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Lemn Sissay

LEMN SISSAY

  

Nationality:    British
email:    n/a     Website:    Click here

Literary Agent:    Curtis Brown Group Ltd  

Lemn Sissay is Artist in Residence at the South Bank Centre, London (2007-8). He has held numerous writer-in-residencies around the world. In January 2008, he was British Council Writer-in-Residence, at the State University of California, Los Angeles. Author of four poetry collections: Tender Fingers in a Clenched Fist (1988); Rebel Without Applause (1992); Morning Breaks in the Elevator (1999) and the Emperor's Watchmaker (2000) and the editor of the Fire People: A Collection of Contemporary Black British Poets (1998). His work is extensively anthologised and he is a regular contributor to Poetry Review. His previous stage plays are Chaos By Design (1994) and Storm (2003). Something Dark toured nationally and internationally, was adapted for Radio 3 and won the RIMA award (2006). His latest play, the Lost Boys of Africa, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 (November 2007) and he has been commissioned by the West Yorkshire Playhouse to write the adaptation of Benjamin Zephaniah's book, Refugee Boy (2008). His next collection of poems Listener (working title) will be published by Canongate (September 2008) and a new poem will be unveiled - inlaid in a sculpture - in the City of London in the same year.

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

        Inscribed         OK Systems         One Man Play         Refugee Boy         Something Dark         Storm         Why I Don't Hate White People



Inscribed

Synopsis:
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Notes:
part of "Table Plays". Drama brought to your table by members of our Hoard Festival company; short monologues from characters inspired by the Staffordshire Hoard.

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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:
short monologue

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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OK Systems

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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 Ten Min

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Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

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One Man Play

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1st Produced:
BAC , London >>>     2003

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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:
Solo Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Refugee Boy

Refugee Boy
A story about arriving, belonging and finding home. Poet and playwright Lemn Sissay has adapted this powerful, startling new play from Benjamin Zephaniah's acclaimed novel, first published in 2001and now a worldwide phenomenon. As a violent civil war rages back home, teenaged Alem and his Father are in a B&B in Berkshire. It's his best holiday ever. the next morning his Father is gone. He's left a note explaining that his parents want to protect Alem from the war. This strange grey country is now his home. On his own, and in the hands of the social services and the Refugee Council, he lives from letter to letter, waiting to hear something from his Father. then Alem meets car-obsessed Mustapha, the lovely 'out of your league' Ruth and dangerous Sweeney - 'no nickname. It doesn't get shortened'; three unexpected allies who spur him on as Alem fights to be seen as more than just the Refugee Boy.

Notes:
Benjamin Zephaniah's inspiring and moving story has been loved by readers young and old since it came out. Now for the first time it reaches the stage in a new adaptation by award winning poet, playwright and performer Lemn Sissay

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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:
adaptation

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:

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Something Dark

Something Dark
Sissay was brought up as a lone black face in Northern children's homes, the piece charts his rocky life story

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Organisations:
Apples & Snakes in association with BAC

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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:
Performance Piece Piece

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Storm

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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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Why I Don't Hate White People

Synopsis:
a brief journey around racism, guilt, denial, political correctness and the meaning of colour.

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
Artsadmin

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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:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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