Beautiful Thing (Methuen Modern Plays) [Paperback]

Jonathan Harvey (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0413695905 | ISBN-13: 978-0413695901 | Publication Date: February 1996

This play is set on the landing walkway in front of three flats in a low-rise block in Thamesmead. It concerns the lives of the three 16-year-olds who live in the flats. The play was first performed at the Bush Theatre in London in 1993.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jonathan Harvey is an award-winning playwright, whose plays include: The Cherry Blossom Tree (Liverpool Playhouse Studio) which won him the 1987 National Girobank Young Writer of the Year Award; Wildfire (Royal Court Theatre); Beautiful Thing (Bush Theatre, London and Donmar Warehouse/Duke of York's Theatre), winner of the John Whiting Award 1994; Babies (Royal National Theatre Studio/Royal Court Theatre), winner George Devine Award 1993 and Evening Standard's Most Promising Playwright Award 1994; Boom Bang-A-Bang (Bush Theatre); Rupert Street Lonely Hearts Club (English Touring Theatre/Contact Theatre Company, Donmar Warehouse/Criterion Theatre); Swan Song (Pleasance/Hampstead Theatre); Guiding Star (Liverpool Everyman/National Theatre); Hushabye Mountain (English Touring Theatre/Hampstead) and Out in the Open (Hampstead Theatre/Birmingham Rep). Television and film work includes: West End Girls (Carlton); Love Junkie (BBC); Beautiful Thing (Channel Four/Island World Productions); Gimme Gimme Gimme (BBC). --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 71 pages
• Publisher: Heinemann (Txt) (February 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0413695905
• ISBN-13: 978-0413695901
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #629,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Companion to DVD, June 19, 2003

By 

David W. Saunders (Lomita, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beautiful Thing (Modern Classics) (Paperback)

This is the actual script from the original stage play. It is VERY helpful in sorting through some of the SE London accents and slang in the movie. There are scenes and dialogue that are not in the movie that give further background to the story and character development. A GREAT love story. A MUST READ.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful...what an understatment, May 2, 2000

By 

Tony Brown (Thamesmead, South East London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beautiful Thing (Methuen Modern Plays) (Paperback)

I've just ordered this book off of Amazon. I have read some brilliant reveiws on it and I got everythign I hoped for. I cried, I laughed and made a complete fool of myself infront of everyone. I now have all my mates queing to read it. I have never read a book so wonderful and it should be made available everywhere, not just via the internet. It's also very easy for me, as it is set where i am living at the moment so the language is easily understood. I recomend this book to everyone who needs comforitng at any time or for anyone who just likes to smile.

I was also hoping to veiw the film, but I cannot get hold of a copy so if anyone reading this review wouldn't mind lending me a copy I would be very grateful....

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A complex, heart-warming experience not to be missed., June 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Beautiful Thing (Methuen Modern Plays) (Paperback)

I've read the play, the screenplay, have seen it performed and seen the movie and believe that Beautiful Thing is one of the best stories of our time. It is the story of two young boys from broken homes coming of age while dealing with the complexity of their growing feelings for each other. Some critics may say that Harvey has stereo-typed his characters and that may be true but who, in this day and age, DOESN'T fit into a stereo-type. In a world full of cynicism and repression, Harvey presents us with a story that gives everyone who reads his play or sees it performed a glimpse of hope within the darkness.