Full Length/Two Act, Drama Play Scripts

Drama (A-M)

	A Harlot's Progress by Dougie Blaxland (4m, 3f & 1 m/f junior) This cast size uses doubling; larger cast opportunities exist Based on William Hogarth’s 18th Century series of paintings, the play tells the tragic story of Moll Hackabout, an innocent and naïve 16 year old, who travels to London in search of employment where she is enticed and entrapped by the lecherous Colonel Charteris and his self-seeking accomplice Mother Needham. The play dramatises Moll’s tragic and all too brief journey from gentleman’s mistress, via street prostitution and imprisonment, to destitution, disease and premature death. Although set in the 18th Century it has an all too poignant relevance for 21st Century Britain.

	A Higher Education by Angela Pressland (2m, 2f) apx 1hr 45mins - Written as a long One Act play, but with a Two Act split point provided Patrick is suffering in his job and in his private life, and he badly needs comfort - female comfort. Summer is determined to complete her university degree, and if she can't get the money one way, she will try another. Their encounter is explosive for both of them.

	A Phoenix Rising by Tony Layton (8m, 6f) Large Cast Possibilities What happens in a society that has lost its way and is in a state of civil unrest? What if certain people with influence decided to help create and promote the idea of a new messiah? Modern technology with all its creativity can produce images which could convince the most ardent sceptic, so why shouldn't a troubled church organisation harness it for its own ends?

	A Touch Of Familiarity by Michael Park (3m, 5f) The grown-up children of the Brewster family have gone their separate ways: Jayne is a BBC executive, Brenda has married well, and Adrian is out and about supporting good causes. Only aspiring artist, Melanie, is left at home, but when her widowed mother suffers a stroke, this ordinary family has to face up to dealing with extraordinary circumstances. Boasting strong female leads, this play is both funny and touching in turn, and examines the problems of coping with a stroke victim respectfully, without being in any way maudlin.

	A Word For Mother by Tim McArthur (5f) The play takes place in Pru’s kitchen between 2009 and 2017 – she is the mother of Charity, Faith and Hope. Each of the sisters are returning home after the sad passing of Pru, to be reunited and to share their grief. The play switches between the present day and flashbacks, as each of the characters recalls a particular emotional and revealing conversation they remember having with their mum– secrets, hidden feelings and rivalries between the sisters begin to emerge that threaten to tear the sisters apart forever.

	All That We Seem from the writings of Edgar Allen Poe adapted by Steven K Beattie (7m, 4f, 1m/f) A remarkable piece of theatre inspired by the life and work of Edgar Allan Poe - a poet, journalist, editor and literary critic, best known for his tales of mystery and horror. The play cleverly weaves together all these aspects of Poe’s life and work by using the writer at his desk as a framework for some spell-binding story-telling. Poe is a soul tormented by illness in mind and body caused by separating from his sick wife, then grief at her death, neglect by an uncaring public, and money troubles. He medicates himself with alcohol, and is driven always to write.

	An Honourable Life by Tom Casling (5m, 3f) Patrick and Mary await the imminent arrival of Father Brendan, Patrick’s brother, who has decided to come and stay with them two weeks before Christmas. Brendan is never the easiest of guests and it would appear that he has a problem that he urgently needs to discuss. “At a time of goodwill to all men” both brothers find themselves in need of shelter, questioning their family values and needing to address what constitutes living an honourable life.

	According To Claudia by Phil Mansell (3m, 4f) Secrets and surprises abound when a family gathers to celebrate the 80th birthday of a crusty Oxford don. Unexpected guests include a crime writer, a former gangster - and a mystery gunman. Winner: Award for Best Theatre Show presented by lifestyle and entertainment magazine Voice, and the Award for Best Play presented by the Gwent Drama League

	Antigone: Through The Ages by Reiner Prochaska (3m, 4f) Honour. Love. Integrity. We follow the journey of Antigone from Germany in 1631 to a current-day Mediterranean kingdom where the new king has forbidden—on pain of death—the funeral of her brother. But, Antigone defies her uncle. Framed in the structure of a traditional Greek drama, ‘Antigone: Through the Ages’ deconstructs the timeless themes of Sophocles’ original to reconstruct them in the context of historical and contemporary events to illuminate the universality of its story.

