Butler Plays: 1 : Made of Stone; Redundant; Lucky Dog; The Early Bird

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.