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Chris Lee

CHRIS LEE

  (1964 - )
Nationality:    Irish
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    United Agents  

Chris is an Irish writer living in London. His plays include Hummingbird at the Old Red Lion in 1996, the Optimist's Daughters at the Finborough in 1997 and the electrocution of Children at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in 1998, for which he won the Stewart Parker award. Chris was anglo Irish Bank Writer in association at the Abbey in 2000. Other plays include the Map Maker's Sorrow at the Abbey in 1999, eat the enemy at the Old Red Lion in 1999, On Line and Paranoid at the Finborough in 2000, Vermilion Dream at the Salisbury Playhouse in 2004 and the ash Boy at Theatre 503 in 2006. His new play the Water Harvest opens at Theatre 503 in June. His plays have also been performed in New York, Houston, Copenhagen and Paris.

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below is a list of Chris Lee's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Ash Boy, The         Cease Fire         Cold Vintage         Dark Matter         Eat the Enemy         Electrocution Of Children, The         Fall Of The Peacock Throne, The         Future Tense, The         Greatest Little Republic (in the world!), The         Hummingbird         Map Maker's Sorrow, The         On Line And Paranoid In the Sentimental City         Optimist's Daughter, The         Orgy Of Outrage         Prayers For An Angry God         Regolith         Saxophone         Shallow Slumber         Sneer         Vermilion Dream         Water Harvest, The

Ash Boy, The

Synopsis:
Jack divides his time between protecting his aged mother from the terrors of the outside world, and sitting alone in the park. He doesn't usually talk to strangers, until, that is, he meets Benny. Believing he has found a friend who can help protect them, he lets Benny into the sanctuary of his home. But Benny's love is that of an avenging angel.

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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Cease Fire

Synopsis:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
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Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

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Cold Vintage

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
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1st Produced:
rehearsed reading, Theatre Royal, Plymouth    2002

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Dark Matter

Synopsis:
In these ordinary gardens something extraordinary is about to happen. Shadows lengthen, the contrast between dark and light intensifies. Suddenly you sense movement. enveloped in a soundscape and sheltered by black umbrellas, our small audience will be immersed in a fantastical story that rises from the dark earth, a tale about the shadows creeping up from our subconscious. the audience will be aware of the flickering images conjured by our storyteller. Projected onto plants and trees, shapes appear and disappear as the Dark Matter rises up from below. Dark Matter is a story of madness, passion and death written by Chris Lee and directed by Symon Macintyre, with a live mixed soundscape by Tam Treanor.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
gardens in the North of Scotland    Oct 2011

Organisations:
Vision Mechanics

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Eat the Enemy

Synopsis:
the same dinner party takes place in four different decades in Croydon, in South London. each time a different dish is served. Presided over by the spirit of St Lawrence, patron saint of cooking, this play is an invitation to enjoy an unbridled appetite for food and sex, with only a little bit of cannibalism.

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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Electrocution Of Children, The

Synopsis:
a play full of pre millennium tension, where a man begs the doctor to help him kill off his father, the doctor looses faith in being a doctor and her daughter falls in love with a man just in time for him to be taken out by a contract killer. Who is responsible? Not God, he's much more interested in bacteria than in humans, which is why he's forgotten to do anything about the giant asteroid heading to crush us. We'll just have to muddle through.

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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Fall Of The Peacock Throne, The

Synopsis:
1953 Tehran and the CIA lead an attempted coup against the government

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
Wildbird

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Future Tense, The

Synopsis:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Greatest Little Republic (in the world!), The

Synopsis:
In a troubled world, the GLR is a tiny beacon of peace and civilisation, or so its proud citizens believe. From high-school graduate to head of the GLR's great ice cream company, we follow the rise of Anissah as she become the driving force of the country's national product. But when the GLR is threatened by political unrest in the United Free States of Europe, the citizens turn against Anissah, an adopted foreigner from a far away country. A dark secret about Anissah's origins is revealed, exposing the true poison that lies at the heart of the GLR and its potent national myth. A play about the personal costs of political ideals, racial stereotypes, personal grievance and mob mentality. . .

Notes:
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1st Produced:
Mull, Druimfin    09 Sep 2014

Organisations:
Mull Theatre production, in association with Wildbird

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  5            Other:  doubling

Further Reference:

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Hummingbird

Synopsis:
Martha looks after her poor learning disabled neighbours, Billy and Jane and their son Richard. Martha's own evil son Jamie lures Richard into the world of hard drugs and also exposes a terrible family secret. With devilish glee he reveals this to Richard, with terrible consequences for everyone, and not even Martha's alcoholic rage can dampen the flames.

