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A Mouthful of Birds

A collaboratively written theatre piece by Caryl Churchill and David Lan, combining text and dance to explore the nature of madness, possession and violence.

  • Full Length Play
  • Drama

  • Time Period: Contemporary
  • Target Audience: Adult
  • Set Requirements: Bare Stage/Simple Set

  • Performance Group:
  • College Theatre / Student, Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups
Published in volume Caryl Churchill Plays: Three

A collaboratively written theatre piece by Caryl Churchill and David Lan, combining text and dance to explore the nature of madness, possession and violence.

A Mouthful of Birds was inspired by Euripides' Bacchae, and explores modern experiences of "possession, violence and other states where people feel beside themselves" - Caryl Churchill, from her introduction to the published volume.

The play was first performed in association with Joint Stock Theatre Company at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in September 1986 and opened at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in November 1986.

REVIEWS:

"A dramatist who must surely be amongst the best half-dozen now writing."

 The Times

Premiere Production: Birmingham Repertory Theatre & Royal Court Theatre, 1986.
  • Casting: 3M, 4F
  • Casting Attributes: Expandable casting