Hard to Swallow: New Edition with Bonus Features

2020 Edition

Set text for Eduqas GCSE 9-1 Drama exam

Based on Maureen Dunbar's award-winning book and film Catherine: The Story of a Young Girl Who Died of Anorexia Nervosa. Catherine Dunbar died in 1984, after a seven-year battle against anorexia nervosa. She was just twenty-two.

Mark Wheeller's potent documentary play uses the words from Catherine's diaries and also of those most closely involved and affected.

This 2020 edition includes a foreword by the late Maureen Dunbar, unseen extra scenes and a reflection by Mark, on the astonishing journey of this widely studied play since its first performances, including one by OYT on the Olivier Stage of the Royal National Theatre.

Suitable for: Key Stage 3/4, BTEC, GCSE
Duration: 75 minutes approximately

Cast: 6 female, 3 male, 22 female/male, or 3 female and 2 male with doubling.

"This play reaches moments of almost unbearable intensity... naturalistic scenes flow seamlessly into sequences of highly stylised theatre... such potent theatre!"

Vera Lustig, The Independent

"Elegantly structured, highly informative, and imaginatively theatrical. There wasn't a dry eye in the house."

Anne McFerran, Stage and Television Today

About the Author

Mark Wheeller's most recent plays, Can You Hear Me Major Tom (Verbatim Bowie fan tribute play) and This Is For You (Immersive, Ronson inspired fictional, unplanned teenage pregnancy story) are now available.

Hard to Swallow and Missing Dan Nolan are set texts on Eduqas & OCR GCSE 9-1 Drama. In 2015 his final (and best) verbatim Road Safety play was released. Chequered Flags to Chequered Futures. In 2019 Game Over was released telling the dreadful true story of the murder of fourteen-year-old Breck Bednar.

The Story Behind Too Much Punch For Judy and Hard to Swallow - Easy to Digest offer the incredible stories behind his most well-known plays and also offer ideas for study/rehearsing.

Mark has been commissioned by (amongst others) The Birmingham Rep, (Kill Jill) the Haymarket Theatre Basingstoke (The Gate Escape) The DSM Foundation (I Love You Mum - I Promise I Won't Die).
Together with Rachel, his wife, Mark wrote the stories for Tufty's Adventures and the twelve editions of the Tufty Tales comic (RoSPA 1994).

Mark offers workshops to schools here and abroad.

Mark's plays are increasingly being released as streamed productions or on DVD, including his award-winning OYT productions of Too Much Punch For Judy, Missing Dan Nolan & I Love You Mum - I Promise I Won't Die. The professional production of CHICKEN! is now available.

"This play reaches moments of almost unbearable intensity... naturalistic scenes flow seamlessly into sequences of highly stylised theatre... such potent theatre!" Vera Lustig, The Independent

"Elegantly structured, highly informative, and imaginatively theatrical. There wasn't a dry eye in the house." Anne McFerran, Stage and Television Today