY on.
But, in rereading his work, I found moments that read a little dry. I like his overarching themes of technology and consumerism-induced isoltaion, rebukes of Thatcherism, a sense of commodity in personal relationships and so on. But, every now and again, moments of dialogue felt like retreads of those themes: obvious reiterations of ideas already stated. And I recognize, of course, that part of this reaction comes from this being a reread. When fresh, these plays are, like I said, incredibly invigorating.
But that's the nature of provocation, isn't it? At first it shocks. But enough experience with it and the shock starts to feel normal. Which is a recurring theme in Ravenhill's work, granted. Part of the provocation in plays like Shopping and Fucking is seeing how jaded these characters are, how drug use and violent sex becomes mundane and blase, in part because of their attitudes and in part because of the society they live in. But I also believe shock can hold up if it has something substantial underneath it. Equus for example, will always compel me, because the writing, the themes, the message underneath, the pageantry all contribute to something greater than a boy stabbing out horses' eyes with a hoof pick.
Ravenhill has that sense of memorable provocation sometimes, and sometimes he doesn't. My ranking of these plays from best to worst:
1. Handbag
2. Shopping and Fucking
3. Some Explicit Polaroids
4. Faust is Dead
But all of them are interesting in their own way, and in their contribution to understanding Ravenhill as an artist. Check them out!
November 17, 2023
I do wonder if the shock value in these plays, the sexual acts, in relation to the world today, just seems so mundane and repetitive. And was it the shock and titillation that made the audiences laugh? I only read Shopping and Fucking and Some Explicit Polaroids for college. Ravenhill certainly knows how to start a play and how to express the unsaid undertow but overall I felt left with no message I could think about over the next week; which I understand is the sign of a good piece of theatre. I just felt depressed at the unpleasant nature of mankind with no view of how I can change it.
May 4, 2021
Mark Ravenhill fits right in with many other British playwrights of his time who began the 'in-yer-face' theatre trend.
At times, especially with the first two plays, the gratuitous violence and over-sexualisation are taken to their utmost limits. At the same time, Ravenhill has a very keen eye for what works in the theatre and how to keep people watching, if only in horror.
At times, especially with the first two plays, the gratuitous violence and over-sexualisation are taken to their utmost limits. At the same time, Ravenhill has a very keen eye for what works in the theatre and how to keep people watching, if only in horror.
October 4, 2021
Faust is Dead and Some Explicit Polaroids were phenomenal. Handbag was meh.
October 4, 2025
this collection was so so amazing. i see why sierz puts ravenhill in the big three of in yer face. loved these
February 25, 2017
How should I describe this. Disturbing and Shocking are the first things that come to my mind. First of all I must say that I liked to be shocked and I think that was the reason why I enjoyed "shopping and fucking" the most. For me this book was a 3,5 Star read. Some parts just didn't really make sense to me and all the fúcking between the lines just made me wonder how the fuck this even works on stage. But after all I really liked them and I am going to read them again. So if you like reading plays, that a different and not scared to talk about stuff. This is perfect.
October 26, 2012
Three stars only, because... Well, I really disliked play I (Shopping and that other thing) - I really loathed to read it, to me, it seemed like the biggest rubbish I've ever read, the whole stuff with sex slaves and rape by technical gadgets on stage: Stuff I wouldn't have read but for university and stuff I wouldn't ever wanted to see on stage.
Yet it slowly progressed.
While "Faust is Dead" was more likebly, but still very strange to me, "Handbag" contained only few bizarre scenes of intercourse on stage - you could actually cut out the scenes (or somehow change them) and no damage to the story would have been done. It was still understandable and I felt what underlying problems the play was about - the questions of child care, responsibility, patch work families, children abuse in certain places. The social criticism in this play was somethiong I could grasp without reading myself through disgusting scenes of strange intercourse.
"Some Explicit Polaroids" went almost without intercourse scenes. I liked this one best, because it showed so much problems of our time... People without illusions, who do not believe that they can change the world anymore and a world, where everyone has to be happy even if his or her world is breaking down etc. That actually touched me somehow. It really did.
Yet it slowly progressed.
While "Faust is Dead" was more likebly, but still very strange to me, "Handbag" contained only few bizarre scenes of intercourse on stage - you could actually cut out the scenes (or somehow change them) and no damage to the story would have been done. It was still understandable and I felt what underlying problems the play was about - the questions of child care, responsibility, patch work families, children abuse in certain places. The social criticism in this play was somethiong I could grasp without reading myself through disgusting scenes of strange intercourse.
"Some Explicit Polaroids" went almost without intercourse scenes. I liked this one best, because it showed so much problems of our time... People without illusions, who do not believe that they can change the world anymore and a world, where everyone has to be happy even if his or her world is breaking down etc. That actually touched me somehow. It really did.
July 24, 2012
Plays of variable beauty. While Some Explicit Polaroids is the most powerful and focused in my opinion, I am aware that this book still requires some more thought. Brimming with references and charged with psychoanalytic structures, there are some underlying meanings to be unlocked, especially as regards Handbag, perhaps the most difficult/repugnant of all.
September 24, 2012
An absolutely amazing collection of plays by one of Britain's most established modern playwrights. Taking on cultural attitudes, sexuality, violence and an homage to 'The Importance of Being Earnest' Ravenhill's plays leave an amazing impact, both on stage and personally :)
March 29, 2008
Same school as Sarah Kane. Intense & fucked up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2010
Mark Ravenhill sucks dick. He's also a terrible writer.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews