Overview
'It does not matter what is true, or not true. All that matters is what is written down.' Essex, 1643. In the quiet town of Manningtree, most of the men have gone to fight in the Civil War. With food running out and boredom setting in, seventeen-year-old Rebecca West longs for something, anything to happen. When a tragic incident involving a local boy coincides with the arrival of the mysterious Matthew Hopkins, the town is plunged into discord. As suspicion and fear take root, Rebecca finds her own girlhood weaponised against her – and is forced to make a devastating choice. The Manningtree Witches is a thrilling and fierce exploration of fear, control and what happens when women's voices are silenced. A. K. Blakemore's novel was a Sunday Times Book of the Year, winner of the Desmond Elliot Prize and shortlisted for the Costa Debut and Ondaatje Prizes. This stage adaptation by Ava Pickett was first performed at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester, in 2026, produced in association with Frantic Assembly, supported by Eleanor Lloyd Productions and directed by Natasha Rickman.
Full Product Details
Author: A. K. Blakemore ,
Ava Pickett
Publisher: Nick Hern Books
Imprint: Nick Hern Books
Edition: stage version
Dimensions:
Width: 12.90cm
, Height: 0.90cm
, Length: 19.80cm
Weight: 0.145kg
ISBN: 9781839045608
ISBN 10: 1839045604
Pages: 128
Publication Date: 12 March 2026
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Availability: Not yet available
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.
Reviews
'A thrilling historical drama... deeply moving and gutsy... a fiercely modern exploration of fear, control, misogyny and what happens when women's voices are silenced... Pickett's fluid and earthy dialogue brings Manningtree of 1643 to life... It's not for the faint-hearted, but it makes for riveting theatre' * WhatsOnStage * 'A fierce retelling of the Essex witch trials... drags history into the present... leaves little doubt that Ava Pickett is one of theatre's brightest young talents... This might be a story from history, but Pickett's skill lies in making everything feel blisteringly current' * The Stage *
Author Information
A. K. Blakemore is a poet and novelist from London. Her first novel, The Manningtree Witches, won the 2021 Desmond Elliott Prize for Best First Novel and was shortlisted for the Costa and RSL Ondaatje Prizes. Ava Pickett is a writer for theatre, film and television. Her plays include: an adaptation of A. K. Blakemore's The Manningtree Witches (Mercury Theatre Colchester & Frantic Assembly, 2026); an adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma (Rose Theatre, Kingston, 2025); and 1536 (Almeida Theatre, London, 2025; winner of the 2024 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize). Her work for television includes co-writer on The Great (Hulu/Channel 4), Brassic (Sky) and Ten Pound Poms (BBC One).
