doollee banner
The Playwrights Database
contact doollee


David Turner

DAVID TURNER  (1927 - 1990)

 Nationality:    English
email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    n/a


Geoffrey David Turner, born to a working-class family in a deprived area of Birmingham in 1927, was a brilliant scholar, but started his working life in a paint factory. He joined a Drama group at a local Youth Club,where he was befriended by a teacher, who eventually persuaded him to apply for a place at Birmingham University. He studied there for a degree in Spanish, but by the time he graduated, although the war was by now over, he was conscripted for National Service. He was drafted into the Intelligence Corps, but after a very short time his talent as an actor was spotted and he was asked to join "Stars in Battledress," an organisation which at that time employed both military and civilian personnel. He spent the rest of his service time entertaining the troops in Gremany and also further afield, appearing in "Sweeney Todd," "The Shop at Sly Corner" and other plays, After demobilisation he took a training course at Saltley College and became a teacher, writing for both stage and TV in his spare time. He married in 1957, and later he and his wife adopted two children. Being now a succesful playwright, David was able to give up teaching and buy a house in Leamington SpA. His play "The Prodigal Daughter" was produced at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington in 1973, starring Wilfred Hyde-White, but by far his greatest success was "Semi-Detached" which also appeared in film form as "All the Way Up" starring Warren Mitchell.

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 David Turner's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

 Antique Shop, The         Bedmakers, The         Beggar's Opera, The         Believe It Or Not         Bottomley         Girls, The         Initiation, The         Miser, The         Only True Story Of Lady Godiva, The         Prodigal Daughter, The         Quick Quick Slow         Semi-Detached         Servant of Two Masters, The         Slap In the Middle         Trevor

Antique Shop, The

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Coventry    1963

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

Bedmakers, The

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Coventry    1962

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:  7            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Beggar's Opera, The

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
Original Playwright - John Gay; music edited by Benjamin Pearce Higgins

1st Produced:
London    1968

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Samuel French, London, 1982   -

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:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Believe It Or Not

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
written with Edward J. Mason

1st Produced:
Coventry    1962

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:  13            Female:  4            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Bottomley

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Coventry    1965

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

Girls, The

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
London    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:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Initiation, The

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Barrow-in-Furness    1966

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:  7            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Miser, The

Synopsis:
the miser loves his gold but decides to take a second wife, four lovers plot to save themselves, Period 1668

Notes:
Original Playwright - Moliere

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:  11            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Only True Story Of Lady Godiva, The

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
written with Paul Lapworth

1st Produced:
Coventry    1973

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

Prodigal Daughter, The

Synopsis:
a lapsed Anglican seeking punishment for having an abortion is hired as a housekeeper for three Roman Catholic priests

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Colchester    1973

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Samuel French, NY, 1976   -

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

Quick Quick Slow

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
music And lyrics by Monty Norman And Julian More; book by David Turner

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

Semi-Detached

Synopsis:
The Midways, spurred on by father Fred, are a family on the move. Thanks to his energetic success in selling insurance they have put their humble beginnings behind them and have established themselves as solid members of the burgeoning middle class-but greener pastures still lie ahead. Turning each new opportunity to his advantage Fred moves onward and upward, maneuvering his youngest daughter into marriage with the insipid scion of a wealthy family-but trouble erupts when April, the married daughter, announces that she intends to divorce her spineless hubby because of a supposed indiscretion, and because of the fact that he stands to be disinherited by his rich uncle's impending marriage. Taking command, with wife Hilda as his trusting lieutenant, Fred plunges vehemently into the fray and, despite a few desperate moments when his Machiavellian cunning threatens to desert him, pulls all the chestnuts out of the fire with masterly and unerring self-concern. It all works out his way-or does it? As the play ends we sense that even Fred, that paragon of expediency, is beginning to wonder a bit about whether the real values in life might lie elsewhere than in the goals which he has been so furiously pursuing.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Coventry    1962

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Heinemann, London, 1962   -

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:
Farcical Comedy

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Servant of Two Masters, The

Synopsis:
the terrible complications wrought by Truffaldino when he gets engaged as a servant by two different people at the same time

Notes:
Original Playwright - Carlo Goldoni, with Paul Lapworth, music by Benjamin Pearce Higgins

1st Produced:
London    1968

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Evans, London, 1973   -

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:  8            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Slap In the Middle

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
written with others

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

Trevor

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