The Night Alive and Other Plays (Paperback)

On "The Night Alive"

"A beautiful new play. . . . There's not another dramatist living who could pull off what McPherson] exercises so exquisitely here. . . . Kindles a glow, both warming and chilling, you rarely experience at the theater."--"The New York Times"

On "The Birds"

"Deliciously chilling . . . spring-loaded with tension."--"Irish Independent"

On "The Veil"

"Bold and intriguing . . . McPherson keeps you guessing to the last."--"Financial Times"

Tommy's not a bad man, he's just getting by--renting a decrepit room in his Uncle Maurice's house and hopping from one get-rich-quick scheme to the other. Then one day he comes to the aid of the also-struggling Aimee, and together, they just might make something--extraordinary--of their lives. With inimitable warmth, style, and craft, "The Night Alive" deftly mines the humanity to be found in the most unlikely of situations. Also included in the volume is "The Birds," a suspenseful, atmospheric adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's enthralling short story, and "The Veil," set around a haunted house hemmed in by a restive, starving populace, which weaves Ireland's troubled colonial past into a riveting tale about the pursuit of love, the transcendental, and the circular nature of time.

Conor McPherson is an award-winning Irish playwright educated at University College Dublin. His best-known works include "The Weir" (1999 Olivier Award for Best New Play), "Dublin Carol," "The Seafarer" (Tony nomination for Best Play), "Shining City" (Tony nomination for Best Play), and "Port Authority."