Butler Plays: 1: Made of Stone; Redundant; Lucky Dog; The Early Bird (Contemporary Dramatists)

Butler Plays: 1 brings together into one volume four of the
major plays by this award-winning author. Praised for the gritty detail
and realism of his work, Leo Butler has quietly established a
reputation in recent years as a potent and skilfull documenter of
contemporary social and moral issues.

Made of Stone produced in the Royal Court Young Writers' Festival 2000, was praised for its 'rock-hard characterisation with buzzing dialogue' (Evening Standard).

In Redundant 'Butler boldly creates a psychologically
complex female lead, surrounding her with unjudged dead-beats, each
distinctively vocalising caustic Sheffield Vernacular.' (Evening
Standard)

Lucky Dog is a startlingly sensitive depiction of one couple's relationship. Michael Billington commented, 'I
am still astonished by Butler's profound understanding of marital
solitude. Nothing much happens on the surface, yet underneath a lot
goes on as Sue and Eddie, a Sheffield couple in their late fifties,
share a solitary Christmas.' (Guardian)

The Early Bird taps into the darkest fears of any parent -
the disappearance of their child - to brilliantly capture the nightmare
of recrimination and loss. It premiered at the Belfast Theatre Festival
in October 2006.