The Playwrights Database
WILL KEYES-BYRNE
Nationality: Australian/anglo-Irishemail: Click here to contact Website: n/a
Literary Agent: n/a
Will Keyes Byrne is a nom de plume; there are already several other published writers with my birth name. I began writing plays on 17 May 2004. My first play eventually became "angels and Ministers of Grace" and is still not yet finalized. I began writing as a soap opera storyliner at Grundy's under the tutelage of John Misto. I took up play writing after I was encouraged to do so by the late Richard Wherrett. Later, I studied play writing with Hilary Bell and most recently, Timothy Daly, author of "Kafka Dances", the play that made Cate Blanchett famous. (The photograph is © Lewis Morley 2008)
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below is a list of Will Keyes-Byrne's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
Angels And Ministers Of Grace Cry Havoc! Let Slip The Dogs Of War Foolish Fates, The In A Fool's Paradise, As They Say In His Simple Show He Harbors Treason Let Slip The Dogs Like Three German Devils, Three Doctor Faustuses Of The Ravin'd Salt-Sea Shark There Are More Things In Heaven And Earth Though Angel On The Outward Side Three Doctor Faustuses Whether 'tis Nobler In The MindAngels And Ministers Of Grace
Synopsis:
In 1973 John Ryan, a student of mathematics at UNSW, takes up residence in a boarding house in Coogee, Sydney. He notices a chart of symbols in the boarding house administration office. He asks the owner of the boarding house, an elderly eastern European gentlemen, Dr Frederick angels, if they are a Symbolis Universalis. They are and Dr angels created them as a direct result of his experiences as a prisoner in Buchenwald. John's anti-semetic girl friend, Eva Mueller, works at a center for spastic children. John has the idea the symbols could be used to communicate with the children who have never been able to communicate (can't speak, can't hold a pen). John makes boards for the children with the symbols and for the first time in their lives they communicate with their families. The system catches on like wildfire, across the world. Dr angels is nominated for the Nobel Prize. The play is loosely based on a true story.
Notes:
The play is in two Acts. The first scene of the second Act is A TV interview. The main set is A simple office with A picture of Neil Armstrong on the Moon And A chart of Angel Symbols. The other location is John Ryan's room in the boarding house. This play is the third Stanza of the Coogee Triptych, it is dedicated to the memory of the late Dr Charles Bliss (whose story it is) Ms Jo Meadows And the late Mr Richard Wherrett
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Genre:
Comedy drama
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageCry Havoc! Let Slip The Dogs Of War
Synopsis:
The Oval Office, the White House: Saturday 13 March 1965. President Lyndon Johnson seeks to persuade alabama Governor George Wallace he should allow a march by Dr Martin Luther King Jr to protest the denial of voting rights. This meeting, gave rise to the Voting Rights act which put an end to segregation. The popular notion Brown v The Board of Eduction ended segregation is a falsehood. When this meeting took place, over ten years later, only 1% of schools had been de-segregated
Notes:
The play is dedicated to Miss Tammy Grimes And to the memory of the late Doctor Martin Luther King (junior) And the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. The play runs for About 85 minutes.
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Genre:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageFoolish Fates, The
Synopsis:
Two couples, Col and Ruth Collier and Simon and Yvette Prentice meet to discuss an insurance claim and reconstruction of a wall separating two investment properties they own. Simon, director of PR for a large chemical company receives a call to say there has been a dangerous poisonous gas leak at the plant. . .
Notes:
The play has just one Act And one scene. It takes place in the Colliers lounge room. It runs for About 90 minutes. This play is dedicated to the playwrights Timothy Daly, Yasmina Reza And Christopher Hampton, All of whom inspired me to write it.
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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
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Genre:
Comedy One act
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageIn A Fool's Paradise, As They Say
Synopsis:
akmed is about to go on his nineteenth suicide bombing mission. His new controller, Jihad Brigade Commander Mustapha must persuade him not to mess it up this time. . .at its first performance it was Directed by Ms Louise Fischer, the distinguished artistic Director of the NEW Theatre, Newtown, Sydney (established 1932). It starred Josh Mawer as akmed and Hatef ahankoob as Mustapha. Ms Stephanie Begg served as the assistant Director.
Notes:
The play is dedicated to the late Douglas Adams And to All the suicide bombers who got cold feet, God bless them!
1st Produced:
NIDa, Sydney Short & Sweet 2011 08 Feb 2011
Organisations:
Un Groupe amical
1st Published:
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Music:
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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
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Genre:
Comedy Ten min
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageIn His Simple Show He Harbors Treason
Synopsis:
The Vice Presidency of Richard Nixon covering the period from his second meeting with Eisenhower until after his resignation from the Presidency. The word Watergate is not mentioned during the course of the play.
Notes:
This play is A two hander, it runs for Approximately 90 minutes. This play is dedicated to the playwright, the late Hugh Leonard.
