England & Son (NHB Modern Plays)

'A nation that devours another will one day devour itself.' Set when the Great Devouring comes home, England & Son is a kaleidoscopic odyssey, where disaster capitalism, empire, Thatcherite politics, stolen youth and stolen wealth merge into the tale of a working-class boy who just wants his dad to smile at him. With some deep, dark laughs – and some deep, dark love – England & Son is a one-man play by Ed Edwards, first performed by the celebrated political comedian Mark Thomas. It was first produced by HOME Manchester and Tin Cat Entertainment, and premiered in Paines Plough's Roundabout during the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, directed by Cressida Brown, where it won a Fringe First Award. This edition also features an illuminating essay by the author, 'Writing the End of Empire'. 'A triumph… Ed Edwards' play has a terrifying force as it charts the story of a homeless man… it unfolds in fragmentary snapshots, kaleidoscopic images that build a picture in shards… The play's observations are fierce and sharp; its empathy, profound and moving' - WhatsOnStage 'A funny and ferocious telling of a lost childhood that frames the story of a juvenile offender through the lens of colonialism… powerful and moving' - Guardian 'Tremendous energy and real pathos' - The Stage