Kingston 14

by Roy Williams

Overview

Set in modern-day Jamaica, Kingston 14 follows the story of James, a black British police officer, who is sent to Kingston to investigate the murder of an English tourist in a local hotel. Tied to Jamaica by his father who was born there, James struggles to lead a proper investigation when gang leader, Joker, is brought into custody. The play comes to a climax when two police officers are kidnapped, uncovering corruption hidden in a corner of the sun-bleached island.

Roy Williams's police-corruption drama received its world premiere at Theatre Royal Stratford East, London - where Williams's first play, The No Boys Cricket Club, was produced in 1996 - on 28 March 2014, starring Goldie as Joker.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472588265
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/18/2014
Series:	Modern Plays
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Roy Williams, OBE, worked as an actor before turbaning to writing full-time in 1990. He graduated from Rose Bruford in 1995 with a first class BA Hons degree in Writing and participated in the 1997 Carlton Television screenwriter's course. His plays include The No Boys Cricket Club (Theatre Royal, Stratford East, 1996); Starstruck (Tricycle Theatre, London, 1998); Lift Off (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 1999); Night and Day (Theatre Venture, 1996); Josie's Boys (Red Ladder Theatre Co., 1996); Souls (Theatre Centre, 1999); Local Boy (Hampstead Theatre, 2000); The Gift (Birmingham Rep/Tricycle Theatre, 2000); Clubland (Royal Court, 2001); Fallout (Royal Court Theatre, 2003); Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads (National Theatre, 2002, 2004); Little Sweet Thing (New Wolsey, Ipswich/ Nottingham Playhouse/Birmingham Rep, 2005), Slow Time (National Theatre Education Department tour, 2005), Days of Significance (Swan Theatre, Stratfordupon- Avon, 2007), Absolute Beginners (Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, 2007), Joe Guy (Tiata Fahodzi/Soho Theatre, 2007), Baby Girl (National Theatre, 2007), Out of the Fog (Almeida Theatre, 2007), There's Only One Wayne Matthews (Polka Theatre, 2007), Category B (Tricycle Theatre, 2009) and Sucker Punch (Royal Court, 2010). He also contributed A Chain Play (Almeida Theatre, 2007) and Sixty Six (Bush Theatre, 2011). He was awarded the OBE for Services to Drama in the 2008 Birthday Honours List.

Table of Contents

play text

Editorial Reviews

It feels like a mash up of Reservoir Dogs and early Guy Ritchie in its verbal dexterity and fetishisation of linguistic brutality . . . A fierce and intelligent play.” —Time Out

“a surging in-yer face power...Kingston 14 is a compelling play” —The Guardian

“Kingston 14 is urgent, explosive and wholly intelligible...it gives us lives and language scarcely ever seen on the stage” —Guardian

“there's something about its rumbustious macho energy, fast-talking authenticity and noble intentions” —The Telegraph

“Williams probes the blurred lines between those on the street and those on the beat, shifting between lament and defiant celebration as he ponders the future of the country” —The Telegraph

“Spirited, raging drama” —Independent

“a zingy...piece of storytelling that gives previously unheard voices space to brawl” —The Stage

“killingly funny” —British Theatre Guide

“bold and free flowing...an old fashioned cop drama packed full of gangsters, guns and drugs” —The Public Reviews

“Roy Williams' fizzing new cop show . . . Williams spins a very good yarn and the play is peppered with comic misunderstandings and outrageously rude gags . . . a gripping and sympathetic portrayal of a country toiling to find its future and of men struggling to find a role.” —Financial Times

“Kingston 14 has guts, wit . . . Williams writes with uncompromising conviction.” —Evening Standard

“. . . a riot of skittering one-liners and hilarious switchback exchanges. . . . There's a fierce and intelligent play here . . .” —Time Out London

From the Publisher