'Playwright David Ireland challenges people to draw lines between what they find funny and what they find outrageous' (Sydney Morning Herald)
This first collection of plays by David Ireland brings together three of his most successful hits that have enjoyed numerous productions around the world alongside two previously unpublished plays:
Half a Glass of Water: 'The dialogue is brutal and tender, horrific and humorous ... this is a tough, challenging work, undercut by Ireland's trademark black humour, which asks questions of what a successful post-conflict society looks like.' (Independent)
The End of Hope: 'A freewheeling, majestically entertaining, all-too-brief hour that touches on everything from religion and identity to body dysmorphia' (Times)
Cyprus Avenue: 'The most shocking play on the London stage ... a blackly comic examination of sectarian hatred - and a subversive drama that has never been more relevant' (Guardian)
Ulster American: 'What a brave, savage writer David Ireland is! There are moments in this play that are so shockingly provocative, so laugh-out-loud funny while simultaneously curl-into-a-ball-and cringe-worrying that I found my mouth was actually open. He can't go there, I thought. And then he did.' (WhatsOnStage)
Sadie: 'A fascinating account of one woman, her troubles and the Troubles.' (Irish News)
David Ireland was Playwright-in-Residence at the Lyric Theatre Belfast 2011-12. He won the Stewart Parker Award and the Meyer-Whitworth Award in 2012 and was shortlisted for the Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright 2016. He won the James Tait Black Prize Award for Cyprus Avenue.

David Ireland is from Belfast and trained as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. His first play, WHAT THE ANIMALS SAY, was produced at Oran Mor, Glasgow in 2009. His other plays include EVERYTHING BETWEEN US (Tinderbox, Belfast) which won the Stewart Parker Award and the Meyer-Whitworth Award, THE END OF HOPE (Oran Mor), HALF A GLASS OF WATER (Field Day), YES SO I SAID YES (Ransom Productions, Belfast), CAN'T FORGET ABOUT YOU (Lyric, Belfast) and I PROMISE YOU SEX AND VIOLENCE (Northern Stage, Newcastle). In 2015, he adapted Lorca's BLOOD WEDDING for Dundee Rep and Graeae.
His 2016 play CYPRUS AVENUE (Royal Court London/Abbey Theatre Dublin/Public Theatre NYC) won the Irish Times Award for Best New Play and the James Tait Black Award for Drama and in 2018 ULSTER AMERICAN (Traverse, Edinburgh) won a Scotsman Fringe First, the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh award and the Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland Award for Best New Play.
He lives in Glasgow with his wife Jennifer and his children Ada and Elijah.

Introduction
Half a Glass of Water;
The End of Hope;
Ulster American;
Cyprus Avenue;
Sadie