Lava (NHB Modern Plays)

A small asteroid has hit the capital city. Thousands have been displaced. And in a town far away, a young man called Vin is finding it hard to talk. The only person who seems to notice is Rach, who resolves to find out what's troubling him and help him find his voice again. But when Rach's family take in an articulate and charismatic survivor of the asteroid incident, Vin's silence is no longer her first priority. How does it feel when the suffering of others seems more legitimate than our own? James Fritz's Lava is a timely play about grief and the power of expression, rocking with raw emotion and sharp humour. It premiered at Nottingham Playhouse in 2018, in a co-production with Fifth Word who commissioned the play. It was revived on tour in 2022, including a run at Soho Theatre, London. 'Compassionate, warm and funny... Fritz's work pairs structural playfulness with emotional intelligence and inky wit... his plays are contained and compassionate, and frequently find reservoirs of humour in places you wouldn't expect' - The Stage

James Fritz is a playwright whose work includes: Lava (Nottingham Playhouse/Fifth Word, 2018; revived 2022); Parliament Square (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, and Bush Theatre, London, 2017); Start Swimming (Young Vic Taking Part, Edinburgh Fringe, 2017); The Fall (National Youth Theatre at the Finborough Theatre, London, 2016); Comment is Free (Old Vic New Voices, 2015; BBC Radio 4, 2016; winner of the Imison and Tinniswood Awards for audio drama, 2017); Ross & Rachel (MOTOR at Assembly George Square, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 2015; 59E59 Theaters, New York); Four Minutes Twelve Seconds (Hampstead Theatre, 2014; Most Promising Playwright, Critics' Circle Awards) and Lines (Rosemary Branch Theatre, 2011).