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Nick Hern Books

UPDATE, 1pm Friday 19 March – this 40% Off Sale has now finished. Thank you so much to everyone who took part!

Choose from hundreds of top plays and books, and support freelancers affected by the impact of COVID-19


On 16 March 2020, as the COVID pandemic continued to spread across the UK, hundreds of theatres nationwide were forced to shut their doors. At the time, we all thought it would only be for a few weeks – but incredibly, a full year on, these treasured stages are still dark. That was also the day we temporarily shut down the NHB office, as our team switched to working remotely. Twelve months later, those doors remain closed, too.

So as the theatre community prepares to mark this unexpected anniversary, we've ventured back to NHB HQ to raid our shelves and offer you the chance to save 40% on hundreds of great playscripts and theatre books, and raise money for hard-hit theatre-workers and freelancers, in our special Sale.

Due to incredible demand, we've extended the Sale by an extra 24 hours, so it now finishes at 1pm GMT on Friday 19 March. No voucher code is required – just fill your basket with as many of the brilliant titles below as you like, head to checkout, and your discount will be automatically applied. This offer applies to paperback and hardback editions only (ebooks are not included), and all orders over £40 receive free UK delivery.

Plus, £1 from every book sold in our Sale will go to the Theatre Artists Fund, which continues to provide emergency support for theatre-workers and freelancers across the UK affected by the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the theatre sector.

We've put together an incredible selection of almost SIX HUNDRED titles, all currently available at 40% off – choose from famous, award-winning hits; wonderful, lesser-known plays we just know you'll love; brilliant shows that were sadly forced to close due to COVID; books to develop your skills or learn new ones; fascinating reads by leading names, and much more.

Pick up something you always had your eye on at a special price, or try something you've never heard of before – who knows, you might be about to discover your new favourite writer...

Everything included in the Sale has been handpicked from the shelves at NHB HQ, and stock is strictly limited. So if you see something you want, move fast to avoid missing out – because once it's gone, it's gone!

Head to the bottom of this page the entire range – or check out our curated Sale Selections, bringing together books and playscripts on different subjects and themes – and be sure to grab your bargains before our Sale ends on Friday.

It's been a really rough year for everyone connected to theatre, but we've been constantly inspired by the resilience and creativity shown by so many across the community, and with venues starting to announce re-opening plans, there's genuine hope that the lights might come back on soon. So join us to celebrate the art form we all love, and thank you for helping support freelancers at this really difficult time.

Some key info:

  • This Sale runs from 1pm GMT on Tuesday 16 March to 1pm GMT on Friday 19 March only.
  • Only titles listed on this page are available at a 40% discount. This offer applies to the physical editions (paperback, hardback and CD) only; ebooks are not included.
  • Stock of all titles included in the Sale is strictly limited. If your order contains a title that has already sold out, we will get in touch to ask if you would like to: a) swap for an item of the same value, or b) receive a refund for the value of that item.
  • All Sale orders will be dispatched from Monday 22 March. From this point, our standard delivery times will apply – please click here for more information.
  • £1 from every book sold will be donated to the Theatre Artists Fund, which provides emergency support for theatre workers and freelancers across the UK.

With almost six hundred titles included in our Sale, there's a lot to choose from.

So to help you browse through what's available, we've put together fifteen curated selections of playscripts and books on different subjects and themes, and for different readers – each packed with fantastic titles we just know you'll love. Explore tailored lists for actors, backstage practitioners and drama teachers, plays impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic you can still enjoy on the page, plays in translation, adaptations, tie-in and special editions, and more.

Click here to browse the selections – or see below for the entire range of what's available at the 40% discount.
Showing 31-60 of 568 items.
Year of the Mad King: The Lear Diaries

Year of the Mad King: The Lear Diaries

By Antony Sher

Antony Sher's account of researching, rehearsing and performing one of Shakespeare's greatest roles, Lear, in the 2016 Royal Shakespeare Company production. Winner of the 2019 Theatre Book Prize.

  • Hardback£16.99 £13.59
    There is limited availability of this title. Please enquire before placing your order.
  • Ebook£16.99 £13.59
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Acting Through Song

Acting Through Song

Techniques and Exercises for Musical-Theatre Actors

By Paul Harvard

An impassioned and invaluable guide for actors and students of musical theatre.

Stage Combat: Unarmed (with Online Video Content)

Stage Combat: Unarmed (with Online Video Content)

By Roger Bartlett

Everything you need to know in order to create and perform unarmed stage fights that are compelling, realistic and, above all, safe.

The Active Text

The Active Text

Unlocking Plays Through Physical Theatre

By Dymphna Callery

Dymphna Callery, author of Through the Body: A practical guide to physical theatre, shows how exercises and rehearsal techniques associated with physical and devised theatre can be applied to scripted plays.

An Attitude for Acting

An Attitude for Acting

How to Survive (and Thrive) as an Actor

By Andrew Tidmarsh and Tara Swart

A 'how to' book for actors who want to develop a 'can do' attitude to their profession in the face of rejection and intense competition.

Contemporary Duologues: Two Women

Contemporary Duologues: Two Women

Edited by Trilby James

A selection of the best contemporary scenes for two female actors. In the Good Audition Guides series.

Creating Worlds

Creating Worlds

How to Make Immersive Theatre

By Jason Warren

A practical guide to creating successful immersive theatre productions, by an experienced theatre-maker and practitioner.

