Prism and Ken - (Modern Plays) by Terry Johnson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

These two plays - by acclaimed playwright Terry Johnson - tell the inspiring, endearing and sometimes alarming stories of an Oscar-winning cinematographer and an aspiring playwright who receives a chance phone call.

In Prism we see Legendary cinematic master Jack Cardiff retire to the sleepy village in Buckinghamshire. His days of hard work - and play - on some of the most famous sets in the world are now long behind him, as are his secret liaisons with some of the most famous women in the world... Surrounded by memorabilia from a lifetime of 'painting with light', the writing of an autobiography should be an easy matter - were it not that Jack would now rather live in the past than remember it.

Ken, set in 1978, sees an aspiring young playwright wrestle with a play for the Royal Court. The phone rings. The man on the other end is called Ken and he's about to teach our hero the pleasures and perils of serendipity...

These plays were published to coincide with a 2017 production of Prism at the Hampstead Theatre, London, by Hampstead Theatre/AKO Foundation initiative and with funding from NEXT DECADE.

Review Quotes

'I remember being bowled over by Terry Johnson's Hysteria when it received its premiere at the Royal Court in 1993. Twenty years on it strikes me as a modern classic. Johnson does something remarkable here combining low farce with intellectual muscle. The result is hilariously funny, genuinely thought-provoking and at key moments, deeply affecting'.
The Telegraph

'It's all clever stuff, reminiscent of Tom Stoppard. But it's not just funny, it's unexpectedly moving, too... the heart and soul of this audacious piece remained evident throughout. The wit is never facetious, and the pain that bubbles beneath it is exquisitely balanced in two mighty central performances.
Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

About the Author

Terry Johnson's work as a playwright includes a version of Edward Ravenscroft's The London Cuckolds, Dead Funny, and Hysteria. He is the recipient of major British theatre awards including Playwright of the Year 1995; Critics' Circle Best New Play 1995; Writers' Guild Best West End Play 1995; Olivier Award Best Comedy 1994; the Meyer-Whitworth Award 1993; and the John Whiting Award 1991. He also won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical for his production of La Cage aux Folles. His play Piano/Forte premiered at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs in 2006 and, most recently, his play Ken premiered at the Hampstead Theatre Downstairs in April 2016.