The Playwrights Database
IAN HORNBY
(1949 - )Nationality: British
email:
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Website:
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Literary Agent: n/a
I have been writing for over 20 years and my plays have been staged and performed all over the World, from places as far apart as the usa, Greece, Cayman Islands, Holland, Japan, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Brunei, (and, of course the UK) and some have even been translated into German, Japanese and Turkish. I was a founder member and am director of the Playwrights' Co-operative and New Theatre Publications, who now publish all my plays. If you find something here that interests you, please email for a full pdf version of the script (Worldwide) or a paper copy on FRee loan (UK mainland only). Plays can be adapted if wanted to suit different casts, and commissions are invited. I have also written 2 TV sitcoms and a full length crime thriller, for which I am seeking a literary agent and/or publisher. I have recently started writing murder mystery scripts - see www.dying4dinner.co.uk
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below is a list of Ian Hornby's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
Abanazar's Revenge Allo, 'Allo, 'Allo, (est there Any Body La?) Are You Sure there's No Body there? Be Careful Who You Wish For Boomerang Cat's Away, The Cinderella Clicks Cold Blood Conference Pairs Dish Served Cold, A Dream, Lover! Ex Factor, The Eye For An Eye, Darling Fantasy Hello, Is there Any Body there? Hex Factor, The Jayne With A Y Late Of This Address Mind Games Murdered, Presumed Dead No, Minister! One Across Price To Pay Question Of Innocence Remember Me Robin Hood Shades Of Blue Situation Vacant Tied Up At the Office Time Itself Tim'll Fix It To Sleep, Perchance Voices Wait Until the Ghost Is Clear Where there's A Will Whispers Whose Line Was It Anyway? Why Won't they Believe Me? Winter Of DiscontentAbanazar's Revenge
Synopsis:
the evil Queen and abanazar have pooled their evil forces to get their own back on the good guys. they kidnap Snow White, Princess Jasmine and Sleeping Beauty and it's up to Dick Whittington, aladdin and Prince Charming, aided by Widow Twankey, Wishee-Washee, the cat, the good fairy and the genies to make a rescue attempt. an unusual pantomime with three principal boys, three principal girls and a host of well-known characters, plus all the usual ingredients you expect from a pantomime - songs, bad jokes, monsters, slapstick. . .Oh yes there is!
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1999
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2002)
Music:
-
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Genre:
Pantomime
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageAllo, 'Allo, 'Allo, (est there Any Body La?)
Synopsis:
another visit to Squire Grange where Sir Malcolm Squire has been brutally murdered. the inept police Inspector Sides and Sergeant Fickey, plus the glamorous eve, are on the case, aided by our old friends Lady amelia, Mabel and Smalls. When Malcolm reappears as a ghost - visible only to amelia - the police think she's going mad. then the body count starts to mount. Will the police solve the killings before everyone dies? (No.) Who is the mysterious Fifi-ze-French-maid, and why does she bear an uncanny likeness to eve? Is it the long arm of the law that keeps killing the cast? More madcap mayhem from the "Hello" team - great fun for the audience and the cast. Full of zany humour and plenty of action.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications
Music:
-
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Booksellers:
Genre:
full length farce
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageAre You Sure there's No Body there?
Synopsis:
Subtitled "the Legend of the `eadless `orseman", this can be performed in its own right or by groups who have performed the original, "Hello Is there any Body there. . .?" It uses the same setting, Squire Grange, and most of the characters, but tell of how the bumbling police are investigating stolen racehorses, meaning Fickey and eve have to go under cover to investigate the crime. It's not long before Inspector Sides gets too close and is trampled to death by the Headless Horseman that haunts the grounds of Squire Grange, except, well, she's not had a good part recently and refuses to die. eve and Fickey are ordered to disguise themselves as a racehorse, except the Drama group's last production was ali Baba so the only costume they can find is a makeshift pantomime camel! the comedy stays down at the same level - oh yes it does - and the crime gets er. . .Well, forgotten really. Be Careful Who You Wish For
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2004)
Music:
-
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Booksellers:
Genre:
full length Farce
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageBe Careful Who You Wish For
Synopsis:
Jack and Mark have come to the pub to while away the rest of the day watching the football on TV. Before it starts they are chatting about how easy life is for women and utter the age-old comment "I wish I could be a woman for a day". all too soon, Jack becomes a woman, yet he's still here, facing his new, feminine alter-ego and feeling exactly what she does. But how does he explain away this new and attractive woman in his life to his friends and long-suffering girlfriend Lisa? More to the point, how does he get rid of her so life can go back to its previous normality? after all, a woman who dresses to kill, knows exactly how to get a man going, likes beer and is an authority on football is very popular with the regulars! (Other non-speaking parts for pub guests if desired.)
