This book is ideal for anyone keen to understand how contemporary plays and playwrights work, particularly those wanting to write for the stage themselves. Drawing heavily on contemporary practice, it considers moments from a range of plays, with a focus on those from the National Theatre's repertoire. The book embraces a range of different dramaturgical structures and styles popular today; plays by a diverse selection of writers; and the current openness of dramatic form. A book of tools, rather than rules, this guide provides suggestions and provocations, exercises and tricks, examples and discussions. An ideal text for playwrights to hone their craft.

It's hard to think of a scholar and theatre maker more knowledgeable about new work and how it’s made or a more perspicacious critic of the contemporary UK theatre scene than Dan Rebellato. * David Eldridge, Dramatist and Screenwriter *
Written in an informal style, it’s an inspiring and entertaining resource, providing tools, suggestions, exercises and tricks. * Writers' Forus *
Rebellato offers up concrete examples to demystify the process of writing … He shares examples of his own playwriting practice, quotidian events that could be turned into drama, and the practices of great playwrights from history. The book is packed full of references to other contemporary and classic plays, which is helpful to see and note down real-world examples of the process in action. * Drama & Theatre *

Dan Rebellato is an experienced, internationally performed playwright for theatre and radio. He has taught playwriting for 25 years for various universities, writers' groups, Arvon and elsewhere. He has also written widely and influentially on contemporary British theatre, with a focus on the theory and practice of new writing. He is Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Royal Holloway, University of London.