Mike Bartlett is one of the most prolific playwrights of today. His debut, My Child (Royal Court, May 2007) saw him hailed by The Stage as 'one of the most exciting new talents to emerge in recent times'. He is a winner of the Old Vic New Voices Award for Artefacts (Bush Theatre). In 2009, his play Cock won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre, while Contractions was nominated for the TMA Best New Play award. Bartlett was Pearson Playwright in Residence at the Royal Court in 2007, and is currently Associate Playwright at Paines Plough. He has also written seven plays for the radio, including Not Talking for which he won the Writer's Guild Tinniswood and Imison prizes.Bridget Escolme is Professor of Theatre and Performance at Queen Mary, University of London, UK.

The theatrical equivalent of a thrilling roller coaster ride. It swoops and twists, rushes and soars, and provides a great shot of adrenaline-fuelled excitement ... the sheer energy and ambition of the piece are irresistible.

• ChronologyCommentary:Characters and PlotClimate ChangeGeneration and Gender Gaps From the Personal to the Epic: Bartlett’s Political TheatreThe play’s first production and reception: the National Theatre, Headlong, Rupert Goold, Miriam Buether.Interview with Mike BartlettPlay TextFurther ReadingNotes

Mike Bartlett is one of the most prolific playwrights of today. His debut, My Child (Royal Court, May 2007) saw him hailed by The Stage as 'one of the most exciting new talents to emerge in recent times'. He is a winner of the Old Vic New Voices Award for Artefacts (Bush Theatre). In 2009, his play Cock won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre, while Contractions was nominated for the TMA Best New Play award. Bartlett was Pearson Playwright in Residence at the Royal Court in 2007, and is currently Associate Playwright at Paines Plough. He has also written seven plays for the radio, including Not Talking for which he won the Writer's Guild Tinniswood and Imison prizes.Bridget Escolme is Professor of Theatre and Performance at Queen Mary, University of London, UK.

The theatrical equivalent of a thrilling roller coaster ride. It swoops and twists, rushes and soars, and provides a great shot of adrenaline-fuelled excitement ... the sheer energy and ambition of the piece are irresistible.

• ChronologyCommentary:Characters and PlotClimate ChangeGeneration and Gender Gaps From the Personal to the Epic: Bartlett’s Political TheatreThe play’s first production and reception: the National Theatre, Headlong, Rupert Goold, Miriam Buether.Interview with Mike BartlettPlay TextFurther ReadingNotes

Mike Bartlett is one of the most prolific playwrights of today. His debut, My Child (Royal Court, May 2007) saw him hailed by The Stage as 'one of the most exciting new talents to emerge in recent times'. He is a winner of the Old Vic New Voices Award for Artefacts (Bush Theatre). In 2009, his play Cock won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre, while Contractions was nominated for the TMA Best New Play award. Bartlett was Pearson Playwright in Residence at the Royal Court in 2007, and is currently Associate Playwright at Paines Plough. He has also written seven plays for the radio, including Not Talking for which he won the Writer's Guild Tinniswood and Imison prizes.Bridget Escolme is Professor of Theatre and Performance at Queen Mary, University of London, UK.

The theatrical equivalent of a thrilling roller coaster ride. It swoops and twists, rushes and soars, and provides a great shot of adrenaline-fuelled excitement ... the sheer energy and ambition of the piece are irresistible.

• ChronologyCommentary:Characters and PlotClimate ChangeGeneration and Gender Gaps From the Personal to the Epic: Bartlett’s Political TheatreThe play’s first production and reception: the National Theatre, Headlong, Rupert Goold, Miriam Buether.Interview with Mike BartlettPlay TextFurther ReadingNotes