This author explores complex ethical questions and social commentary through their works. Their narratives often feature dystopian worlds, examining the limits of human nature in the face of adversity. Through a distinctive style and thoughtful themes, they compel readers to consider the implications of human progress and our collective future.
New York Times best-selling author Peter Nichols chronicles his and his wife's voyage aboard a wooden sailboat from the Caribbean to England - where his marriage foundered - and his trip back alone, which also became a journey of self-discovery.
Set against the backdrop of Peter Nichols' acclaimed "Privates on Parade," this story follows a leading character inspired by the author’s own experiences. It delivers a fast-paced, sexually-charged narrative that humorously explores themes of xenophobia and cultural stereotypes, blending comedy with insightful commentary.
Set against the backdrop of Victorian entertainment, the narrative explores themes of hypocrisy, racism, and sexual repression through the lens of a pantomime. It features characters like Dick Whittington, his companion Jack, and Sally, alongside traditional elements such as a flying ballet and a transformation scene. The story ultimately reveals the dark realities of the British East India Company's most lucrative crop, intertwining humor with a serious critique of societal values and the era's moral contradictions.
Ted Forrest struggles with writer's block and feelings of inadequacy as he grapples with his envy of the successful Miles Whittier. In an effort to reignite his creativity, he retreats to the countryside to work on an autobiographical novel. The narrative explores his interactions with two women and three men, delving into themes of ambition, rivalry, and the complexities of artistic expression.
In a dilapidated Tudor manor, 70-year-old Maud and her son Mo, 45, lead a quiet life filled with jazz and solitude. Their routine is disrupted during the father's funeral by the arrival of Hedley, the older son, and Queenie, Mo's twin sister from California, who challenge their way of life. Despite the tensions, Maud and Mo find solace in their secluded existence, which they liken to a shed in the garden of Heartbreak House. The story explores themes of family dynamics and the struggle between tradition and change.
Exploring themes of nostalgia and familial relationships, this bittersweet play delves into the complexities of fatherhood and the memories that shape our lives. Set against the backdrop of a youth filled with challenges, it reflects on the contrasting emotions of bitterness and sweetness associated with the past. Originally performed in 1971 at the Greenwich Theatre in London, the cast features four women and five men, bringing to life the poignant interactions that define family dynamics.
A provocative comedy exploring sex, love, and infidelity, this new edition of a modern classic, winner of the Evening Standard Award for Best Play, coincides with its highly anticipated return to the West End.
The story of a visionary but now forgotten English naval officer and the events without which the name Charles Darwin would be unknown to us today. Captain Robert FitzRoy’s first voyage aboard the HMS Beagle had concluded with the kidnapping of four “savages” from Tierra del Fuego. But when his plan to bring them back to England to civilize them as Christian gentlefolk backfired, the second and most famous voyage of the Beagle was born. In naval terms, this second voyage—with twenty-two-year-old Charles Darwin in tow—was a stunning scientific success. But FitzRoy, a fanatical Christian was horrified by the heretical theories Darwin began to develop. As these ideas came to influence the most profound levels of religious and scientific thinking in the nineteenth century, FitzRoy’s knowledge that he had provided Darwin the vehicle for his sacrilegious ideas propelled him irrevocably toward suicide. Praise for Evolution’s Captain “A powerful story played out against a beguiling landscape. . . . Nichols has a finely tuned sense of history.” —New York Times Book Review “A fascinating account. . . . A finely researched, engaging book.” —Atlanta Journal-Constitution “It’ll prove hard not to share [Nichols’s] fascination with how FitzRoy’s naval career inadvertently set off a scientific controversy still flaring to this day.” —Publishers Weekly
This is the story of the man without whom the name Charles Darwin might be unknown to us today. That man was Captain Robert FitzRoy, who invited the 22-year-old Darwin to be his companion on board the Beagle . This is the remarkable story of how a misguided decision by Robert FitzRoy, captain of HMS Beagle , precipitated his employment of a young naturalist named Charles Darwin, and how the clash between FitzRoy’s fundamentalist views and Darwin’s discoveries led to FitzRoy’s descent into the abyss. One of the great ironies of history is that the famous journey—wherein Charles Darwin consolidated the earth-rattling ‘origin of the species’ discoveries—was conceived by another man: Robert FitzRoy. It was FitzRoy who chose Darwin for the journey—not because of Darwin’s scientific expertise, but because he seemed a suitable companion to help FitzRoy fight back the mental illness that had plagued his family for generations. Darwin did not give FitzRoy solace; indeed, the clash between the two men’s opposing views, together with the ramifications of Darwin’s revelations, provided FitzRoy with the final unendurable torment that forced him to end his own life.
"A Voyage for Madmen" is a gripping oceanic adventure chronicling the 1968 race where nine sailors attempted to circumnavigate the globe nonstop. Only one would succeed, while others faced madness, failure, and death. This meticulously researched tale explores human endurance against the sea's brutal challenges.