	Behind Closed Doors by Janet Shaw (5m, 3f) Set in 1969, when physical and mental abuse was a fact of life to many women, this play is about domestic violence inside marriage - a subject still regrettably topical even in today's 'enlightened' times. Social attitudes and family undercurrents are explored when the engagement of two university students (one, upper class from Surrey, the other much more down to earth, from Yorkshire) brings their families together, but breaks one of them apart.

	Between Friends by Carolyn Pertwee with Rosalind Adler (1m, 2f) The past stalks the present in this gripping drama set in the near future with the world in a state of flux. Helen and Paul have escaped to the comparative calm of Esher, where they’re happy. Pretty much. Their two girls are settled in school and it’s good to grow your own vegetables. Helen has their future all mapped out, unaware that their lives are about to implode when Laura, an old friend from another life, turns up unannounced on their doorstep...

	Between The Hay And Grass by Hank Belbin (min 6m, 2f) 1882 White Oaks, New Mexico. A savage lawless land where murder and robbery are as common as drought, and making an honest living is unheard of. A brutal tale of a murdering road agent and a notorious thief apprehended in the wake of a violent robbery gone awry. The young outlaw has always been on the wrong side of the law, but he is also a decent man desperately trying to provide for his family, change his ways and not let his children fall victim to the same life that has doomed him to to commit horrendous acts. With so much wrong-doing behind him, John is struggling desperately to build a future for his family and lay to rest his murderous past for good, but in such an unforgiving land even the strongest wither and die. There ain’t no laws, but the laws we make for ourselves.

	Blackberry Promises by Jan Moran Neil (8m, 8f) Remember the late 1950s? ‘Lollipop’ and ‘Living Doll’ on the juke box: boys in natty suits, their hair slicked back in Elvis quiffs; girls in puffball skirts - all of them with one thing on their minds. ‘Blackberry Promises’ is an evocative exploration of teenage sexuality set in the era that invented the teenager.

	Call Me Dusty by Derek Webb Small Cast Version: (2f, 1m) Large Cast Version: (6m, 6f min) Without doubt the finest white soul singer of her era, Dusty Springfield is for millions the definitive pop diva. Her lifestyle was the stuff of legend – and great drama. Misunderstood and often misquoted, with her relentless quest for perfection and refusal to compromise, Dusty Springfield led a tormented life culminating in a downward spiral of drugs, alcohol abuse and self-harm – but, despite all that, she produced tremendous music which still ranks as some of the finest of its kind. The actress playing Dusty does not have to sing, all the tracks played are recorded songs.

	Choices by David Challenger (2m, 5f) Either a full length play or 2 x one act plays (1m, 3f and 1m, 2f) with Acts or Plays linked by subject matter. In ‘A Matter of Time’, a woman is watching her husband die of cancer and confides her fears to her best friend who agrees to give the husband a fatal overdose, but can’t carry it out. The wife finds the courage to make the ultimate choice to assist in his euthanasia and faces criminal charges for murder. In ‘Trapped’, a man’s wife is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease which has a devastating effect on them. Facing losing the woman he loves, rather than see her suffer and lose her dignity, he makes the choice to end her life knowing he will face criminal charges. He goes on the run and meets his own death, not knowing that his wife had died from natural causes.

	Confessions Of Honour by Gerry Hinks (2m, 1f) 50 years after the battle of Epernay where Frederick Salisbury won the Victoria Cross on August 28th 1944, he is attending a special ceremony at Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, to present his medal to the Staffordshire Regiment in which he served during the Second World War. The unexpected arrival of an old German soldier Wolfgang Meissler has an unsettling effect on Frederick and a feeling of unease ensues as he tries to work out the reason for his visit. What connection does Wolfgang have with Frederick? How does he know such much about Frederick and his past? Does Wolfgang hold a secret that could upset the carefully laid procedures of the day?

	Dark Sky by Alan Stockdill (4m, 1f) There’s something in the air. The Dark Sky animal rights group are planning an audacious strike against the Sutton Life Sciences laboratory. But is everyone really who they appear to be? Emma is having a relationship with Paul but John seems to be involved somewhere. Who can you trust? Where does Luke fit in and can Matthew get on with his life without risk? Will animals or people get hurt in the process? Are these people dangerous or just a hapless group of amateurs? Inspired by a real life story, 'Dark Sky' is a black comedy with more than a twist or two.

