n/a

n/a

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Laughter Lines'

1988

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Children's 1 Act Comedy

One Act

14

14

1 adult

Notes:
A take on the Round Table story. Republished on-line by Lazy Bee Scripts 2006

Synopsis:
Class 2B are listlessly awaiting another session of topical improvisation in their drama lesson when a substitute teacher arrives and agrees to their dermands to do a proper play about knights in armour and ladies in long dresses. After Merlin has given a class on knightsmanship to the squires, Arthur and his knights annoy their wives by turning up with a group of young damsels whom they have rescued. However, the damsels fall for the squires and Merlin resolves the plot to everyone's satisfaction before the lesson ends.

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Play It For Laughs'

1986

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Children's 1 Act version of the Nativity Story

One Act

15

13

-

Notes:
Also published in a German translation as 'Der Beste im Buch' by Dr. Heinrich Buchner Verlag

Synopsis:
While the Shepherds' game of 'I Spy' is being interrupted by the appearance of the Angels, the three Kings are being overtaken by their Queens, who hi-jack their camels and take the last room at the inn, leaving Joseph and Mary to bed down with the camels. The next morning the Shepherds arrive at the stable and are delighted to be able to tick off in their 'Observers' Book of Stars, Magic and Royalty' so many rare specimens, including the Eastern Kings and especially the baby, the only one in the Messiah class. The play ends with carol singing.

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Play It Again'

1996

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Children's 1 Act Comedy

One Act

12

12

-

Notes:
Re-published on-line as 'Anyone For Bison?' by Lazy Bee Scripts 2006

Synopsis:
It is 1630 on the east coast of America, and the natives are performing their bison ceremony when a ship-load of hymn-singing Puritans arrives, believing that they have reached India. The native Americans show the white men how to cultivate potatoes and tobacco, but tensions escalate and bloodshed seems likely until the womenfolk take over and demonstrate how they can all live in harmony by opening a fast-food bar .

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'It's A Funny Old World'

1991

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Children's 1 Act

One Act

14

14

-

Notes:
Re-published on-line by Lazy Bee Scripts 2006

Synopsis:
Trade is so poor in the world's smallest country that they advertise for a Royal family, and the arrival of a Royal couple and their twins soon stimulates tourism.. But when the twins reach 18 their parents leave for a world tour, and the youngsters cause chaos by ruling alternately, the Prince imposing arbitrary rules one minute and his sister insisting on compulsory jollity the next. Luckily, as the twins open a new jail to punish non-compliance, their parents return to teach them the virtues of moderation and common sense

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Laughter Lines'

1988

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Children's 1 Act Comedy

Youth Audience

14

14

-

Notes:
Republished 2005 by Lazy Bee Scripts

Synopsis:
The story so far& Originally a small farmer, Noah has built up his business over the years into a large Food Products company. As the only employer in the area he used to give work to most of the people on the local council estate, then a few years ago he automated his factory and sacked his workers. Since then he and his family have run the business on their own and grown rich while the locals have been out of work. . . Then God intervenes. . .

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Play It Again'

1996

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Children's 1 Act Comedy

One Act

13

12

-

Notes:
-

Synopsis:
It is a cold day in 130AD in Northumberland and the Roman soldiers who have just finished building Hadrian's Wall are dreaming of going home to sunny Italy with their British girlfriends. Then the Emperor Hadrian arrives with an incurable cold and his five daughters who fall for the soldiers to the anger of their girlfriends. How can the Emperor's cold be cured? And what is making the strange wailing sound beyond the wall? And who will marry the Emperor's daughters?

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Play It Again'

1996

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

-

-

11

16

-

Notes:
A feminist take on the Dreamcoat story. Re-published on-line by Lazy Bee Scripts 2006

Synopsis:
While Jacob is enthusiastically training the complete soccer team of sons that he has sired, their unsung sisters have to weave and care for their kit, including the amazing goalkeeper's jersey for Joseph at No.1. But after Joseph is transferred to an Egyptian team there is famine in Israel and the other boys follow him to find food. Back at home the sisters, led by Josephine, take over the farm and become famous in the fashion world for their handmade clothes. The play ends with a fashion show.

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Just Like Us' (Collection)

1990

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Children's 1 Act

One Act

13

13

2 Teachers (Can be off-stage)

Notes:
This is the most popular of the author's plays, both for the historical content and the anti-racist theme. It has been republished on-line by Lazy Bee Scripts, 2006

Synopsis:
In 1939 a class from an East London school, including several Jewish children, are evacuated to a rural village where the local children are suspicious of the 'Vaccies'.They organise a war game in which Eric, an Austrian Jewish refugee, is ostracised and victimised, but when a German plane crashes nearby he proves himself a hero and the play ends with everyone singing together.

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Play It Again'

1996

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Teenagers' Drama with songs

One Act

12

12

-

Notes:
Music by Paul Woodhouse. Running-time about 50 minutes. Re-republished on line by Lazy Bee Scripts in 2007.