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2005)
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Booksellers:
Genre:
full length Comedy
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageBoomerang
Synopsis:
When Duncan's new-found drinking partner Bob meets Duncan's wife Tracy, they seem to share some guilty secret from the past. Could she be the long-lost lover Bob was boasting about before he emigrated to Australia? Duncan must do something about it, but is rather worried what he may have got up to under the influence when out the night before. at their anniversary party some unexpected guests turn up. Duncan tries to force the issue with Bob, but only succeeds in driving the couple away. all is not as it seems, however. Bob is an undercover policeman chasing a drugs smuggler - he is also Tracy's brother!
Notes:
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1st Produced:
-
1999
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1998)
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: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageCat's Away, The
Synopsis:
alan's wife Marion has gone away for a few days. Alan is planning a quiet night in and a game of cards with workmates Barry and Carl. Barry has other ideas, however - he has plenty of booze and has invited some girls round. How is Alan to keep Marion from finding out, especially with his nosy mother-in-law Muriel living directly opposite? after a few too many drinks Alan falls and loses his memory, and suddenly he doesn't care anymore. even when Marion arrives back and finds him in an innocent embrace with one of the girls he doesn't care - after all, he can't remember who she is! Something must be done - and it is!
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1996
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
Music:
-
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Booksellers:
Genre:
Comedy
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 5 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageCinderella
Synopsis:
a new look starting from the traditional story but with all the pantomime traditions and some new twists to the characters. Buttons turns into super hero Zips, Blue Peter has always one prepared before. everything from slapstick to songs to appalling jokes. there are two Dames and two principal boys.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1998
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
Music:
-
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Booksellers:
Genre:
full length Pantomime
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: variable cast
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageClicks
Synopsis:
Mark is a computer buff, much to his wife's annoyance. He surfs the internet looking for sleazy material, unaware that the computer itself is watching his every move. . .
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
in Three Short Plays, New Theatre Publications
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Booksellers:
Genre:
short black comedy
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: - Other: 1f (unseen) plus one extra m/f
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageCold Blood
Synopsis:
When Chris finds her husband allan is having a torrid affair with her best friend Joanna, she sets about planning his demise and her apparent guilt with cold-blooded expertise, helped by her experience as a forensic pathologist. She chooses her friend and colleague Don, a police inspector, as her perfect alibi. Don knows she is guilty, but every attempt he makes to prove it shows her always one step ahead. So how will he trap her? and does he really want to?
Notes:
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1st Produced:
-
1999
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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 PageConference Pairs
Synopsis:
each and every year, the members of the national sales team of JW Roberts Ltd. meet in a hotel for their sales conference. and each and every year they continue their liaisons with other members of the sales team. afterwards they will go back to their everyday lives, but this weekend they're out to enjoy each other. Peter and eve have conveniently opposite rooms in the hotel, but just about anything that can prevent their continued relationship actually does prevent it, including fire alarms, falls, difficult hotel staff, visiting bosses, lost keys, two pairs of handcuffs and a surprise visit from Peter's wife. Set in an area stage comprising a corridor and two rooms, this play is easy to set, even for groups with modest means - and in any case the payback is in the comedy. Cast ages are flexible.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2008)
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:
FL - a (hotel) Bedroom Farce
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 5 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageDish Served Cold, A
Synopsis:
When gold-digging wife Lynn discovers her husband is chatting on the Internet with another woman, and fearing someone else will move in on her wealthy lifestyle, she sets about planning to kill him. the plan seems foolproof, except that when she carries it through and shoots him, she is contacted by the other woman, who has witnessed the murder, unbeknown to Lynn , on a web camera, and has recorded it as evidence. and she wants Lynn 's inheritance. Lynn and her policeman boyfriend entrap the blackmailer and attempt to destroy the evidence, but the woman is one step ahead - unless she enters a secret password every day, all the evidence will be sent to the police. . .
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2005)
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:
full length Thriller
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageDream, Lover!
