Fourth Wall Bookshop to Launch as UK's First Online Bookshop for Stage and Screen

A new specialist online bookshop devoted entirely to the craft, stories and magic of stage and screen goes live at 9am on Thursday 30 July at FourthWallBookshop.co.uk. At launch there will be a welcome discount of 10% to all subscribers with no minimum order value.

Believed to be the UK's first specialist online bookshop devoted exclusively to books about stage and screen, Fourth Wall Bookshop is the brainchild of musician and film and theatre enthusiast Jack Campey (33), whose passion for performing arts is matched by his frustration at the limited shelf space given to them in most high street bookshops.

It led him to quit his day job and create a bookshop celebrating every aspect of film and theatre.

Jack describes it as breaking through the 'fourth wall', the theatrical term for the imaginary barrier between performers and their audience. His vision is to open up a space where lovers of stage and screen can browse carefully curated shelves filled with books exploring the productions, people and creative craft behind the stories they love.

He said: 'I'm creating the bookshop I've always wished existed, bringing together plays, screenplays, librettos, vocal scores, film and theatre craft, biographies, behind-the-scenes books and collector's editions in one place.

'I want it to be a bookshop that inspires, intrigues and delights. A place of discovery and a refuge for anyone with an interest in stage and screen. Whether you've just come out of seeing a show and want to discover how it came to life, you've left the cinema wanting to know more about your favourite film, or you're a student or an industry professional looking to learn more about directing, screenwriting or the creative craft behind stage and screen, Fourth Wall is for you.

'These books deserve their own space and lots of it. So many plays and films have shaped the zeitgeist of our times; given us joy, solace and inspiration. Yet books on film and theatre traditionally occupy only a small corner of many bookshops and that can be frustrating for those who want to discover more. They need to be talked about, explored and celebrated - and this is what I hope Fourth Wall Bookshop will do.'

Jack wants to encourage curiosity and exploration. Rather than simply helping customers find a book they already know they want, the aim is to inspire their next discovery. He has hand-picked all the books for Fourth Wall and is buoyed by support from publishers and colleagues in the performing arts: 'I really believe there is an audience for these wonderful books - physical books that invite you into an author's thoughts and imagination.'

Jack is a musician and a conductor, setting up a 70-piece orchestra several years ago to tour concerts celebrating the music of stage and screen. That work was done entirely in his spare time, alongside his day job in supply chain planning, where he worked for companies including Cargill and Mars Wrigley. A few weeks ago, he made the life-changing decision to quit his job to focus on running Fourth Wall full time.

He said: "It's the biggest decision of my life, but my passion has always been storytelling, music, film and the performing arts. Eventually I had to accept that I'd rather be surrounded by books than spreadsheets."

He added that his ambition was to make Fourth Wall more than just a bookshop: 'I want it to be a community, a hub for creatives and enthusiasts. The next phase will hopefully see the bookshop offer masterclasses with industry experts, pop up events, book launches/signings, and social events.'