Everything human beings do finishes up bad in the end. Everything good
human beings ever make is built on something monstrous. Nothing lasts.
We certainly won't . . .
William Carlisle has the world at his feet, but its weight on his
shoulders. He is intelligent, articulate and f***ed. In the library
of a grammar school, William and his fellow sixth-formers are preparing
for their mock A-Levels while navigating the pressures of teenage life.
They are educated and aspirational young people, but step-by-step, the
dislocation, disjunction and latent aggression is revealed.
Punk Rock premiered at the Lyric Hammersmith on 3 September 2009 in a
co-production between Lyric Hammersmith and the Royal Exchange Theatre,
Manchester. It is published here as a Student Edition featuring
commentary and notes by Catherine Love.
The ancillary material is geared at students and considers:
- an introduction outlining the play's plot, character, themes, context
and performance history
- the full text of the play
- a chronology of the playwright's life and work
- a detailed introductory analysis
- extensive textual notes
- questions for further study
Methuen Drama Student Editions are expertly annotated texts of a wide
range of plays from the modern and classic repertoires.
This play includes some strong language and violent scenes.
