<DIV><p>On <I>The Night Alive</I>:</p><p>"A beautiful new play. . . . There's not another dramatist living who could pull off [what McPherson] exercises so exquisitely here. . . . Kindles a glow, both warming and chilling, you rarely experience at the theater."?<I>The New York Times</I></p><p>On <I>The Birds</I>:</p><p>"Deliciously chilling . . . spring-loaded with tension."?<I>Irish Independent</I></p><p>On <I>The Veil</I>:</p><p>"Bold and intriguing . . . McPherson keeps you guessing to the last."?<I>Financial Times</I></p><p>Tommy's not a bad man, he's just getting by?renting a decrepit room in his Uncle Maurice's house and hopping from one get-rich-quick scheme to the other. Then one day he comes to the aid of the also-struggling Aimee, and together, they just might make something?extraordinary?of their lives. With inimitable warmth, style, and craft, <I>The Night Alive</I> deftly mines the humanity to be found in the most unlikely of situations. Also included in the volume is <I>The Birds</I>, a suspenseful, atmospheric adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's enthralling short story, and <I>The Veil</I>, set around a haunted house hemmed in by a restive, starving populace, which weaves Ireland's troubled colonial past into a riveting tale about the pursuit of love, the transcendental, and the circular nature of time.</p><p><B>Conor McPherson</B> is an award-winning Irish playwright educated at University College Dublin. His best-known works include <I>The Weir</I> (1999 Olivier Award for Best New Play), <I>Dublin Carol</I>, <I>The Seafarer</I> (Tony nomination for Best Play), <I>Shining City</I> (Tony nomination for Best Play), and <I>Port Authority</I>.</p></DIV>