Edited, introduced and annotated by Cedric Watts, M.A., Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of English, University of Sussex. Shakespeare's Macbeth is one of the greatest tragic dramas the world has known. Macbeth himself, a brave warrior, is fatally impelled by supernatural forces, by his proud wife, and by his own burgeoning ambition. As he embarks on his murderous course to gain and retain the crown of Scotland, we see the appalling emotional and psychological effects on both Lady Macbeth and himself. The cruel ironies of their destiny are conveyed in poetry of unsurpassed power. In the theatre, this tragedy remains perennially engrossing.

In Basket Case, dependable Miranda and her ex-husband, the smoothly charming and wholly unreliable Guy are thrown together when their faithful old family pet takes a turn for the worse. Reunited over the dog basket, Guy and Miranda find they haven't 'moved on' quite as they'd imagined. When they are joined by family friend James, who rarely sees a stick without getting the wrong end of it, and Martin, the vet and a long time admirer of Miranda, the scene is set for some startling home-truths as this rapid-fire foursome mines laughter and touching observations in equal measure.

WORLD PREMIERE - October 5th 2011 at the Orange Tree Theatre, RichmondGenre: Comedy. We all want to be happy. We all know what it feels like. But what if it keeps slipping through our fingers? Paul is a former happiness guru. As a young man he wrote self-help books and appeared on the television as 'Mr Happy'. But now his marriage has failed and his career as a serious novelist is faltering, while his ex-wife has remarried a wealthy advertising executive to the dismay of their troubled teenage daughter. Paul is now concerned about the state of his health, the size of his mortgage and the monthly payments on his iPhone. Mr Happy is not happy. But surely if anyone can unlock the secret of perpetual happiness, he must be the man?

This brand new one-man comedy takes us on a journey to a stand-up comedian's firstever public performance to fulfil a lifelong dream. My Dog's Got No Nose is a thought-provoking insight into the world of the comic.

Hypothermia is set in 1940, in a German hospital for hereditary and incurable diseases. A doctor (Erich) and his assistant (Lisa) discover their patients, who had been sent on to other doctors for further treatment, had really been the victims of the testing of various torture (and often death) methods. It poses the question 'now that you know, what will you do?'

A delightful new holiday series featuring five classic Christmas tales in luxurious hardcover editions
Truly stunning book design has become a Penguin Classics tradition. We now introduce a new must-have, collectible series featuring beautiful hardcover editions of some of the best-loved and bestselling Christmas titles of all time. Available in lovely holiday-themed packages, the series includes "A Christmas Carol "by Charles Dickens, " A Merry Christmas "by Louisa May Alcott, "Christmas at Thompson Hall" by Anthony Trollope, "The Night Before Christmas "by Nikolai Gogol, and "The Nutcracker" by E. T. A. Hoffman--treasured Christmas tales that make perfect stocking stuffers for readers of all ages.

Impressionist Alistair McGowan debuts his first play Timing at the Kings Head Theatre starting from the 30th September, starring Dean Gaffney (Robbie from Eastenders) and regular theatre star Edward Baker-Duly. It seems that McGowan, famed by his sketch show Big Impression on the BBC has decided to return to the theatre after his work in Cabaret (Lyric Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (New Ambassadors Theatre) and The Mikado (Gielgud Theatre) but this time as a playwright. Teaming up with director Tamara Harvey, Timing is all about a young guy called Julian Mann (Baker-Duly) who sets off to work one morning only to find his ex-girlfriend of 5 years is at his workplace, but the complication arises in that they have not spoken since the break-up in which she broke his heart. It is set to go on until 8th November, and if McGowan's previous work is anything to go by it should be a comic hit. It should also be interesting to see how the comedian tackles more serious topics as well. --Review from spoonfed.co.uk

The Frank Daniels Trio were a singing, dancing, comedy sensation. A Wow Top of the Bill Socko Frank, the manager, was always on the left. Tony, the comedy man, was always on the right. Both men adored the girl in the middle - the beautiful Sarah. The perfect recipe for an entangled triangle. Sarah yearned for the more exciting Tony to declare his love, but it was the stable Frank who made the first move. She accepted. And so they married and lived happily - well, almost - ever after. That was in the 60's. Music changed. Styles changed. The trio disbanded. Sarah often thought about Tony. Tony wondered about Sarah. And when, years later, the three friends re-unite, memories and yearnings return - this time offering a second chance for true happiness. Will they dare to take it? With stand-up comedy and 'grumpy old men', this emotional roller coaster of a play will confirm the old adage that 'truth will out'.

The play examines the idea that Winston Churchill had advance warning of the attack on Coventry. Was Coventry sacrificed for the greater good? Or to provoke and hasten America's entry into the war?

It's good to meet up with old friends ... or perhaps not When Nigel arranges a reunion in the back room of a pub, he is optimistic of a good turnout. Whilst the numbers disappoint him, he soon has his hands full when a motley middle-aged threesome turn up, bringing with them assorted wives, girlfriends, prejudices, and resentments that have simmered for the last twenty-five years. As the evening unfolds, the men are forced to reassess their old alliances and reflect on their lives, as the women are increasingly struck by the futility of the whole exercise Comedy and confusion combine in this hilarious but poignant story of 'small people' in a 'big world'.

In her early twenties, university-educated Bex took over her mother's hairdressing salon rather than begin a teaching career. Now Bex is approaching 40 and her salon is under fierce competition from a newcomer across the road, precipitating a crisis with Heidi, her friend who works for her. Her husband Max has planned a surprise 40th birthday party for her, though it's not much of a surprise and in fact rather unwelcome. As the two women attend to their clients, I Want That Hair looks without flinching at what turning 40 can mean to someone who has never really been anywhere in their life, and is just beginning to realise that they probably never will.

These seven short plays by various authors, originally commissioned and produced by the Tricycle Theatre London, explore the nature of the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan.

This provocative new comedy is about a group of desperate souls who come together in pursuit of a shared dream. It's set in the 'wannabe culture', where everything is possible as long as you want it hard enough, and are willing to pay the price. Natasha is an actress but her latest role is going way too far for her boyfriend Ben. Guru theatre director Gavin is pushing the limits - but despite his reputation as an enfant terrible, he isn't at all what he seems. Fellow actor Danny has a sexual appetite liable to land him in big trouble, while the producer Danielle is worried about the outrage Gavin's production is sure to cause. And Writer Hannah has a story to tell, but does it still ring true? Bad Jazz is a gratuitous farce that exploits and satirises modern theatre, asking the question, 'how far are you prepared to go?'