THE BOMB - A Partial History is a season of plays from leading contemporary dramatists, charting the political history of the Nuclear Bomb and its proliferation from 1940 to the present day. FIRST BLAST (1940 - 1992) features plays by John Donnelly, Elena Gremina, Amit Gupta, Zinnie Harris & Ron Hutchinson. It is the first year of World War II, and in Whitehall two emigre Jewish scientists are waiting for a meeting to get the British establishment to take their nuclear research seriously. The following plays then trace the history of the Labour party wrestling with the decision to build the Atomic Bomb, the Cuban missile crisis from a Russian perspective, China's war with India and the subsequent development of India's bomb, the break-up of the Soviet Union and the unilateral disarmament of Ukraine. SECOND BLAST (1992 - 2012) features plays by Lee Blessing, Ryan Craig, David Greig, Zinnie Harris, Diana Son & Colin Teevan. A contemporary take on the non-proliferation debate looking at Israel and Iran's nuclear capability, the 'axis of evil' speech and its affect on North Korea, the U.K.'s continuing reliance on Trident in the post Cold War era, through to the current negotiations with Iran and weapons' inspections there.

Set in the midst of the Cold War, Lee Blessing's powerful and startling play dramatises a stand-off between U.S. and Soviet arms negotiators as they battle for supremacy. Full of tension and humour A Walk in the Woods shows how the relationship between the two experts evolves as they stroll in the woods above Geneva, away from the glare of the negotiating table. But will this escape lead to a true breakthrough or just more posturing? In this revised version of the play, originally performed at Northern Stage, Vermont, and directed by Nicholas Kent, a woman plays the role of the U.S. negotiator. Opened at The Tricycle Theatre 12th October- 12th November 2011.