Howard Colyer

Late in the evening on 11 March, 1938, a man sits in a Jewish bar in Vienna as the German army invades Austria. The other guests flee, as does the owner, but he remains to contemplate his past and his future - bleak though that may be. "With this dramatic monologue, Colyer has continued to do what he does so skilfully-to take a noteworthy piece of writing and adapt it freely to create something new which has the essence of the original but is a compelling stage work in its own right." British Theatre Guide. Freely adapted from Joseph Roth's novel, The Emperor's Tomb.

Gogol's short story, Diary of a Madman, adapted for the stage. "This is a play about an individual's descent into madness, brought to life by a brilliant trio of actor David Bromley, director Scott Le Crass, and author Howard Colyer. But what makes the play interesting is that Gogol's protagonist defies the literary mould: he has a condition usually reserved for tormented kings and ladies imprisoned in the attic. Rather than being ordinary, he is 'extraordinary', a term peppering Howard Colyer's script. Through Poprishchin, Gogol portrays his contempt for government and bureaucracy, and allows this lowly civil servant to become a leader...at least in his own mind." Emma Slater, London Theatre, reviewing the production at the Jack Studio.

A one act play with four characters. An interrogation and a ghost story. A man's wife has vanished. He can't remember when or why; nor can he remember his own name. "The relentlessness of this nightmarish scenario transfixes us to the last." What's On London. "This play of mysterious circumstances is created from an all too familiar hollow conference centre with sinister, soulless 'doctors', reminiscent of the infamous Weird Sisters." What's Peen Seen. "Completely spellbinding." Everything Theatre. "A briskly delivered, recondite ghost story, it echoes with the torment of a guilty conscience and the distress of a turbulent mind." British Theatre Guide.

The war is over and the hero returns. But what good is a hero without a war? What else does he know but warfare? And his city has managed without him. The gap left by his departure has closed. Yet the problems he left behind have remained. They have lain dormant. But his return revives them.

He wants to get married; and he doesn't want to get married - he doesn't know what to do. But he has a friend who knows what's best for everyone. Marriage is Gogol's farce about desire, matchmakers, Imperial Russian speed dating and much else besides. "Howard Colyer's adaptation of Gogol's intriguing, funny and slightly unsettling play brings out the piece's absurdities. It's an entertaining version, with satisfyingly pared-down and peppy dialogue." Time Out.

The Civil War is drawing to an end in Russia. The White Army is disintegrating and a wave of refugees is about to descend on Turkey, and then spread across Europe. Bulgakov's play follows the fate of a small group of Russians from the Crimea to Constantinople to Paris. It is a tragic comedy that was never staged during the life of its author due to the opposition of Stalin. "There is no doubt that this is one of the masterpieces of world theatre and in this solid production of a terrific translation it is well worth catching." Peter Scott-Presland reviewing the production at the Jack Studio.

A play about marriage, lust, adultery, corruption and deceit - all aided by the Mandrake Infusion. It is Machiavelli's greatest sex farce, and a landmark of the Italian Renaissance. This adaptation opened at the Jack Studio Theatre in London on 28 May 2013. "I'm not sure what liberties were applied in bringing a hit from the 1520s to the 21st century stage, but Mandrake had a timeless yet timely vibe about it - like a smart Shakespearean production. It was fresh and contemporary brimming with universal and relevant themes and a humour that's stood the test of time." Chris Osburn Tikichris.com. "Howard Colyer's latest twist on a classic is a wonderfully watchable romp that packs a political punch to go with its comic cuts." Gary Naylor Broadwayworld.com

Troy has fallen. The city has been destroyed and its people slaughtered. The few survivors are prisoners of the Greek Army which is waiting to sail back to Greece. This army is disintegrating in the wake of its victory, but the killing continues. The fate of the prisoners hangs in the balance. Reviews: "The play's message is a universal truth and it's powerfully presented." Gary Naylor. Broadway World. "A bleak and powerful retelling." Caitlin Middleton. The Upcoming. "Colyer's pared-down style is so effective at delivering weighty themes with a light touch." Atomies Website

Franz Kafka's Letter to my Father adapted for the stage. It opened at the Brockley Jack Theatre in London on Tuesday, 17 January, 2012. 'The tortured life of Franz Kafka provides the material for this fascinating play.' William Russell, Reviews Gate. 'An exceptionally well-tailored piece.' Amelia Forsbrook, Remotegoat. 'The play circles the two men locked in a trial of strength...each gifted by an extreme power. Alas those powers do not complement each other - they destroy each other.' Gary Naylor, Red Room. 'The deepest strength of Colyer's scripting lies in the fact that it is possible to sympathise with any and all of the characters.' Vanessa Bunn, EXTRA! EXTRA!

Gogol's story of a clerk in St. Petersburg adapted for the stage, and first performed at the Brockley Jack Studio Theatre in London on 19 January, 2011. "An unforgettable production conjuring the alienating city of St Petersburg under the rigid hierarchy of Tsarist bureaucracy and its unfortunate victim, the wretched Everyman - Bashmachkin." Bernie Whelan, EXTRA EXTRA 27 January, 2011. "The Overcoat is a play with serious literary pedigree." Paul Prowse, South London Press, 28 January, 2011. "An hour of mesmerizing theatre." Atomies.org, 29 January, 2011.

Dennis Oldshaw finally managed to escape his office job and devote himself to painting, yet now he fears for his life; and he reflects about his past, in particular about the day which he feels tested and defined him.

Two related one act plays with one character each - Brocklehurst and Sidmouth - nephew and uncle - two marooned men.

There was a prowler in the garden - so Kevin Boyd had to respond. A one act play with one character in one room.

The fifty stories in this collection were written over sixteen years. Many of them are set in London, and many of them are about solitude. This book contains nearly all of the stories published in three earlier volumes, Gregory Gun, Loneliness on Shooters Hill, and The Gallery. Some of the shorter tales have appeared in the magazine, Smoke: a London Peculiar.

The 36 stories in this collection were written between 2000 and 2006. Most are shorter than a page. The longest is nine pages. Some have appeared in Smoke: a London Peculiar.

This novel is about an Englishman who kills someone ambiguously. He may, or may not, have intended to do so. But he is not prosecuted by the police. Though he does suffer remorse. He resigns from his job, sells his flat and leaves his fiancee. And he leaves England. He travels through Italy in search of a former girlfriend; and he only comes to a halt when he reaches the far north-west of Sicily. And there he rents a house in a village and writes about his life.

The stories in this collection were written between 1993 and 2000. Two of the stories have been adapted for the stage: The Good Analyst, which was performed at the Brockley Jack Studio Theatre in May, 2010, and Bridie Murphy of Mullingar, which was performed as Finchley Road at the LOST Theatre in May, 2012.