Bloomsbury have just announced the publication of Not Beckett: The Plays, collecting the five pieces which constituted the extraordinary project that ran for the past two years. Encompassing performances in six different locations across the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States, Not Beckett had as its stated aim ‘to further explore the artistic influence of Samuel Beckett’s work through a modern-day, multicultural lens’ and ‘to expand on the idea of what Irishness looks and sounds like’ by commissioning short theatre works from Irish diasporic female and non-binary writers Hannah Khalil, Jennifer Barclay, Olwen Fouéré, FELISPEAKS, and Nicola McCartney. Each short play provides an ideal vehicle for students and readers to further explore the artistic influence of Samuel Beckett’s work through a modern-day, multicultural lens. The collection is introduced by Dr Matthew McFrederick, Co-Director of the Beckett International Foundation at the University of Reading, who considers the plays in the anthology and their impact.
A special launch night will take place at the Irish Cultural Centre in London on Friday 12 September. The evening will include a play reading plus a panel discussion with several of the writers, chaired by Matthew McFrederick, followed by an opportunity to purchase the anthology at a specially discounted rate. Tickets are £10 and can be obtained here.
Further information on the volume including order details here.
The Samuel Beckett Society 