	Daughters Of Eve by Tom Casling (6f, 3m/f) Six women meet once a year at a remote cottage. Five of them went to school together and are now in their 50s. The sixth is the daughter of one of the school friends who has now passed away. As the play develops it begins to be clear that nowadays they meet often out of guilt and habit, rather than for enjoyment. One of them is their strength, their rock, but the other five are in different states of turmoil.

	Death On The Doorstep by Martin Cort (Min: 6m, 2f) Set in the 1970s when homosexuality was still widely regarded with hostility or suspicion, Death on the Doorstep is based on true events. This tension-filled account of a vicious murder, the wrongful arrest of a gay man and the tangled events which follow, deals clear-sightedly with themes of brutal violence, police prejudice and homosexual rape. The play culminates in a memorably dramatic scene that is certain to keep the audience gripped from start to finish.

	Dr Freud Will See You Now, Mrs Hitler by Laurence Marks & Maurice Gran (6m, 3f, 1m/f) As a bed-wetting, traumatised child, Adolf Hitler was referred by his provincial doctor to a young psychologist in Vienna who specialised in children's traumas. The psychologist’s name was Sigmund Freud. Hitler never went because his father refused to allow it, but how different might the history of the 20th century have been if his mother had prevailed and Hitler had laid down on Freud’s couch.

	e-baby by Jane Cafarella (2f) This play tackles the sensitive and heart-rending issue of surrogacy. Catherine is a privileged Australian lawyer living in London. In her mid-40’s, she has endured 18 cycles of IVF and is now desperate to have a child. Nellie is her surrogate, a feisty, honest, God-fearing redhead from Boston, Massachusetts. It is in parts funny, bitter-sweet, topical and raw with well-developed, multi-layered and clever characterisation, and paints a picture of the longing and heartache that is suffered by both women, but for different reasons.

	Elephants Don't Run by Trevor Smith (4m, 5f) Lily is in hospital with a variety of physical and psychological illnesses. Her eldest daughter, Megan, whom no-one has seen for nearly 20 years, visits. This visit causes distress to her angry, younger sister, Debra, who has fallen in love with her mother’s doctor. Why is Debra angry and is her love unrequited? Where has Megan been for all these years and what caused Lily’s illnesses? All is explained throughout this emotionally moving drama.

	Emma by Jane Austen adapted by Tim Luscombe (3m, 4f or 5m, 6f) Austen’s masterpiece takes us on a joyful journey packed full of warmth and wit, romantic schemes and mistaken intentions. Tim Luscombe (who’s had great success with his other Jane Austen adaptations; Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park and Persuasion) relates Austen’s story with verve and style, honouring its central themes and transporting its famous characters to the stage, including the dashing and restrained Mr Knightley, the comically hypochondriac Mr Woodhouse and the sublimely dull Miss Bates!

	Fate by James Johnson (4m, 5f) Strong Content When the warped minds of two families being joined in marriage intertwine, the results are a devastating mix of incest, lies, bribery, fraud and adultery. Left to themselves the four flawed relationships in the two families must ultimately lead to their self-destruction. Only fate can take a hand in the proceedings to change the outcome for two of the characters.

	From This Day Forward by Nicolas Ridley (2m, 5f) The play is set in an ‘alternative present’ after the implementation of legislation to stabilise the institution of marriage. The official view is that ‘as long as you both shall live’ is an unrealistic goal. Marriage licenses are therefore issued for a limited period only, after which, couples need either renew their licences or allow them to expire. Three couples must now decide whether or not they have a future together.

	Glimpse Due Solace by James Johnson (7m, 5f) Strong Content The play explores the way love and guilt manifest themselves inside human relationships: the flowering and de-flowering; the living and dying, shouting and crying. Are love and guilt insistent? Always. Are they persistent? Occasionally. Are they consistent? Never.

