Four inspirational tales of Essex resilience intertwine to make an unmissable world premiere by the region's most exciting playwrights. The Essex Princess by Anne Odeke It's 1908 and Joanna's planning to provoke the attention of Southend and the whole of the nation, by becoming the first black woman to compete in a beauty pageant. Fiza by Guleraana Mir Fiza's moved home with her parents. Under dire circumstances... At nearly 40. Will she pick herself up in time for the dreaded school reunion? Never Never Land by Kenny Emson Tag's out with the lads in 1998 - it's his last night as a proper Essex boy. But there are last nights, and there are last nights. Everybody Gets Born by Sadie Hasler Daisy's having a baby. Yep, right now. Actually having a baby. The drugs kick in, the room goes fuzzy, and Daisy finds herself back in 1978... in her mum's glam band.

Best mates Leanne and Kelly have lived in Southend-on-Sea their whole lives. Larger-than-life Leanne is happy staying put, but Kelly secretly dreams of escaping her dull job and seeing the world. When out-of-towner journalist Helen can't afford Leigh-on-Sea so moves in next door instead, events take a surprising turn. As Leanne and Kelly take her under their wing, an unexpected friendship blooms in Spoons, and Helen soon has them reconsidering what it means to celebrate where you're from. With the help of Leanne's Nan, east-ender Roni, they take a sharp swipe at stereotypes women have been putting up with for decades. Mischief ensues, fires are lit, and the Essex girls do what's in their blood: cause trouble - but not in a way anyone would expect...

I was the punk. I was born punk. But she was my rock. The only one I ever had. 1976. Fran and Leni meet in a North London comp. Three years later they are The Rips. Girls with guitars, bored of playing nice. Music, sex, fishnets, tits and spitting. A two-girl escape from everything sugar and spice. Fran & Leni is punchy two-hander about punk rock and life-long friendship from the writer of the critically acclaimed Pramkicker. This edition was published to coincide with the play's production at Assembly, George Square, during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, after its world premiere at Latitude Festival 2016.

I am the Edith fucking Piaf of the empty womb. Je ne regrettay fucking rien. Jude has always known she doesn't want kids. Her sister Susie isn't sure if her ovaries are twingeing or if she just needs a wee. One day, in a cafe full of 'yummy mummies', Jude loses the plot and kicks a pram. Then gets arrested. Then gets sent to anger management. Susie goes along for the ride and uses the opportunity to confess a secret. This funny and touching play premiered at the Brighton Fringe Festival, before a critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh International Festival Fringe, 2015. An unflinching look at what it means to be a modern woman, this programme text was published to coincide with a national tour in spring 2016.