Shallow Slumber [Paperback]

Shallow Slumberis a new play by award-winning writer and social worker Chris Lee, exploring therelationship between a young mother and a social worker.
Dawn never thought motherhood would feel like this. Moira never thought she'd have a case like this. Unfolding backwards to the heart-rending moment when everything changed,Shallow Slumberlooks past the headlines to the lives beneath.

The play tackles the topical and thorny issue of social care, intervention and trust in a contemporary and relevant social setting. Inspired by the Baby P tragedy, this powerful two-hander has an intricate, innovative structure which disturbingly charts the onset of abuse backwards, from contrition and repentance, to the breakdown of the maternal relationship.

With heart-wrenchingly realistic portraits and dialogue which combines fluidity with tightness,ShallowSlumberis an accomplished piece of writing, both structurally and emotionally.

An elegiac, emotionally charged and tragic account of the relationship between a social worker and a troubled mother.Chris Lee is an Irish playwright based in London. His plays plays includeHummingbird(The Old Red Lion, 1996),The Optimist's Daughter(Finborough Theatre, 1997),Eat the Enemy(The Old Red Lion, 199 9, and in the US, at TheaterLab, Houston, Texas),The Electrocution Of Children(Peacock, Dublin, 19 98) for which he won the Stewart Parker New Playwright Award, and The Map Maker's Sorrow(1999 also at the Peacock). In 1999 he was appointed Writer-in-Association with the Abbey Theatre. In 2000 he was awarded a Pearson New Playwright's Bursary for an attachment to the Finborough. His fifth playOn Line & Paranoid in the Sentimental City(Finborough Theatre, 2000) andVermilion Dream(Salisbury Playhouse, 2004).

Rising playright Chris Lee. Kate Bassett,Independent on Sunday

The piece has an inbuilt tension, and there are strong passageslSÐ