Cockroach (NHB Modern Plays)

A dark and compelling vision of a world infected by violence.

A seemingly normal detention in a seemingly normal modern-day comprehensive school. A teacher valiantly battles on with biology revision. She believes only education will set her pupils free. For outside the classroom, the world is in the middle of a long and bloody war.

Despite her best efforts, the tide of conflict is soon lapping at the school gates and, one by one, pupils and teacher are pulled under as their hopes and dreams float away from them.

'Sam Holcroft is uncompromising in her ideas and deeply ambitious for the power of theatre. It's a long time since a young writer has thrilled me this much' - Vicky Featherstone, director of the National Theatre of Scotland's production of Cockroach

'hauntingly powerful... a playwright brave enough to do battle with the big ideas' - Guardian