My Mother Said I Never Should GCSE

Written specifically for GCSE students by academics in the field, the Methuen Drama GCSE Student Editions provide in-depth explanatory material alongside the play texts frequently studied at Key Stage 4.

Whether for use in the classroom or independent study, these editions offer a fully comprehensive and lightly glossed play text with accompanying notes specifically directed towards readers of this age, which unravel essential topics and challenge all students to delve further into literary analysis.

Charlotte Keatley’s My Mother Said I Never Should grapples with social forces that threaten to split four generations of women apart. When Jackie, who is unmarried, gives away her baby to her mother, the women are united in keeping this family secret yet divided in their opinions of it.

In addition to some on-page explanatory notes and the play text itself, this edition contains sub-headed analyses of themes, characters, context and dramatic devices, as well as background information on the playwright.

The Methuen Drama GCSE Student Editions never lose sight of their readership, and offer students the confidence to engage with the material, explore their own interpretations, and improve their understanding of the works.

Charlotte Keatley’s play My Mother Said I Never Should was named by the National Theatre as one of The Significant Plays of the Twentieth Century. She has written for radio, television and film, and has won multiple awards and was nominated for an Olivier Award as Most Promising Newcomer.

Sophie Bush is a lecturer in Performance at Sheffield Hallam University. Her research and teaching interests lie in the history, practice and politics of contemporary British theatre. She maintains an involvement with practical theatre-making, as director and devisor.