Moon on a Rainbow Shawl by Errol John depicts the vibrant, cosmopolitan of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad - a world that is as harsh as it is filled with colour and warmth. Esther - if yer have yer head screw on right - No matter where yer go - One night - some time - Yer reach up - yer touch that moon. For the teeming populace of Old Mack's cacophonous yard in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, it's a cheek by jowl existence lived out on a sweltering public stage. Snatches of calypso compete with hymn tunes, drums and street cries as neighbours drink, brawl, pass judgment, make love, look out for each other and crave a better life. But Ephraim is no dreamer and nothing, not even the seductive Rosa, is going to stop him escaping his dead-end job for a fresh start in England. Set as returning troops from the Second World War fill the town with their raucous celebrations, Erroll John's Moon on a Rainbow Shawl depicts a vibrant, cosmopolitan world that is as harsh as it is filled with colour and warmth. First published by Faber in 1958, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl was revived at the National Theatre, London, in March 2012. 'A brawling, laughing, bitter sense of life courses through Moon on a Rainbow Shawl. Errol John fills the stage with people of flesh and blood; he communicates the harshness and tension in this steaming, crowded corner of Port-of-Spain. He writes with such warmth and understanding that the problems and characters of a mean backyard in Trinidad assume a validity for a multitude of teeming, troubled places on this planet.' New York Times 'Errol John's seminal Caribbean drama deserves to be recognised as a twentieth-century classic.' Independent on Sunday

Errol John wrote Moon on a Rainbow Shawl (1958) after becoming disillusioned about the lack of good roles for black actors on the British theatre scene. While this situation has only slightly improved since, his response has become the most revived black play in Britain, from its original production at the Royal Court in 1958, to the National Theatre in 2012. It depicts the lives of a black community living in poverty in a shared tenement yard in Port of Spain, Trinidad, in the mid-1940s, showing how each of the characters carries dreams of escaping to create better lives for themselves and their families. Lynette Goddard focuses on how the play articulates the narratives of migration that prompted many Caribbean people to uproot from their homes on the islands and move to the England in the post-war era. For some of them, these dreams of a new life became a reality, but they were experienced differently across genders and generations.

'We can't all just be hurtling through nothing towards nowhere...can we?' A young couple are moving into their new home. A soldier is being held hostage. Two boys are searching for monsters. All these things are connected by both family and time but what story can be told when family and time are broken? Set over the course of twelve years, Shivered unpicks the story of two families and then re-weaves it into something new and startling. Seven people, one war, a derelict car plant and mysterious lights in the sky come together in the Essex new-town of Draylingstowe, where the view from green hills once offered hope and prosperity for all. An oblique and startlingly anachronistic piece, the timeframe is an emotional, rather than linear sequence, reflecting the characters' broken memories and shattered lives. Depicting a panorama of people and time, connecting links of friendship, family and encounters eddy around each other in a tantalising, surprising and intelligent way. Shivered is a state of the nation play meets a dreamlike memory play.

Lace gets a whole new look! Lace has traditionally been knit in finer weight yarns to create airy, delicate designs. But when knit in bulky yarns, lace becomes bold, graphic, and dramatic. Working with thicker yarns also makes the projects move along more quickly and the lace repeats shorter, so it's easy to learn new stitches and techniques. For those new to bulky yarns, Barbara Benson shows you how these yarns work best in lace designs and provides tips and tricks for reading and executing lace patterns. Then you are ready to knit any of the 20 patterns for beautiful lacy shawls, mitts, hats, cowls, blankets, and more. Gorgeous photography by Gale Zucker shows the pieces to their full, stunning effect. Get those big needles and chunky yarn ready to roll!

