Preston Bill

‘Most of this story takes place here, in the north of England.

This is it.

This is the north of England.’

The Preston Bill is a new monologue from acclaimed theatre maker Andy Smith. Telling the story of the life of a man from this city, it reflects on the socio-political and historical shifts of the last eighty years by placing everyday moments alongside extraordinary global events.

Commissioned and produced by Fuel for the New Theatre in Your Neighbourhood project, The Preston Bill can be presented in any room that can be turned into a theatre for its duration. It has been performed in a social club, a gallery, and around a pub table as well as in more conventional and traditional theatre spaces.

This volume also contains the texts of two earlier works, commonwealth and all that is solid melts into air, which have also been presented as a double bill under the title two from a smith.