Upfront Theatre

An anthology bringing together a selection of Claire Dowie's plays for young people which are ideal for performance with a large cast.<br/><br/>The anthology includes the following plays and an introduction by the author.<br/><br/><i>Why Is John Lennon Wearing A Skirt? </i>(<b>Stage2</b> version large cast) portrays a 14-year-old girl who dresses like a boy and would rather play football than anything else. This version can be performed by a cast of up to 100.<br/><br/><i>Arsehammers</i> (<b>Stage2</b> version large cast) is about a boy's relationship with his grandfather who is suffering from Alzheimer's (or Arsehammers as the boy hears it). He believes his grandad to have superpowers on account of his routine disappearances. A brilliant tale of living with and understanding mental illness. It has been reimagined for a cast of around 20.<br/><br/><i>The Year of the Monkey</i> (<b>Stage2 </b>version large cast) shows a mother dreaming of injecting some excitement into her humdrum life. The play has been revised the play for around 25 young people.<br/><br/><i>Hard Working Families</i> (original version large cast) which hasn't previously been published is a satirical play with music that exposes the true impact that earning a living has on young people in modern-day society. It is a response to politicians' visions of 'ordinary people' set against the reality of earning a living and the way this impacts on young people's lives. It can be performed by a cast of up to 50.