Black and White has acquired The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, the stunning new novel from Anne Corlett.
Sam Humphreys, Publishing Director at Black and White, pre-empted World English Language rights from Laura Williams at Greene and Heaton. It’s her first acquisition for the Black and White Publishing Group, Bonnier Books UK’s newest division.
Partly inspired by the vast immersive theatre productions of Punchdrunk, The Theatre of Glass and Shadowsis set in an alternate London and tells the story of the city’s Theatre District. A walled area south of the river, where all involved are born into their roles, and follow their own rules; even the police have no jurisdiction there. But in a closed world where illusions abound, it’s easy for powerful men to control the narrative – and some will go to any lengths to ensure certain stories are never told.
Sam Humphreys said, “As soon as I read Anne’s novel, I knew that not only did I have to publish it, I also wanted it to be the book that launched my list. It’s wonderfully captivating, imaginative and rich, and while I can see it appealing to fans of The Night Circus and The Doll Factory, for example, it also feels entirely and brilliantly original. I can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Anne Corlett has an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and was a criminal defence solicitor before becoming a full-time writer. She. Her apocalyptic sci-fi novel The Space Between the Stars was published by Tor and Berkley in 2017, but The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is her first mainstream novel.
She said: “I’ve been fascinated by immersive theatre since my first visit to Punchdrunk’s The Drowned Man. It’s such a collaborative form of story-telling, with space for the audience to weave their own narratives. I’m absolutely delighted that The Theatre of Glass and Shadows has found a home at Bonnier, and it’s a huge honour for this book to be the one Sam has chosen to launch her list at Black and White.”
The Theatre of Glass and Shadows will publish May 2024.
