'I'm the one who's left behind. I'm the one to tell the tale. I knew them both, knew how they lived and how she died.'
Ella Grey and her friends are ordinary kids from ordinary families in an ordinary world. They fall in and out of love, play music, stare at the stars, yearn for excitement, and have parties on the beautiful beaches of Northumberland. One day a stranger - a musician called Orpheus - appears on the beach, entrancing them all, but particularly Ella. Where have they come from and what path will Ella follow?
A Song for Ella Grey is a version of the myth of Orpheus that sings of the madness of youth, the ache of love, and the near-impossibility of grasping death. Zoe Cooper's stage adaptation of David Almond's award-winning novel was first produced in 2024 by Pilot Theatre, in association with Northern Stage and York Theatre Royal.
This edition includes the full text of the play along with a range of teaching materials and resources designed to help educators bring the play to life for their students.
Praise for the novel:
'Infused with lyricism and with the fire and oddness of adolescence. Fresh, involving and lucid, it is a song in itself and teens will find it fills them with poignant longing and joy' Telegraph
'The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is retold against a wild Northumbrian landscape: life, death, love and myths. Just wonderful' Bookseller
'Extraordinary' Metro
'Spell-binding… impossible to resist' Herald
| ISBN: | 9781839043246 |
| Publication date: | 8th February 2024 |
| Author: | Zöe Cooper, David Almond |
| Publisher: | Nick Hern Books |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 104 pages |
| Series: | NHB Modern Plays |
| Genres: |
Modern and contemporary plays (c 1900 onwards) Plays, playscripts |
'I'm the one who's left behind. I'm the one to tell the tale. I knew them both, knew how they lived and how she died.'
Ella Grey and her friends are ordinary kids from ordinary families in an ordinary world. They fall in and out of love, play music, stare at the stars, yearn for excitement, and have parties on the beautiful beaches of Northumberland. One day a stranger - a musician called Orpheus - appears on the beach, entrancing them all, but particularly Ella. Where have they come from and what path will Ella follow?
A Song for Ella Grey is a version of the myth of Orpheus that sings of the madness of youth, the ache of love, and the near-impossibility of grasping death. Zoe Cooper's stage adaptation of David Almond's award-winning novel was first produced in 2024 by Pilot Theatre, in association with Northern Stage and York Theatre Royal.
This edition includes the full text of the play along with a range of teaching materials and resources designed to help educators bring the play to life for their students.
Praise for the novel:
'Infused with lyricism and with the fire and oddness of adolescence. Fresh, involving and lucid, it is a song in itself and teens will find it fills them with poignant longing and joy' Telegraph
'The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is retold against a wild Northumbrian landscape: life, death, love and myths. Just wonderful' Bookseller
'Extraordinary' Metro
'Spell-binding… impossible to resist' Herald
A Song for Ella Grey features in the following genres: Modern and contemporary plays (c 1900 onwards), Plays, playscripts
A Song for Ella Grey is available in Paperback
A Song for Ella Grey was written by Zöe Cooper, David Almond and published by Nick Hern Books
A Song for Ella Grey has 104 pages
Yes it is part of NHB Modern Plays series
£9.89