Congratualtions to Elizabeth Surbey, Drama Coordinator @ Sydney Girls High School who is the winner of the Allen and Unwin on Toast book pack competition.

Elizabeth is now the proud owner of:

1. Shakespeare on Toast - Getting a Taste for the Bard Written, Ben Crystal
A breezy, accessible re-introduction to the greatest writer of plays, who turns out to be responsible for EastEnders, Coronation Street and Friends.

Who's afraid of William Shakespeare? Just about everyone. He wrote too much and what he did write is inaccessible and elitist. Right? Wrong. Shakespeare on Toast knocks the stuffing from the staid old myth of Shakespeare, revealing the man and his plays for what they really are: modern, thrilling and uplifting drama. Actor and author Ben Crystal brings the bright words and colourful characters of the world's greatest hack writer brilliantly to life, handing over the key to Shakespeare's plays, unlocking the 'difficult bits' and, astonishingly, finding Shakespeare's own voice amid the poetry. Told in five fascinating Acts, Shakespeare on Toast sweeps the cobwebs from the Bard: from his language, his life and his time, revealing both the man and his work to be relevant, accessible and full of beans. shakespeareontoast.com

2. Audition Speeches for 6 to 16 Year Olds, Jean Marlow
50 audition pieces for actors and actresses, drawn from recent productions and popular children’s fiction

Intended for students and children taking part in speech and drama competitions and exams, this book contains a range of audition speeches. It includes female, male and unisex speeches selected from both plays and children's books. Where relevant the author has indicated how a speech could be shortened for younger children. There is also an introductory section with contributions from Alan Ayckbourn, Carol Schroder (teacher and examiner for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art), Richard Carpenter (TV writer) and Margo Selby (actress in Grange Hill).
This edition has been freshly revised to include 10 new speeches from well known recent productions as well as children's books including Harry Potter.

3. Audition Speeches for Young Actors 16+, Jean Marlow
Finding good, interesting audition pieces is a demanding and difficult process.

This revised edition contains over 40 speeches and includes a wide selection of pieces taken from plays written or produced recently, such as Nathan the Wise, All the Ordinary Angels, The Woman Before (first performed at the Royal Court in 2005), Oleana, (David Mamet), Pygmalion and New Boy. There are speeches for a variety of accents and ages, taken from both classical and modern plays, to suit all audition requirements. There is also an introductory section containing advice from directors and casting directors on how to audition successfully, advice on attending drama schools and how to audition successfully.

About Jean Marlow
Editor, Jean Marlow has run The Actors' Theatre School in London for a number of years and is an experienced actress and teacher. She has edited several audition speeches books for A&C Black.

Visit the Allen and Unwin website for more exciting titles and stay tuned for
more giveaways from Lowdown magazine and Allen and Unwin