Neville's Island
by Tim Firth

Neville's Island Book Cover
Neville's Island Cover

What readers are saying

Readers praise the play for its clever writing and character depth. Many find it funnier and darker on stage compared to its TV adaptation, appreciating the confined setting that enhances its intensity. The character-driven comedy resonates well with audiences, leading to a strong appreciation of the performances and staging.

Clever writing and character depthFunnier than the TV adaptationInteresting stagingCharacter-driven comedyLimited to a single set

Synopsis

Neville, Gordon, Angus and Roy, a middle management team from Pennine Spring Water, Ltd., are sent on a "business outbound team building weekend" in the Lake District.

What should have been a run-of-the-mill orienteering exercise turns into a slapstick nightmare when Neville's team boat hits the rocks leaving them stranded on an uninhabited island the first people ever to be shipwrecked inland.

These middle-aged men are not suited for life in the wilds and quickly begin to show it.

Neville, the captain of the team, tries to be objective and practical; Gordon quickly moves from caustic to cruel, and stays there, taking little responsibility for anything; Roy, recovering from a recent mental breakdown, goes deeper into prayer; and the mild-mannered Angus does his best to remain cheerful until Gordon's constant hounding drives him to violence.

Their attempts at teamwork create one humorous situation after another as they backfire, and after which Gordon's belittling drives them apart.

Roy seems to suffer another breakdown, running into the woods with just the right equipment to hang himself, causing Angus to snap and come at Gordon with a knife.

The situation pitches on the brink of catastrophe when suddenly a chopper spots them and begins to descend.

But the events on the island have changed them so much that even imminent rescue can't bring back who they were.

Publication

PublisherSamuel French
Year1994
BindingPaperback
Pages142
PlaceLondon
LanguageEnglish
ISBN-139780573140051
ISBN-100573140057
LCCN95217637
LCCPR6056.I58 N48 1994
DCC822/.914

Neville's Island is a British comedy play written by Tim Firth and published by Samuel French in London (1994).

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Paperback

Samuel French · 1994 · 142 pp

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