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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
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Genre:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageLet Slip The Dogs
Synopsis:
Let Slip The Dogs is a brief, 10 minute, excerpt from "Cry Havoc! Let Slip The Dogs Of War": The Oval Office, the White House: Saturday 13 March 1965. President Lyndon Johnson seeks to persuade alabama Governor George Wallace he should allow a voting rights protest march by Dr Martin Luther King Jr . In all the public performances of this play, to date, President Lyndon Johnson was played by Garreth Cruikshank and Governor Wallace by Peter Talmacs. The play's original director was Ms Melissa Lee although later performances were directed by Garreth Cruikshank
Notes:
This short play is dedicated to Miss Tammy Grimes And to the memory of the late Doctor Martin Luther King (junior) And the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm
1st Produced:
NIDa, Sydney Short & Sweet 2011 19 Feb 2011
Organisations:
Un Groupe amical
1st Published:
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Music:
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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 One act
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageLike Three German Devils, Three Doctor Faustuses
Synopsis:
The struggle of three German scientists to build a Moon rocket - Dr Walter Dornberger, Dr Werner von Braun and Dr Hermann Oberth.
Notes:
The play is dedicated to All the victims of the V2.
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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
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Genre:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageOf The Ravin'd Salt-Sea Shark
Synopsis:
April 25, 1935. In the Coogee aquarium, a captive Tiger Shark spits out a man's arm. Subsequent police investigations reveal the victim is Jim Smith a small time gangster. Police arrest and charge Paddy Brady with murder. The police visit the gang boss Reggie Holmes to ask a few questions. Holmes jumps in his boat and takes off up Sydney Harbour, eventually shooting himself in the head as the police close in on him. Holmes survives this attempted suicide but on the eve of the inquest into Smith's death, Holmes is murdered sitting in his car near Sydney Harbour Bridge. Brady is acquitted of Smith's murder. Some years later, another member of the gang dies of a heroin overdose. The investigating officer meets Brady again on April 25, 1945 ten years after it all began. Brady remains tight lipped about what really happened to Smith
Notes:
This play is based on the so-called Shark Arm Murders, still unresolved crimes. This play is the first Stanza of the Coogee Triptych. This play is dedicated to my dear friend Mr Gary Ferres who first told me this extraordinary story. With special thanks to Larraine Tate And Jemima McDonald who both helped with the research.
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Written for aBC Radio
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Genre:
Radio Play - Drama
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageThere Are More Things In Heaven And Earth
Synopsis:
Professor of Psychology, Iona Procuress is in her consulting rooms where she is treating "Mary" an "Experiencer" - i.e. some one who believes they have been abducted by aliens. "Mary" describes, in horrific and terrifying detail what has happened to her during the course of several abductions, beginning when she was a child. In the second scene "John", a graduate of this university, as a doctor of medicine, describes his experiences as an abductee but is more philosophical, venturing his own, trans-dimensional explanation. Iona is put on trial by the university senate for: bringing the university into disrepute, failing to secure ethics committee approval, avoiding peer review and publishing in the popular media instead of in recognized academic journals. Iona argues academia is too narrow minded "there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in their philosophy". In her defense she cites examples from the history of science and she argues she is a tenured scholar, entitled to pursue whatever lines of enquiry she believes are worthy of investigation. although censured, she is not dismissed, the university will make funds available to her to further her investigations.
Notes:
This play is loosely based on events At Harvard University in the early 1990's. It is dedicated to Ms Oprah Winfrey, the late Professor John Mack And Mr Robert T Bigelow. The sets Are simple, the costumes contemporary. It runs for About 90 minutes
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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: 2-3 Female: 2-3 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageThough Angel On The Outward Side
Synopsis:
The Reverend Truffle has taken up residence in the armstrong household. Mr armstrong wants to marry his already betrothed teenage daughter to Truffle. The household must unarranged this most disastrous of arranged marriages. The play is an adaptation of Moliere's "Tartuffe" set in Sydney in 1935, as opposed to Paris in 1664
Notes:
DEDICaTION: In memory of the late Jon Cleary for the influence he exerted on my life with "The Sundowners" And especially "The Siege of Pinchgut"
1st Produced:
Seymour, Sydney 2011
Organisations:
Un Groupe amical
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Music:
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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: 7 Female: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageThree Doctor Faustuses
Synopsis:
an hotel room in Bavaria, May 1945. Three German rocket scientists, Dr Walter Dornberger, Dr Werner von Braun and Dr Hermann Oberth are on the run from the SS
Notes:
The play has just one Act And one scene. It takes place in the hotel room. It runs for About 15 minutes. At A later date it will be re-written As A full length play. It is dedicated to All the victims of the V2.
1st Produced:
World Stage, Kings Cross 2010
Organisations:
Writers anonymous
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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 Drama Ten Min
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageWhether 'tis Nobler In The Mind
Synopsis:
Ms Edna Welthorpe is Headmistress of St Cecelia's College and Mr Lucien Minuit-Minaudier is the Social Studies master. They want to include in the curriculum two skeptical texts about global warming. The Education Department's Curriculum Research Branch send two officers, Mr Lev Bronstein and Ms Helene Weigel to try to dissuade them from this course of action.
Notes:
The play is About 90 minutes long. All the Action takes place in Ms Welthorpe's office/study. There is just one Act, one continuous scene. This play is dedicated to James Ephraim Lovelock And the late Julian Lincoln Simon
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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 Drama
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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