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Organisations:
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Map Maker's Sorrow, The

Synopsis:
a young man kills himself. His parents, recently divorced, struggle to understand why. Perhaps the prostitute can help. Or maybe the MP who cannot sleep. Possibly even Death herself has something to say. Morag is a map maker and Henry is a sleep specialist. they may not have been good parents but sorrow forces them to come to terms with how they have led their own lives and how they may face the future. Understanding how maps work, is essential.

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:

1st Published:
Faber and Faber, London, 1999   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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On Line And Paranoid In the Sentimental City

Synopsis:
This play is a hymn to London Town. Racists, Islamic intellectuals, pornographers, historians, lovers and politicians can be part of one family. Rowing, fucking and killing is just London life. Centered around the King's Cross area just before the redevelopment, the play reveals the rich and vicious variety of London and its extraordinary instinct for survival.

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
Steam Industry

1st Published:
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Optimist's Daughter, The

Synopsis:
It is the eve of the British general election in 1997. a cross section of London characters are followed through their personal lives, racial tensions and political beliefs. at the heart of the play are two love stories. a white male teacher falls for his married Asian colleague, while an older Muslim man, with serious mental health problems, falls for another patient who is Irish. the play registers an early disillusion with the world of New Labour, and seeks solace in the hope of inter personal understanding.

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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Orgy Of Outrage

Synopsis:
a gripping and horrifying tale of two women haunted by the choices they made in the past. as child welfare once again hits the news, Chris Lee's daring new play examines how the unthinkable can happen.

Notes:
part of Central Lines- new plays in development, exposing And exploring contemporary life. Performed by A company of Actors in our studio space, Central Lines delivers two weeks of new writing At its freshest, funniest, most moving And thought-provoking.

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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Prayers For An Angry God

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
part of writer's block

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Operating Theatre

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Regolith

Synopsis:
a stunning and poetic meditation on the loves and hates, the murder and betrayal, and the sweet destruction of a mother and daughter relationship. across a barren landscape and into the city of fire, down the course of the freezing river and out to the edge of the universe, Regolith is a beautiful testament to the power of language, set in the wrecked, ruined rubble of the world. Words can shine a light on the terror in your heart. Do you love your daughter? Yes, but do you love her enough?

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Organisations:
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1st Published:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Saxophone

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
part of writer's block

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Operating Theatre

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
adaptation

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Shallow Slumber

Shallow Slumber
Shallow Slumber is a new play by award-winning writer and social worker Chris Lee, exploring therelationship between a young mother and a social worker. Dawn never thought motherhood would feel like this. Moira never thought she'd have a case like this. Unfolding backwards to the heart-rending moment when everything changed, Shallow Slumber looks past the headlines to the lives beneath. the play tackles the topical and thorny issue of social care, intervention and trust in a contemporary and relevant social setting. Inspired by the Baby P tragedy, this powerful two-hander has an intricate, innovative structure which disturbingly charts the onset of abuse backwards, from contrition and repentance, to the breakdown of the maternal relationship. With heart-wrenchingly realistic portraits and dialogue which combines fluidity with tightness, Shallow Slumber is an accomplished piece of writing, both structurally and emotionally.

Notes:
Written by Award-winning writer And social worker Chris Lee in response to the Baby P case in the UK, Shallow Slumber is A tense, powerful play that explores the fraught relationship between A young mother And her social worker.

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Supporting Wall

1st Published:
Methuen Drama, London   978-1408172674

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Sneer

Synopsis:
a girl is kept like an animal in a cage in her parents' living room. Here she learns discipline and ballet dancing. One day when her Father unlocks the cage to read her a bedtime story, she rips his throat out.

Notes:
20 minute play, part of A project called Cells. "the funniest most way out piece is Chris Lee's Sneer". Time Out.

1st Produced:

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
One act

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Vermilion Dream

Synopsis:
Miriam is an artist. She has visions of the High Renaissance and can step into the worlds of the painters Titian and Durer. George loves Miriam and is worried about her. He is afraid she will harm herself terribly. Should he tell the psychiatrist and have Miriam sectioned? Or would this ruin their relationship forever? Titian and Durer have their own views. Can art save Miriam? Can psychiatry? and which is more important, line or colour?

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Water Harvest, The

Synopsis:
Two boys grow up together in the lap of the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. Over time their friendship is tested in many ways; by the fates, by emigration, by money and by madness. This is a story of love under pressure, of intense euphoria and deep despair. against the backdrop of rain soaked Irish hills and the frantic insanity of London, two men struggle with sorrow and desire. and if love is to win out over hatred, a terrible sacrifice must be made.

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
State of Play productions

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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