doollee banner
The Playwrights Database
contact doollee


Hugh Janes

HUGH JANES  

 Nationality:    British
email:    n/a     Website:    Click here

Literary Agent:    Sayle Screen Ltd  

Hugh Janes was an actor for over twenty years, making his stage debut aged ten. He has since written over forty plays. musicals and site-specific pieces. as well as television and films. He was a writer and script consultant on the BBC series Play Away and devised Scatterbox for ITV. Other television includes Beyond the Wall. Conversations with a Stranger, the series Second Time Around (BBC), and the film even Break (BK Films). Stage plays include After Dark (Bikeshed Theatre). Master Forger. Two of a Kind. the Perfect Murder (from a story by Jeffrey Archer), Deadlock. Dancers (Mayfair Theatre). A Soldier's Song (from the book by Ken Lukowiak), the Complete Ring of the Nibelang (abridged), the 'Ring' cycle in eighty minutes with all the jokes Wagner left out, Dangerous to Know (from the book by Barbara Taylor Bradford). Land of Lies (co-written with Gerald Moon). Sealed Knot, Four Quarters and Downtown Dash, Ophelia and Museum of Horror (at the edinburgh Fringe in 2011), and Riot in the Royal Oak. Two of a Kind. Deadlock and the Perfect Murder are published by Samuel French and were produced by Bill Kenwright. Hugh was Writer-in-Residence for the Barbican Theatre and Plymouth Libraries, and wrote many shows for them including fanners. Time & Tide (also filmed for ITV) and Divine Darkness (YOTA Award). As Artistic Associate of Part exchange Theatre Company he has written the Last King of Devonport and Guildhall Tours. His feature film Wide Blue Yonder starring Brian Cox, Lauren Racal! and James Fox, directed by Robert Young. premiered in 2010.

Buy Plays with Doollee

Each page of doollee.com has links to play/book outlets, either directly to the Publisher, through Stageplays.com and Amazon to the second hand and 1st editions of AbeBooks. These links will automatically take you to the relevant area obviating the need for further search.
AbeBooks.co.uk   AbeBooks.com   Stageplays.com   amazon.com   amazon.co.uk   amazon.ca
whether you are a Playwright who wishes to make their entry definitive, an unlisted Playwright or a User with a tale to tell - we want to hear from you.
download WORD submission template

below is a list of Hugh Janes's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         After Dark         Aladdin         Cinderella         Complete Ring Of the Nibelung, The (Abridged)         Dancers         Dangerous To Know         Dead-Lock         Divider, The         Divine Darkness         Downtown Dash         Dream On         Four Quarters         Guildhall Tours, The         Haunting, The         Jack And the Beanstalk         Janners         Land Of Lies         Last King Of Devonport, The         Love All         Master Forger         Museum Of Horror         Ophelia         Perfect Murder, The         Rainbow Coloured Dream, The         Riot In the Royal Oak         Sealed Knot         Soldier's Song, A         Star Encounters         Time And Tide         Two Of A Kind

After Dark

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Bikeshed theatre    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Aladdin

Synopsis:
a Persian version of the pantomime.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Barbican Theatre, Plymouth, Devon    36509

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Cinderella

Synopsis:
a traditional version of the pantomime.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead    33598

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  2            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Complete Ring Of the Nibelung, The (Abridged)

Synopsis:
the entire 'Ring' Cycle (almost) with all the jokes Wagner left out

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
St. Cuts, Edinburgh Fringe Festiva    11 Aug 2003

Organisations:
Reduced Wagner Company

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Dancers

Synopsis:
a musical showcase based on the lives of dancers.

Notes:
Book by Hugh Janes; Lyrics by Hugh Janes And Peter Walker; Music by Peter Durrent

1st Produced:
Mayfair Theatre, London    30 Nov 1975

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
musical showcase

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  7            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Dangerous To Know

Synopsis:
When a philanthropic millionaire is found murdered, his ex-wife sets out to discover the truth about this enigmatic man and his mysterious death.

Notes:
adapted from the novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Thriller

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Dead-Lock

Dead-Lock
When her husband dies in a car crash, Diana is determined to succeed as the new head of his successful company. Her son alec believes the position should be his, while her younger son demands more of the family fortune. When strange events start happening in the house and a voice haunts her, Diana's fears and uncertainties increase. Just as she feels she knows who is responsible, events take a Dramatic turn as her real enemy is revealed

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Thorndike Leatherhead    27 May 1991

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Samuel French, London >>>   978-057301744-5

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Thriller

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Divider, The

Synopsis:
the Divider is a funny and poignant celebration of the resilience of older people who are determined not to give in without a fight.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead    May 1995

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Divine Darkness

Synopsis:
the Book of Job has heen called a 'landmark in the historical development of the divine Drama'. Some scholars believe it was written by Moses, it is certainly one of the Bible's oldest books. at its heart is real human experience, a great debate and a wager between Cod and the Devil for Job's soul. This extraordinary new play music and song chosen especially for the unique atmosphere of St. andrews Church.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
St Andrew's Church, Royal parade, Plymouth    15 Mar 2001

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Downtown Dash

Synopsis:
a short play within a play set in the 1941 blitz. a sailor and his mate try to avoid the bombs as they race across Plymouth to get back to their families.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
short play

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Dream On

Synopsis:
a musical based on show's like Britain's Got Talent created for Lipson Community College. a school decides to hold a talent contest for their end of term concert only to find it hi-jacked by an exploitative television executive. a live competition every night and the audience had the final vote.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Muse Theatre, Plymouth    2009

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  11            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Four Quarters

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Guildhall Tours, The

Synopsis:
theatrical and humorous guided tours of the newly refurbished 19th century Guildhall.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Devonport Guildhall, Plymouth    28 Apr 2010

Organisations:
a site-specific event commissioned by Part exchange Co and RIO.

