Celestial Rock and Other Republican Plays

About the Book

Freedom fighter Tom Paine was threatened with the noose in England, the guillotine in France, and ostracism in the USA, all because he wrote books – notably Common Sense, which toppled monarchies, and The Age of Reason, which challenged established religion. Paine was one of a cluster of 17^th/18^th century republican writers and activists whose pens changed the world. But who also paid a cruel price for it. John Bunyan (Pilgrim’s Progress) spent twelve years in jail (saved by Celestial Rock!); feminist Quarker leader Margaret Fell, did seven years; preacher James Naylor was tortured to death; even the creator of Paradis Lost, John Milton, just escaped with his life; famed satirist Daniel Defoe (Robinson Crusoe) was placed in the pillory and bankrupted; rebel naval leader Richard Parker was hanged from the yard arm; French dramatist and revolutionary Olympia de Gourges was guillotined in Paris. But their ideas and example survive to this very day. These libertarian ‘underdogs and troublemakers’ appear in these pages. Read their stories, then perform them!

About the Author

Dedwydd Jones, born Wales. Haverfordwest Grammar School, Latymer Upper School, London. Army, lieutenant, tank transporters, Berlin. Capt Berlin Army Rugby Team (his highest achievement!) London School of Economics, Warberg Institute of Classical Studies, London Univ. BA, His/Economics. Fellow in Drama, University of Wales, Cardiff. Old guard Welsh Nationalist. Early member Welsh Republican Movement. Various grants, Arts Council of GB/Wales. Actor/writer BBC TV Wales. Over 25 plays produced, Mermaid,Vaudeville Theatres, London; New Theatre, Cardiff, Edinburgh Festival, Cambridge, etc. Poetry, various mags. Travelled Europe, teacher, woodman, gardener. Lived Switerzerland 14 years. Editor 2plus2, International Lit Review. Plays for Swiss radio. Returned to UK, 1993. Taught EFL Bedford School. Theatre journalist for The Lily and the Dragon published 2003. The Raven Man (based on the life of Edgar Allan Poe) his second novel, published by AuthorHouse, Autumn 2005. His first volume of short stories Armed and Ridiculous (AuthorHouse) published Winter 2005. Four Plays from Wales the present published early 2006. The present volume ‘Celestial Rock’ his sixth volume with AuthorHouse. Now working on his next volume of short stories. Lives in Bedford, UK. Three lovely daughters. Member Society of Authors, UK. Dramatists’ Guild of America.

www.dedwyddjones.co.uk