Birdland [Paperback]

Everything can be quantified. All worth can be quantified. Artistic worth. Human worth. Material worth. Everything. Some food is simply better than other food. Isn't it? Some clothes are better than other clothes. Aren't they?

The last week of a massive international tour and rock star Paul is at the height of his fame. Everybody knows his name. Whatever he wants he can have. He can screw anybody he wants to. He can buy anything he desires. He can eat anything. Drink anything. Smoke anything. Go anywhere. As the inevitability of the end of the road looms closer and a return home becomes a reality, for Paul the music is starting to jar.

Birdlandreceived its world premiere at the Royal Court Theatre Downstairs on 3 April 2014.

Simon Stephensbegan his theatrical career in the literary department of the Royal Court Theatre, where he ran its Young Writers' Programme. His plays for theatre includeBluebird(Royal Court Theatre, London, 1998, directed by Gordon Anderson);Herons(Royal Court Theatre, 2001);Port(Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 2002);One Minute(Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, 2003 and Bush Theatre, London, 2004);Christmas(Bush Theatre, 2004);Country Music(Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 2004);On the Shore of the Wide World(Royal Exchange Theatre and National Theatre, London, 2005); Motortown (Royal Court Theatre Downstairs, 2006);Pornography(Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hanover, 2007; Edinburgh Festival/Birmingham Rep, 2008 and Tricycle Theatre, London, 2009);Harper Regan(National Theatre, 2008);Sea Wall(Bush Theatre, 2008/Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, 2009);Heaven(Traverse Theatre, 2009);Punk Rock(Lyric Hammersmith, London, and Royal Exchange Theatre, 2009);The Trial of Ubu(Essen Schauspielhaus/Toneelgroep Amsterdam, 2010);A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky(co-written with David Eldridge and Robert lñ