Contractions

by Mike Bartlett

Contractions , a new play by Mike Bartlett, will be published to coincide with the production at the Royal Court Theatre, London, from 29 May - 14 June 2008.

'Come in. Sit down. How are you?'

Emma's been seeing Darren. She thinks she's in love. Her boss thinks she's in breach of contract. The situation needs to be resolved.

An ink-black comedy about work and play, which invites the audience to a meeting at the centre of the Royal Court building.

Genres: Plays, Theatre

64 pages, Paperback

First published May 29, 2008

About the author

Michael Bartlett is a British playwright. Mike Bartlett was born on 7 October 1980 in Abingdon, Oxford, England. He attended Abingdon School, then studied English and Theatre Studies at the University of Leeds. In October 2013, Mike won Best New Play at The National Theatre Awards for his play Bull, beating plays from both Alan Ayckbourn and Tom Wells.

(source)

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Bartlett is definitely one of my favorite contemporary playwrights, and he rarely disappoints. This is a brilliant, concise, Kafkaesque examination of the lunacy of office contractual manipulation. Would love to see this and/or direct it.

[Tuti · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good little noire play about total control (through the employing corporation) - in the tradition of beckett and ionesco. total control is a subject which in the meantime (the play was published in 2008) has gained enormously in weight and importance. i personally prefer mike bartlett’s more recent and realistic plays where there is also very satisfying psychological depth (like « snowflake » and « albion ») - but this play is also great and very efficient in its own small economical and perfectly constructed way. very quick read.

[cossette · Rating 3 out of 5]

content warnings: death of a child

[Jonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another play for my course.

I kinda fucking loved it for being such an odd little black comedy !!!

[Cynka · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best plays I've read in a long time, as a drama actress I can't wait for a chance to play in it one day

[EJ Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very twisted between the manager and an employer.

[Anna Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good it made me nauseous.

[Laur · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly was not a fan of this dark 'comedy' - there wasn't enough humour to balance out all the pointed stuff for me, and the death in the middle was such a left turn. I also didn't like the fact that neither character had any real depth, and both of them were being used by a corporation and didn't feel like they could change.
Definitely two interesting characters to play with acting wise, but reading this was a no go for me.

[Edgar · Rating 3 out of 5]

¿Hasta dónde puede llegar el control corporativo y la capitalización de la vida?
¿Qué precio se tiene que pagar para tener un sueldo seguro?
¿Cuál es el arraigo de la vida contemporánea, a qué le debemos tanto tributo?

Muy buenas interrogantes deja esta obra, se vive y lee así, de un jalón, intensa. Ácida.

[Mantas Giga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed feelings..
It's nice to back on a stage again.. after 10 years and have a first etude from this play.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very dark look at the control work can have over a person's life.

[Henna Ranu · Rating 3 out of 5]

creepy and cool

[Vika · Rating 4 out of 5]

jebal

[Dadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 *

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Come in. Sit down. How are you?"

[Anna McGuire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm need to think about this more

[Gareth Davies · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very absurd content which makes it funny.
Very dark and doesn’t really have a message.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know why I gave this only 3 stars the first time I read it. I loved it this time!