Lie Back in Anger

Exploding onto the cultural scene fifty years ago, Jimmy Porter opened the floodgates to the voice of disenchanted youth and introduced the world to the Angry Young Man, but what about the women? And if the Look Back in Anger generation failed to break Establishment strictures or change the world, must their daughters still Lie Back in Anger? Fearless, funny and sad, Lie Back in Anger is the violent tale of a young woman failing to marry the idealism of her roots to the reality of modern life.

The play had a successful three-week run in May 2006 at the Union Theatre in Southwark, London: a theatre famous for new writing. 

Writing comments

“A wonderful piece; a great story, brilliantly told.” Kath Viner, Deputy Editor, The Guardian

“A very good piece and very well written.” John Mulholland, Editor, The Observer

“A very good writer.” James Brown, Editor, Sabotage Times.com (former editor Loaded, GQ)

“It is a bold move to follow up John Osborne’s angry young man with an angry young ladette. But Bridget O’Donnell’s first play stands up to the comparison. Written in the snatched moments of her maternity leave, O’Donnell’s screaming child of a creation speaks of its age, has flashes of brilliance and is never dull.” Barbara Lewis, The Stage

“To say anything about the plot would spoil some fabulous twists that build ultimately to make this play deeply provoking, poignant and very much of its time.” Sarah Monaghan, Theatre World