Christmas

A seasonal new play by London's most prolific and evocative playwright.

People don't mourn out of love, they mourn out of fear, and the fear makes them stop. Michael, Billy, and Giuseppe are biding their time before Christmas away from their loved ones. When Charlie comes in with his cello, and a fear of stepping outside the door because he's been told today is the day that he'll die, they know that this'll be a long night.

Set over the course of one night in a bar in East London, Stephens' play is a slow-burning, evocative play about selling up, growing old, and moving on.

Simon Stephens' first play Bluebird was produced at the Royal Court in 1998. He was writer-in-residence at the Royal Exchange Theatre in 1999. His next play Herons (Royal Court, 2001) was nominated for the Olivier Award for Most Promising Playwright. His radio play Five Letters Home to Elizabeth was broadcast on Radio 4 in 2001 and Digging was broadcast in 2003. Port was produced at the Manchester Royal Exchange in 2002 and awarded the Pearson Award for Best New Play in 2001-2. One Minute opened at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield with Actors Touring Company in May prior to a national tour.