"This dynamic mixture of rock, calypso and ballads features a dozen singer-dancers in 20 numbers. In revue-style format, Don't Bother Me ... explores the African American experience through vibrant song and dance."--Publisher

During the summer holidays of 2009 Corey dreams of nothing but hanging around with his friends while ordering as much Morley's as possible... until Jodie comes along. Meeting her makes Corey realise the changes that are happening within his beloved Lewisham Borough and, for the first time, thinking about what path his future takes. 'Corey Bovell is a master story-teller who oozes charisma, captivating his audience throughout. He is able to truly capture those moments he describes, drawing you in, even when he's just telling you about ordering his Chicken Burger N Chips. It's a deeply personal play and this comes through in both the writing and the performance... Kwame Asiedu's direction brings it to life with energy and emotion...I hope it gets a further run so more people are able to experience this.' ★★★★ Dress Circle Reviews 'For 75 breathless, high energy minutes, writer/performer Corey painted a vivid picture of life on the mean streets of Lewisham, with good friends, a loving family, and the best fried chicken in South London... Corey Bovell enacts that significance with brilliant effect and makes the story of a good boy in a bad borough powerful and telling... I loved the powerful performance.' London Pub Theatres

"A celebration of the 50th anniversary of NASA's Apollo missions to the moon, this narrative uses 50 key artifacts from the Smithsonian archives to tell the story of the groundbreaking space exploration program. Bold photographs, fascinating graphics, and engaging stories commemorate the 20th century's most important space endeavor: NASA's Apollo program to reach the moon. From the lunar rover and an emergency oxygen mask to space food and moon rocks, it's a carefully curated array of objects--complete with intriguing back stories and profiles of key participants. This book showcases the historic space exploration program that landed humans on the moon, advanced the world's capabilities for space travel, and revolutionized our sense of humanity's place in the universe. Each historic accomplishment is symbolized by a different object, from a Russian stamp honoring Yuri Gagarin and plastic astronaut action figures to the Apollo 11 command module, piloted by Michael Collins as Armstrong and Aldrin made the first moonwalk, together with the monumental art inspired by these moon missions. Throughout, Apollo to the Moon also tells the story of people who made the journey possible: the heroic astronauts as well as their supporters, including President John F. Kennedy, newsman Walter Cronkite, and NASA scientists such as Margaret Hamilton."--Publisher's website.

Susan Michaels was once the hottest reporter on the Beltway Beat until a major scandal ruined her life and left her writing stories about alien babies and Elvis sightings. Life as she once knew it is over, or so she thinks, but then she gets a lead on a story that could salvage her extinct career. She heads to the local animal shelter, expecting a hot news tip, which she gets in the form of a major police cover-up . . . for a ring of soul-sucking vampires out to take over Seattle. So much for saving her credibility. And if that isn't bad enough, she gets talked into adopting a cat and finds she's allergic to it. A cat that turns out to be a shapeshifter who claims to be an immortal vampire slayer on the prowl for the same corrupt cops. Her first thought: seek professional help. But as Susan's drawn into Ravyn's dark and dangerous world, she comes to realize that there's a lot more at stake than just her defunct career. Now it's no longer a question of bringing the truth to her readers; it's a matter of saving their very lives and souls. Ravyn's life was shattered over four hundred years ago, when he mistakenly trusted the wrong human with the truth of his existence. He lost his family, his honor, and his life. Now, in order to save the people of Seattle, he's forced to confront that nightmare all over again, and to trust another woman with the secret that could destroy him. In the world of the Dark-Hunters, life is always dangerous. But never more so than now; when a very human woman can shatter their entire world with just one story. The only question is . . . will she?

In May 1969, David Oluwale's body was pulled from the River Aire in Leeds. Eighteen months later, the investigation into his death was to rip apart the Yorkshire police force as two officers were prosecuted for killing the Nigerian immigrant whist in police custody.The police acts of prejudice and violence brought to light through the investigation of 1971 shook the population of Leeds, and thirty nine years on, the details of Oluwale's death still haunt the area. Through The Hounding of David Oluwale, an adaptation of Kester Aspden’s critically acclaimed text, Agboluaje uses carefully selected accounts of Oluwale's life to reveal how an optimistic and much loved showman who loved to dance, became the tragic victim of police persecution and brutality. Adapted as part of the Eclipse Theatre Initiative, a scheme dedicated to raising awareness for the work of aspiring Black dramatists, this play is a gripping drama that unravels the deep rooted prejudice that resides within contemporary society. The Hounding of David Oluwale opened at the West Yorkshire Playhouse at the end of January 2009.