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1999
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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: 5 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageEx Factor, The
Synopsis:
Imagine it - you and your wife-to-be are struggling to open your bed and breakfast. the B&B inspector is due any moment. So it is for Phil and Jane. except the imminent inspector is Phil's ex-wife Felicity, and there never was any love lost between the two women. and there's a rumour that Felicity's latest beau used to be a Chippendale - not good when your first guests - two matronly women - are also due to arrive. and the place is almost - but not quite - finished, the rising wind threatening to blow the roof off the barn. the stage is set for misunderstandings, jealousy, women at war and even a burglary. That all-pervading scent of the farmyard doesn't help either.
Notes:
another idea started by A title. How to cash in on the popularity of the TV "talent" show..? the idea of A glamorous And hoity-toity ex wife descending on A farm which constantly has A whiff of manure in the Air was too good to resist. And while I was writing this I went to see Philip King's "See How they Run" At Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre - the temptation to Add A similarly mad chase scene was too much to resist.
1st Produced:
Lucilla Drama Group, Liverpool
05 Nov 2009
Organisations:
Bridgewater Players
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2009)
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Booksellers:
Genre:
Farce
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageEye For An Eye, Darling
Synopsis:
Peter decides to throw an anniversary party for wife amanda. Scatty housekeeper Mildred sees Peter with Caroline - a caterer. amanda thinks Peter is cheating and hires a detective. Peter sees amanda with the detective and, thinking she is cheating too, hires another detective. eventually four detectives are hired by different people. everyone thinks someone is carrying on with someone else.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1992
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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: 5 Female: 6 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageFantasy
Synopsis:
Doug has been unemployed for two years and is in the depths of depression, where the border between reality and fantasy have become blurred. His wife ellen tries to understand, until the arrival of the mysterious Ruth take things several stages further.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
in Three Short Plays, New Theatre Publications
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: 1 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageHello, Is there Any Body there?
Synopsis:
all is dull and peaceful at Squire Grange. Lady amelia searches for new ideas for her latest mystery novel as Sir Malcolm sleeps off the excesses of another idle day. Family friend Freddy is persuaded to try and think of new ideas. Meanwhile the hapless Vic Tim arrives and is promptly dispatched by an unknown assailant. everyone tries hard to discover the murderer before he or she can strike again. the first problem, however, is how to get rid of Vic's body, not just because he is making an untidy mess on the stage, but also because he has to come back in ACT II as a policeman! Smalls, the butler, and Mabel, the maid, try to assist the inept police (and Sir Malcolm attempts to give the delicious WPC Nunall a hand too) but not in time to prevent the Producer being murdered. there is even a suspicion that someone may have poisoned the audience. eventually Miss Marbles arrives to reveal, agatha Christie-style, the culprit, who also happens to be the play's prompt. Or is there another culprit? This hilarious farc
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1994
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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: 5 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageHex Factor, The
Synopsis:
More goings on at New Copse Farm, where Brendan has brought his lady friend Carol for a romantic weekend. except that Brendan's widowed mother Barbara - a self- professed white witch - mustn't know or he'll lose a lot of money. Cue Barbara's phone call, announcing her visit. Lecherous farmhand Ron adds to the mayhem as Brendan tries to keep Carol and Barbara apart - not easy with Barbara's mystical (claimed) sixth sense. But is Brendan's Father really dead? a seance should find out, yes? and as in the first play of this series, the ex Factor, the all-pervading scent of farmyards is never far away. a great comedy/farce for the audience and the cast alike.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications
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:
full length farce
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageJayne With A Y
Synopsis:
Jayne, a young student visitor to a nursing home, meets emily, an apparently cantankerous old lady and has her preconceptions challenged by a woman who is not the grumpy old person the nursing staff had her believe. She is an intelligent and interesting woman, and the two form a bond that's likely to continue into a hopeful future. Your audience will leave with a smile and an impression that maybe life isn't so bad after all. the part of the nurse can be played by either sex and the age is unimportant.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2008)
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 One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: 3 Other: flexible
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageLate Of This Address
Synopsis:
Newly-weds Rick and Vicky Maddocks have bought the run-down house for a song. Okay, so it needs some work doing, but for the price they paid you expect that sort of thing. What they didn't expect, however, was to find the house already occupied by the lovely Jessica. even worse, it turns out that only Rick can see her - it seems she died mysteriously twenty years previously. Rick finds Jessica very attractive, much to the annoyance of his bride, who, on finding a book left by a visiting psychic, attempts an exorcism, only to rematerialise Jessica's equally ghostly husband. except, of course, that only Vicky can see him. after the four have sorted out their relationships with one another, and the ensuing jealousies and rivalries they set about trying to solve the murders.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1994
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageMind Games
Synopsis:
