JEZ BUTTERWORTH (b.1969)
The Ferryman. London: Nick Hern Books, 2017.
First edition of Butterworth’s award-winning play The Ferryman, annotated by the playwright with backstage insights and notes on the original performance. Inspired by true events, The Ferryman is a haunting story set in Northern Ireland in 1981 at the height of the Troubles. Directed by Sam Mendes, the play premiered in 2017 at the Royal Court Theatre and became the fastest-selling play in the theatre’s history. Comprising 761 words across 38 pages, Butterworth’s insightful commentary forms a catalogue of places from his own personal history and memories of his own childhood, highlighting parallels between his own family members and the extended family of his characters. His notes also include a wealth of personal and technical notes on the composition of the script and the production of the play: ‘You’re not building a house. You’re building a haunted house. After you’ve done the wiring and plumbing, and painted the skirting boards, you have to put a ghost in it.’

Octavo. Original pictorial card wrappers.

Buyer’s premium is payable, with a significant portion donated by Christie’s to English PEN, but note that no VAT is payable on hammer price or buyer’s premium.
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