Howie the Rookie (NHB Modern Plays)

A white-knuckle ride through a nightmare Dublin, where enemies and allies are interchangeable, this electrifying play won the George Devine Award for Most Promising Playwright and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature.

First we meet Howie. He tells us how, one night, he gets caught up in a gang intent on beating up Rookie. He's supposed to be baby-sitting his five-year-old brother, but he goes just the same. They beat up Rookie. Howie returns to discover a horrible accident has happened to the little boy. Then we hear the story from Rookie's point of view...

'grabs you by the collar and head-butts you into submission'

Sunday Times

'a magnificent mix of violence and poignancy'

The Stage

'mesmerising... funny, tragic, shocking and disturbing in turn'

Scotsman