This short play has one woman as ann, and a Police Inspector who can be either sex. ann's lover andrew has died in mysterious circumstances, and the Police have come to the conclusion he died of fright. In an off the record interview, ann finally admits she killed him, and that it was his belief that she was able to do it that scared him to death. the Inspector doesn't believe that's possible at first, but is finally convinced. and, in an ironic twist, when he finally believes her, his life becomes just as dispensable as andrew's had been.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2005)
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 One act
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageMurdered, Presumed Dead
Synopsis:
Ruthless businesswoman Lynne discovers husband John in their country cottage entertaining Carol. they fight, not for the first time, and John is killed - or is he? She gets Carol's fingerprints on the murder weapon, and with the help of shady private detective Ronnie to cover the crime up. Lynne has been troubled by the paranormal before and when John reappears and only she can see him she is convinced he is a ghost. they devise a clever story, but when the police arrive they arrest Lynne, supported by the evidence of local fisherman Simon, the man she knew as Ronnie. the three of them had hatched this supposedly foolproof plan to get control of Lynne's business interests. John finds out too late that he too has been duped - Simon is also Carol's lover. they decide they no longer need him, and since he is "already dead" anyway, they simply carry the plan through and kill him, knowing it all points to Lynne. This perfect plan is upset by the chance arrival of two hikers, who, quite simply, know too much. Will
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1997
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageNo, Minister!
Synopsis:
When novice church minister ashley is under financial pressure, she decides to take in a lodger - nice professional lady - except the applicant who wheedles his way in is smooth-talking Stuart, who won't tell her what he does and generally makes her ministry, shall we say difficult. Of course they'll end up together, that's no surprise, but how, when all they do is argue?
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications
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:
feelgood comedy
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 5/6 Other: flexible
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageOne Across
Synopsis:
This play is set in the days leading up to Christmas. David continually annoys wife Emma by suggesting he may be buying her all sorts of unwanted presents - even though her hints have made it plain enough she wants an eternity ring for Christmas. Things are brought to a head when Emma's mother agnes comes to stay and takes over the cooking. Emma's fury mounts steadily towards the climax of the play at the stroke of midnight on Christmas eve, when Emma gets her present and David gets a plate of cold baked beans - all over him!
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1994
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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 One act
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 2 Other: + extras
Further Reference:
-
Top of PagePrice To Pay
Synopsis:
Roger and Laura are just an ordinary married couple. Why then do a man and a woman, posing as police, kidnap Laura and keep her captive in a run-down farmhouse? after all, Roger has no money. the plot unfurls on a Dramatically-split stage - half in the couple's flat and half in the farmhouse - as we share Roger's and Laura's private agonies and uncertainties. the police are called, but their motives do not always seem in Laura's best interests. It is left to Laura and Roger to effect the final solution, but there is a price to pay, and their lives will never be the same again. This play has good character parts, especially the schizophrenic kidnapper Dianne and her slow partner Barry. "a tough, taut thriller. as tense as tomorrow's headlines" - T.O.a.D.S.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1993
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications,
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: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageQuestion Of Innocence
Synopsis:
the idyllic setting of the holiday villa in the South of France where Sally and her husband Matt have invited some friends for a holiday, is shattered by a robbery, one of a series in the area. Further turmoil is caused when Sally is arrested for the crimes, then for a murder. Sally has everything. Why should she steal? Yet all the evidence says she is guilty. Will her husband and her friends stick by her, or will help come from another source?
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1995
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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: 6 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageRemember Me
Synopsis:
On the day of friend Tony's funeral, Calvin is very bitter. He sees his own life fading away with no meaning. the shallow life of two friends only manages to sink him further into the depths, where he examines before us why life is so meaningless. Lynne and Calvin announce their marriage is splitting because of an affair with the recently deceased. This intrigues their friends, but the revelation that it was Calvin who was having the affair and the knowledge that Tony died from AIDS, quickly breaks the final friendship apart, leading to a tragic conclusion.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1998
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
Drama One act
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageRobin Hood
Synopsis:
a rework of the classic tales of Robin Hood. Marian is not the usual fawning principal - this version has fight and is accompanied by her Nurse, Dame Madonna Kebab. the Sheriff is there, complete with his evil plans and two inept henchmen Twiddle and Twoddle, plus witches, Merry Men - "camp" Little John (who changed his name from Willy), Friar Tuck, Wilma Scarlet and alan-a-Dale, the minstrel who provides a link between scenes - plus a full supporting cast.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
-
2000
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2000)
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: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageShades Of Blue
Synopsis:
David is a retired Policeman, terminally ill. Daughter June blames him for her mother's suicide years before so she and husband Alan plan his murder for the inheritance. they hire the shady Jones to do the job, little knowing that David didn't retire - he was discreetly sacked for criminal activities, and Jones was one of his criminal friends. there is honour among thieves - Jones will not see David murdered nor the couple escape. Yet David is shot. . .