Drama Games for Young Children

Drama Games for Young Children

By Katherine Zachest

From the bestselling Drama Games series, this dip-in, flick-through, quick-fire resource book – packed with over 200 individual games – is perfect for teachers, playgroup leaders and drama facilitators who want to inspire and entertain children, aged 3 and up, with vibrant and engaging drama experiences.

Feldenkrais for Actors

Feldenkrais for Actors

How to Do Less and Discover More

By Victoria Worsley

A practical guide to the Feldenkrais Method, for actors. Written by an experienced actor, theatre-maker and Feldenkrais practitioner.

Flare Path

Flare Path

By Terence Rattigan

A moving story of love and loyalty, courage and fear, based on Terence Rattigan's own experiences as a tail gunner in the Second World War.

Freeing the Natural Voice

Freeing the Natural Voice

By Kristin Linklater

The classic voice-training book for actors, teachers of voice and speech and anyone interested in vocal expression – by a pre-eminent voice teacher, actor and director.

A Good Night Out

A Good Night Out

Popular Theatre: Audience, Class and Form

By John McGrath

The classic manifesto on popular theatre by the founder of the 7:84 Theatre Companies.

Improv Beyond Rules

Improv Beyond Rules

A Practical Guide to Narrative Improvisation

By Adam Meggido

An inspiring, hands-on guide to narrative improvisation, by the co-creator and director of the Olivier Award-winning improv show Showstopper! The Improvised Musical.

The Improvisation Book

The Improvisation Book

How to Conduct Successful Improvisation Sessions

By John Abbott

A practical guide to conducting improvisation sessions, for teachers, directors and workshop leaders.

  • Paperback£14.99 £11.99
    There is limited availability of this title. Please enquire before placing your order.
  • Ebook£14.99 £11.99
    Add to basket
The Improviser's Way

The Improviser's Way

A Longform Workbook

By Katy Schutte

An inspiring and interactive workbook to help you develop skills for longform improvisation, by one of the UK's top improv performers and teachers.

Ken Campbell: The Great Caper

Ken Campbell: The Great Caper

By Michael Coveney

The first, authorised biography of the anarchic comic genius, much cherished for his performances on stage and screen.

  • Paperback£14.99 £11.99
    There is limited availability of this title. Please enquire before placing your order.
  • Ebook£14.99 £11.99
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Ayub Khan Din Plays: One

Ayub Khan Din Plays: One

By Ayub Khan Din

A collection of plays written and introduced by actor-turned-writer Ayub Khan Din, including his first play, East is East, which became a smash-hit film.

Laban for Actors and Dancers

Laban for Actors and Dancers

Putting Laban's Movement Theory into Practice - A Step-by-Step Guide

By Jean Newlove

A handbook, complete with graded exercises, for teachers and students wanting a practical introduction to Laban's famous system of movement.

Liz Lochhead: Five Plays

Liz Lochhead: Five Plays

By Liz Lochhead

Five plays from the the makar (national poet) of Scotland, one of the country's best-known - and best-loved - living playwrights.

  • Paperback£14.99 £11.99
    There is limited availability of this title. Please enquire before placing your order.
  • Ebook£14.99 £11.99
    Add to basket
Love in Idleness/Less Than Kind

Love in Idleness/Less Than Kind

By Terence Rattigan

The third in Terence Rattigan's unofficial trilogy of war plays, published alongside an earlier version of the play, Less Than Kind, never staged during Rattigan's lifetime.

Masterclass: Men

Masterclass: Men

The Actor's Audition Manual

By Dean Carey

An extensive guide to acting, followed by close to a hundred audition pieces chosen from the whole of world drama.

Masterclass: Women

Masterclass: Women

The Actor's Audition Manual

By Dean Carey

An extensive guide to acting, followed by close to a hundred audition pieces chosen from the whole of world drama.

National Youth Theatre Monologues

National Youth Theatre Monologues

75 Speeches for Auditions

Edited by Michael Bryher

An exciting and invaluable collection of audition speeches, all chosen from plays produced by the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, spanning more than sixty years as one of the world’s leading companies for young performers.

Other People's Shoes

Other People's Shoes

Thoughts on Acting

By Harriet Walter

Harriet Walter's wonderfully practical - and personal - introduction to acting.

A Screen Acting Workshop

A Screen Acting Workshop

By Mel Churcher

A comprehensive training course in screen acting by an internationally renowned teacher and acting coach.

Shakespeare On Stage

Shakespeare On Stage

Thirteen Leading Actors on Thirteen Key Roles

By Julian Curry

Thirteen leading actors take us behind the scenes, each recreating in detail a memorable performance in one of Shakespeare's major roles.

Shakespeare's Lost Play

Shakespeare's Lost Play

In Search of Cardenio

By Gregory Doran

A thrilling act of literary detection as Gregory Doran attempts to rediscover Shakespeare's lost play.

So You Want To Go To Drama School?

So You Want To Go To Drama School?

By Helen Freeman

The essential guide to getting into drama school.

Speaking the Speech

Speaking the Speech

An Actor's Guide to Shakespeare

By Giles Block Foreword by Mark Rylance

An invaluable book for actors and directors who want to improve their understanding of Shakespeare’s language in order to speak it better.

Talking Theatre

Talking Theatre

Interviews with Theatre People

By Richard Eyre

A superlative account of how theatre is made, in the words of the very people who make it.