Family: Three Plays (NHB Modern Plays) (Nick Hern Books)

A triptych of short plays on the theme of family, from three generations of Scottish writers. Acts by Riccardo Galgani: an old couple have not seen their son in years. One day he walks back into their lives, bringing with him a pictureless picture frame and a set of half-recalled memories of a time when they were happy. Maybe. One Good Beating by Linda McLean: a grown-up brother and sister exact revenge on their violent father by locking him in the coalshed as retribution for years of sniping, bullying and pain. But he's not defeated. Yet... The Visitor by Iain Crichton Smith: a schoolmaster on the verge of retirement is confronted by a mysterious young man wishing to pay his respects. The triptych Family was first staged at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, in 1999. "Family is a triple bill of short plays by three generations of writers." "In Acts by first-time playwright, Riccardo Galgani, we meet an old couple who have not seen their son in quite a while. One day he walks back into their lives, bringing with him a picture-less picture frame and half-recalled memories of a time when they were happy. Maybe." "In One Good Beating by Linda McLean, a grown-up son and daughter have locked their father in the coal shed in revenge for years of sniping and bullying. But he's not defeated yet." "In The Visitor by Iain Crichton Smith, one of Scotland's most important literary figures, a teacher is on the eve of retirement. He is looking back on his career and his united family, when a knock at the door reveals a young man wishing to pay his respects. How does he know so much about them, yet they don't remember him?"--BOOK JACKET Family Riccardo Galgani, Linda McLean and Iain Crichton Smith In "Acts by Riccardo Galgani, an old woman and her husband are visited in their Glasgow tenement by their middle-aged son. In "One Good Beating by Linda McLean, grown up children take revenge on their violent father by locking him in a coal shed. And in "The Visitor, by the late poet Iain Crichton Smith, a retired schoolmaster is visited by a mysterious ex-pupil. An intrigung and provocative triple bill of new plays by three very different writers.