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
2001
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1998)
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:
Drama One act
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageSituation Vacant
Synopsis:
Unemployed Derek doesn't really want to work, and wife Jane has had enough. after a row she walks out on him, suggesting he should go through the papers for a job. enraged, he decides to advertise for a new wife. the series of applicants each looks too good to be true at first, but finally he rejects every one. He never realises that each has a quality he had forgotten existed in Jane, who turns up as the final applicant. She turns the interview round on him and offers him the job. the play has six female characters, but these can be doubled up as necessary and could - if desired - all be performed by the same actress.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1993
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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 One act
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 6 Other: variable
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageTied Up At the Office
Synopsis:
Julia has been working late at the office with her boss Geoff. Trouble is, the places has been robbed and ransacked and the villains have departed leaving Geoff and Julia tied up. they have little choice other than to wait for the cleaners to arrive in the morning. Maybe a game of I Spy would pass the time. Or maybe romance is in the air. an especially useful play for actors who never know what to do with their arms!!!
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
2002
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2000)
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 One act
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageTime Itself
Synopsis:
Barry is clearing his deceased mother's effects from their attic when he discovers an old parchment bearing the inscription "Whoever holds the open parchment holds time itself". and that's what it does - when he unfolds it, time stops. Barry is heading for fun and wealth and a peaceful life, until the breeze plays a fateful hand. Flexible staging.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
in Three Short Plays, New Theatre Publications
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 comedy
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 2 Other: extras of either sex
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageTim'll Fix It
Synopsis:
Sara is not very happy when her husband Paul asks his friend Tim - "the handyman from hell" - to help with some electrical work. Tim would do anything for Sara. . . anything! after burst pipes, floods, failed heating, power cuts and other disasters Tim gets his marching orders, but not before he mistakenly finds out Sara's feelings for him are the same as his for her, a fact that does not please Tim's dowdy wife June. Hopelessly in love (well, hopeless, anyway) Tim locks himself away with Sara in their lounge, using his D-I-Y skills to nail up the doors and windows so they can be alone together. Well, alone apart from Sara's dad Frank, that is. Paul, daughter Barbara and Sara's mother Kathleen all attempt to rescue her, but it is the blossoming June who takes control and saves the day. . . Until they smell gas. . .."Do It Yourself Farce" at its best.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1997
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageTo Sleep, Perchance
Synopsis:
This play was written for a group of 6 girls who are currently Year 12 Speech and Drama students in South Africa. they had searched the catalogues and the Internet for a play for six girls based, roughly, on an insomnia theme, but could find nothing, so this was the result. It involves six young women at a summer camp. anna has a deep-rooted personal anguish which she eventually decides to share with Brenda. their chat attracts girls from other rooms and each explores her own real or imaginary problems, until anna realises she's no alone in the world.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
2002
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications,
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:
Drama One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: 6 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageVoices
Synopsis:
Melanie arrives home from hospital after a car accident in which she was badly injured. Her plastic surgeon husband has done an amazing repair job to her facial injuries, but nobody can heal the mental anguish. Soon she begins to hear the haunting and menacing voices of two teenagers who were killed in the accident, and her marriage and job - indeed her very sanity - are threatened. Things get worse when government inspectors arrive unexpectedly at Melanie's high-tech electronics company and the board threaten to have her removed. even her company's main rival has found out something is wrong. Her family, friends and colleagues - even those she trusts - never hear the voices, so Melanie must be going insane. . . or is there another explanation?