	Honeymoon Suite by Tony Layton (Min 2m, 1f; Max 4m, 3f) 3x1 Act each apx 40 mins or 1x3 Act apx 120 mins Prize Winner Three linked plays that explore the reasons why three couples have booked into the honeymoon suite at a country hotel. Two of the three are just married - for one it's barely six weeks since they met, the other couple though have known each other for twenty years. Why so soon? Why so long? The third couple are not married, at least, not to each other. This and a secret discovered, casts a shadow over their weekend. Francis, the genial, Irish hotel porter links all three plays with his homespun philosophy and his 'see nothing', 'get you anything' attitude to his valued guests.

	Head And Heart by Paul Greenwood (1m, 4f) Eve is a writer who is struggling with ideas. She creates characters, each of them an aspect of her own personality, and makes them interact so that she can create a story. Evelyn, who is Eve's nemesis, attempts to steer Eve in the right creative direction. She is the ‘head’ to Eve’s ‘heart’.   Early in the play a gun is introduced. One of the rules of drama is that if gun is brought on stage, it must be used.

	Hungry Ghosts by Tim Luscombe (min 3m, 2f) Formula One driver Tyler Jones arrives in Shanghai for the Grand Prix. It might as well be Moscow or Melbourne. He’s happy to toe the corporate line so long as he can race. But when he meets and falls for Chinese dissident Pin-de, racing ambition suddenly seems futile set against Pin-de’s struggle for survival. How can he square his newfound awareness of life and death in China and help Pin-de, without losing everything he has?

	In by James Johnson (3m, 3f) Strong Content A psychotic and homosexual private investigator who despises prostitutes gets hired by a husband who is curious to know if (and why) his wife is being unfaithful to him. Why does she visit the doctor's so regularly?

	Is There Anybody There? by Martin Paul Roche (3f) When Sue meets Ann, an employee of her late husband, she finds a soul mate in more ways than one. And following a chance conversation about a psychic medium, she hatches a plan. A laugh. The chance to drink, to joke and to make fun with impunity of those who she sees as pathetic for trying to contact their dead relatives: laughing at the expense of those who pursue the question: “Is there anybody there?”

	Kimalia by Tim Luscombe (Minimum 9m/f) Asylum claims based on sexual orientation and gender identity have been recognised in the UK since 1999. However, having the right to seek refugee status, and actually gaining asylum on this basis, have proved to be two very different things. Through farcical comedy and hard-hitting raw conflict, 'Kimalia' pitches Ade, a Kimali refugee, against Vincent, the 'european' border guard with a prejudice. Written originally for a cast of 19 Mountview graduating students, this urgent, contemporary tale exposes the endemic corruption and prejudice at the heart of the Home Office’s immigration strategy, and aims to question all of our attitudes to race, gender and nationality.

	Love In Vain In Love by Gillian Hiscott (2m, 5f) Upbeat fantasy based on the fable of Echo and Narcissus. This lyrical and rhyming piece is light-hearted and comical in a way that will appeal to all age groups including children, who will relate to the setting of a school. The production is left open to interpretation and depending on budget, can be either a simple recital, or a full-scale dance/musical piece.

	Mad Shelley by Kathryn Attwood (6m, 4f or 5m, 3f with doubling) Percy Bysshe Shelley lived fast and died young. A radical socialist, atheist, pioneer of vegetarianism and free love – and one of England’s finest poets. Famously the husband of Mary and inspiration for her eponymous hero Victor Frankenstein. But what of his abandoned first wife Harriet? And the wealthy MP father he alienated with his notorious views? This critically acclaimed drama described as a ‘brilliant piece of writing’ shines a light on the less well known but no less fascinating aspects of Shelley’s tragically short life.

	Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, adapted by Gillian Hiscott (4m, 6f) A splendid costume drama adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel. The story follows Fanny Price's admission into the family of her titled relatives, the Bertrams, and their treatment of her. It features a delightful 'play within a play', a wedding, and ballroom dance. "This adaptation indulges Jane Austen's predilection for matchmaking, moralising and mockery". (Camden New Journal)

	Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, adapted by Pamela Whalan (6m, 7f) Fanny Price is the poor relation of Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram, and has, from the age of ten, lived with the wealthy Bertram family at Mansfield Park. The shy and retiring Fanny is an intelligent observer of the flirtations and foibles of her four cousins and the sophisticated brother and sister, Henry and Mary Crawford, who move into the neighbourhood and disrupt the peace of the Bertram family.