Theatre has a complex history of responding to crises, long before they happen. Through stage plays, contemporary challenges can be presented, explored and even foreshadowed in ways that help audiences understand the world around them. Since the theatre of the Greeks, audiences have turned to live theatre in order to find answers in uncertain political, social and economic times, and through this unique collection questions about This anthology brings together a collection of 20 scenes from 20 playwrights that each respond to the world in crisis. Twenty of the world's most prolific playwrights were asked to select one scene from across their published work that speaks to the current world situation in 2020. As COVID-19 continues to challenge every aspect of global life, contemporary theatre has long predicted a world on the edge. Through these 20 scenes from plays spanning from 1980 to 2020, we see how theatre and art has the capacity to respond, comment on and grapple with global challenges that in turn speak to the current time in which we are living. Each scene, chosen by the writer, is prefaced by an interview in which they discuss their process, their reason for selection and how their work reflects both the past and the present. From the political plays of Lucy Prebble and James Graham to the polemics of Philip Ridley and Tim Crouch. From bold works by Inua Ellams, Morgan Lloyd Malcom and Tanika Gupta to the social relevance of Hannah Khalil, Zoe Cooper and Simon Stephens this anthology looks at theatre in the present and asks the question: "how can theatre respond to a world in crisis?" The collection is prefaced by an introduction from Edward Bond, one of contemporary theatre's most prolific dramatists.

A mother and daughter's illusions are shattered when they head to the local Sikh Temple, as they're immersed in a world of desperate aspiration and dangerous deals. Behzti (Dishonour) touched such a nerve in a Sikh community during its UK production that the playwright was forced into hiding because of death threats.

What happens when the legacy of a father collides with the dreams of his son? Widow Jeeto Gill has spent her life working hard and making sacrifices for her children. Now she looks forward to going back to her land in the Punjab, eating saag and roti on a verandah and letting her tired eyes rest on green fields. Her son Pal seems to have it all but he's restless. He's got big plans for his Daddy's business and a taste for Johnny Walker Black Label. However his kind-hearted wife Liz has her own ideas about what's best. Meanwhile Pal's sharp-tongued sister Cookie runs the tackiest beauty salon in town and harbours a dark secret. When their cousin's destitute wife, Reema, arrives from back home, the Gills propose to take care of her. Little do they know that her arrival will change the course of their family's destiny forever.

Behud (Beyond Belief) is the latest play by controversial playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti. In December 2004, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti's play Behzti rocked the world of theatre when it was cancelled after protests in Birmingham. The closure of the play sparked a vehement debate about offence and freedom of speech, as well as death threats for the playwright forcing her to go into hiding.In Behud, a playwright attempts to make sense of the past by visiting the darkest corners of her imaginations. Set amidst the theatre establishment, politicians and protesters, Behud is an imaginative response, inspired by the events surrounding Behzti, and the compelling story of an artist struggling to be heard.

“In this country, you go as far as they let you.” _x000D_ Friday night and someone’s having a party. It seems like a laugh, but not everyone’s having fun. Nicky and Anjum want their kids to get into the best schools, and Gary is feeling the pressure after applying for a promotion. What happens when not everyone will get what they want? _x000D_ Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti's new play about a group of working-class friends dreaming of a better life for their children questions the dream of class mobility, and what happens when the odds are stacked against you.