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1997
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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: 5 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageWait Until the Ghost Is Clear
Synopsis:
Jack's marriage to Jill is not a happy one. His business is in trouble. Mother-in-law edna is coming to stay. What else can go wrong? Jack is cleaning his gun ready to go to the shooting club with his friend and partner Walter when suddenly the lights go out and there is a shot and a scream. the police suspect Jilly of his murder, specially since a recent large life insurance policy is discovered in her name. In desperation Jilly and her friend Sarah try to solve the crime by recreating it. as the lights come back on there is Jack as large as. . . life!!?? Jack and Jilly eventually discover the culprit and it is time for him to return to "the other side". . . except he doesn't want to go!
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1995
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageWhere there's A Will
Synopsis:
This farce opens amid a lengthy blazing row between Linda and husband Derek. Linda accuses him (quite rightly) of being unfaithful, but during the row it transpires that the other woman is Linda's younger sister. Derek is unaware that Linda is also having an affair - with Derek's younger brother! each avows revenge, and as the result of a series of bungled murder attempts the bodies fall thick and fast. the vicar is the first to go, if only they can get rid of that annoying body. Despite their attempts to dispose of one another, Linda and Derek survive to the close, where, perhaps inevitably, they manage to murder each other. By the end of the play the entire cast has been killed - but most of them deserved it anyway!
Notes:
an Alternate version with A cast of 3m 5f (ISBN 9781840947786)
1st Produced:
-
1993
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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 PageWhispers
Synopsis:
Linda is wheelchair-bound. She also cannot conceive, and she feels total guilt about not being able to provide husband Sean with an heir. accidentally breaking an antique photograph one day, she unleashes the ghost of Belle, a resident of the house in the 19th Century, who haunts the nursery they'd made before Linda discovered she was barren, and making sure Linda has less desire than ever to go into that haunted room. It transpires that her best friend Gwyneth is pregnant, by Sean. as Linda becomes more and more possessed by the spirit of Belle, she exacts revenge on Sean, killing him with the power of own and Belle's minds. the two gradually become one, and attempt to cause Gwyneth to miscarry. the police and a therapist are not sure whether she is really possessed or is going insane (she has a previous occurrence of mental illness) and we are left not knowing whether Linda has committed a crime at all, or whether she imagined the whole thing. the challenging part of Linda can be played by a disabled (wheelchair-bound) actress if wished.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2005)
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:
full length Thriller
Parts:
Male: - Female: 3 Other: 2 m/f
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageWhose Line Was It Anyway?
Synopsis:
the audience are unseen attendees at a mid-term rehearsal of a Dramatic society. authoritative director Grace is trying to pull the play into shape despite the goings on around her, which include collapsing scenery, forgotten lines, a televised football match, the playwrights amorous intentions on one of the leading ladies and frequent interruptions from just about anyone. Originally conceived as an episode of a television sitcom, staging is kept simple. the play avoids amdram "in jokes" in favour of genuinely funny characters and situations which some of the audience and all of the actors are likely to recognise.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
2002
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (2000)
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 One act
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 6 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageWhy Won't they Believe Me?
Synopsis:
a thought-provoking rework of the Nativity in present day guise suitable for youth and church groups. Marie is pregnant, but swears her innocence. Those who should believe her, including her parents, do not, and vice-versa. Marie and boyfriend Joe can find no shelter when they go to "the City". they are spurned by her GP, teacher and the clergy, helped by addicts and the homeless, who emulate the shepherds, and a policeman, doctor and truck driver the wise men. In a final song (music and lyric included), Marie turns to the audience and asks, "Well, if it happened today, would YOU believe it?" Playing time approx. 15 minutes.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1996
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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:
Drama One act
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 4 Other: + extras
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageWinter Of Discontent
Synopsis:
Mystery novelist and womaniser Brian is obsessed with the murder games he writes. Wife Pam and three other couples turn up to his latest epic "the Winter of Discontent" with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Cynical Steve, Brian's publisher, simply does not want to go, whilst wife Ros seems quite keen, despite Brian's reputation. Hard-up andy is convinced that Brian fancies his attractive wife Zoe. apparently happily-married Colin and Marie are the least reluctant. Finally Pam has been cast as the dowdy cook one time too often. We witness the couples' preparations for the game, and see their worst sides displayed. then we attend the game itself, set in Brian's much-modified house (complete with thunderclaps, dead phones, secret panels and plenty of hidden cameras and microphones). Nobody is surprised when Brian is poisoned during the meal - but is this part of the game or has one of the guests enacted revenge? Brian's fondness for special effects means they are locked in the isolated house with no outside commun
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
1998
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
New Theatre Publications (1997)
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: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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