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
site specific

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Haunting, The

Haunting, The
In an ancient, crumbling mansion, two men stumble across a dark and terrifying secret that will change their lives forever. David Filde is employed to catalogue the estate's impressive library and finds an incredible array of rare books. But as a series of strange and unexplained events conspire to keep Filde from his work, he realises that if he is to convince his septical employer that the mysterious phenomena he is experiencing is real, they must journey together to the very edge of terror to discover the source of the terrifying visitations. This gripping new adaptation of some of Charles Dickens' most haunting works, based on his spine-tingling tales of the unexpected, will have you on the edge of your seat.

Notes:
By Hugh Janes, Adapted from the ghost stories of Charles Dickens

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
adaptation

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Jack And the Beanstalk

Synopsis:
a traditional local pantomime.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Barbican Theatre, Plymouth, Devon    36872

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Pantomime

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Janners

Synopsis:
a theatrical soap opera set in the chaotic and bizarre world of a Plymouth pub

Notes:
Written by Hugh Janes in collaboration with Jayne Newton Chance And the Waterfront Writers And performed by local Actors.

1st Produced:
Barbican Theatre, Plymouth, Devon    23 Jun 2006

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
soap opera

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Land Of Lies

Synopsis:
a play about the life of Magda Quandt, a cultured divorcee who joined the National Socialist Party after hearing Joseph Goebbels speak at a rally in 1929. they seduced each other but after they married Magda became entwined in her husband's web of deceit and her privileged life, as mother figure of the Nation, ended in Hitler's bunker where she committed suicide after taking the lives of her children.

Notes:
written by Hugh Janes And Gerald Moon

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Last King Of Devonport, The

Synopsis:
the Guildhall was once the civic heart of Devonport, designed by the architect John Foulston in 1821 and part of a plan that included an egyptian house, a Hindu temple and a commemorative column to celebrate this thriving area. In its current position amongst the demolished remains of Ker Street, this neo-classical building speaks of past prosperous times whilst presiding over the developers bulldozers and cranes. Hugh Janes and Jules Laville use the changing fortunes of the Devonport Guildhall to present a visual, physical feast for the eye, mind and heart.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Devonport Guildhall, Plymouth    39721

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Promenade piece

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Love All

Synopsis:
the members of a small tennis club find their relationships under strain when the annual championships coincide with the club's 75th anniversary and the traditional old guard is taken on by the new.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead    32560

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Master Forger

Synopsis:
Michelangelo began his career as a forger. He carved 'the Sleeping Cupid' and planted it where some workmen were digging. the sculpture was discovered and acclaimed as an ancient masterpiece. It was sold for 200 Ducats to a cardinal. . . and then Michelangelo confessed. . .'So began the defence of Tom Keating, the real-life forger at his celebrated trial in the late 70's during which he achieved international notoriety.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Museum Of Horror

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Edinburgh fringe festival    2011

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Ophelia

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Perfect Murder, The

Perfect Murder, The
adapted from a story by Jeffrey archer. Carla Moorland has been murdered, and accountant John Hoskins, who has been having an affair with her, is certain he knows who did it - himself. John's wife Elizabeth, rather than calling the police, is determined to keep John out of prison, even if it means that an innocent man will be punished for the crime. . .

Notes:
from story by Jeffrey Archer

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Samuel French, London >>>   978-057301954-8

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
adaptation

Parts:
Male:  9            Female:  3            Other:  M9-12 F3-6. Can be played by M7 F2 with doubling

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Rainbow Coloured Dream, The

Synopsis:
This play for children is set in a world without colour, where scientists struggle to understand the gloom. One morning, a child wakes from an amazing dream, which a sage interprets as a kaleidoscopic vision. the child and a physicist set off in search of something they've never seen and do not understand.

Notes:
the play was devised for A class of About 30 children, with parts for All Abilities And interest. Commissioned by DaISI (Devon Arts in Schools Initiative) And produced by six schools simultaneously Across Devon As part of the Groundswell Festival.

1st Produced:
Phoenix Theatre, exeter    36557

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Youth audience

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Riot In the Royal Oak

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Sealed Knot

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Soldier's Song, A

Synopsis:
n 1979 Private Lukowiak was a virgin soldier. In 1982 he went to war, He was away from home a little over eigbt weeks, but the madness and black comedy of active duty in tbe Falklands changed his life . . . forever.Since then he has returned to the Falklands as a journalist and travelled for the first time to argentina to meet the men he fought, confront his past and undergo trial by television. Now, nearly fifteen years to the day that the task force set sail Ken Lukowiak's book a Soldier's Song is brought to the stage in a funny and deeply moving production.

Notes:
adapted from the book by Ken Lukowiak

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Star Encounters

Synopsis:
Bette Davis and Joan Crawford enlist the help of sci-fi characters to find the get-out clause in their contracts, pursued through space by the head of the studio.

Notes:
written by Hugh Janes And Rae Coates

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
space-age musical satire

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Time And Tide

Synopsis:
a comical look at 1000 years of Plymouth's association with the sea.

Notes:
Written with the 'Bards of the Barbican', the Waterfront Writers. Music by Simon Purchon And Nick Holmes

1st Produced:
Barbican Theatre, Plymouth, Devon    02 Aug 2000

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Two Of A Kind

Two Of A Kind
Wally Wallis is hardly the perfect retirement-home resident. When his room-mate, Potts, dies and is replaced with staid, dull George, war is instantly declared! Wally decides he must leave, but before his escape with Potts' ashes he reaches a level of understanding with George and shares some tender moments with May, another resident, who has a soft spot for both men.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Samuel French, London >>>   978-057301944-9

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page