Cookies by Emily Jenkins

Cookies explores the digital world of seven teenagers as they deal with the consequences of cyberbullying, sexting and radicalisation. The play closely follows Sosa, a savvy Londoner who immerses herself in the music of her favourite rap artist; Eva, an aspiring dance vlogger and Salena, a Zayn Malik super-fan. As the story unfolds we see how the teenagers deal with life changing events; Sosa witnesses the murder of her idol, Eva struggles to deal with an intimate photo of her being shared online; Salena attempts to ignore an online friend's flattery, who is trying to convince her to run away to Syria.

There is a great deal to like about this play. Thematically, it tackles some very relevant issues. As an audience we understand why Salena becomes so enchanted by Rayah, who grooms her online, making her feel like they have so much in common. We feel great empathy for Sosa, who we see as a kind and empathetic character when she protects someone on the bus, as she bears witness to a horrific attack. And our hearts go out to Eva who is relentlessly abused online, as a consequence of her ex-boyfriend sharing an intimate photo.

From a performance perspective, the play would be an excellent choice at GCSE or A level for scripted work and has a variety of thought-provoking monologues which would allow students to demonstrate a range of skills. In addition to the well observed characters, there are opportunities for ensemble work in the piece. There are a range of female and male roles, and the fact that the ethnicity of the characters is not specified makes the play very accessible and exciting to explore.