Synopsis:
During World War 2 a lady biologist has taken a group of war orphans to a remote island where she has dicovered an orchid whose oil will keep them young. When the play opens sixty years later with the children on their own, the well is drying up, the animals are disappearing and they hear strange explosions. Then a US oil-prospecting family arrive. They try to steal the orchid and offer to buy the oil-rights in exchange for a lifetime's supply of free junk-food and drink. The children are almost seduced, but realise that are being lied to and finally beat the family with their own weapons.

-

-

-

-

-

I don't think the play has been published but you could try abebooks.com

3 act drama

Play/Drama

13

7

doubling possible

Notes:
Adaptation of the novel by D.H.Lawrence. 'The Lost Girl' has had two staged public readings, including one at the West Yorkshire Playhouse with a professional cast including Celia Imrie. Otherwise it remains unperformed.

Synopsis:
1913. Alvina Houghton, in her late 20's and unmarried, is stifled by the narrowness of nonconformist life in a small Midland town with her eccentric father. But when he coaxes her into being the pianist at his latest venture, a cinema-cum-variety theatre, she catches glimpses of the unconventional lives of the showpeople and is thrilled by the melodramas staged by an all-male dance-drama group. When her father dies she closes the cinema, sacks the manager and starts an independent life as a nurse. She is still unmarried when war starts in 1914 but resigning herself to a conventional marriage with a wealthy doctor when she impetuously elopes with one of the dance group to his home in Italy, hoping to find freedom at last. Yet again she is trapped, this time in a lonely farm with her young husband and an old uncle. Then Italy enters the war on the side of the Allies and her man prepares to join the army. Finding herslf pregnant she takes command, and the play ends on an upbeat note as they vow to start a new life together in America, the land of freedom, at the end of the war.

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Laughter Lines'

1988

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Children's 1 Act Comedy

One Act

15

15

-

Notes:
A version of the Trojan Horse story. Re-published on-line with a new ending by Lazy Bee Scripts 2007

Synopsis:
After ten years of not only attacking Troy without success but also of always losing to the Trojans at football the Greeks are preparing to give up and go home when a simple soldier has the idea of a giant horse.A flighty priestess in the Temple of Diana almost discovers the secret, but the Trojans mock the warnings of Cassandra and her chanting handmaidens and eventually the Greeks win the day.

-

-

-

Samuel French, London

1990

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

teenagers

One Act

11

5

crowd

Notes:
Music by Paul Woodhouse

Synopsis:
A group of youths are sitting around on a litter-strewn street corner. Enter their ever-cheerful friend Jason who tries vainly to arouse them from their apathy. Unaware that they have been set up, they find a crisp-packet advertising the chance to win £100,000 on a local TV quiz show. Scrabbling among the litter, they manage to find 100 packets and make it to the studio just in time for the 'Is It Or Isn't it?' show. In the studio they are shown expensive prizes and subjected in turn to a series of trick questions while being derided by the studio audience. Finally, Jason is shown a line of so-called domestic robots and realises to his horror that they contain his friends, who sing 'I'd Rather Be A Machine'. The compere points out that it's All Fools' Day, leaving Jason with the question 'Is It Or Isn't It?'

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Play It For Laughs' (Original version without music)

1986

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

children's

One Act

10

12

crowd

Notes:
This version published on-line by Lazy Bee Scripts, 2007, with lyrics and music by Chris Donovan. Running time about 45 minutes.

Synopsis:
Robby Nudd and his pals have persuaded their girlfriends to run away with them to Sherbet Forest. But the feisty girls walk out, complaining that the gang never rob anyone. Disguised as women, the Outlaws follow them to Nottingham Fair, but the evil Sheriff and his gun-toting Deputies finally catch them after Marian has won the archery prize. In a dramatic denouement, it is revealed that Friar Tuck and the Sheriff are Robby's mum and dad and that the deputies are all girls. The girlfriends join the deputies, the boys leave the forest to work in the castle kitchen and everyone's happy.

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'It's A Funny Old World'

1991

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Children's 1 Act with songs

One Act

10

10

-

Notes:
-

Synopsis:
The Pantoville peasants live in insanitary cottages and have to wear mediaeval dress and smile and sing for tourists. When Dick Whittington appears and uses them in commercials for his new designer drinks they naively work unpaid. However, it looks as if their luck has turned when they decide to follow his example and sell water from the village well, only to find that he has already bought it. The play ends with the peasants, now working for Whittington Water Enterprises, again singing an inanely happy chorus.

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'It's A Funny Old World'

1991

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

children's

One Act

14

14

-

Notes:
-

Synopsis:
After anl unruly men's meeting at a Viking settlement in Northern England, the womenfolk are depressed because their demands for a wash-house have again been ignored. Enter Soapy, an old acquaintance, now a salesman for Thoril, a new miracle product which he claims is the only soap powder recommended by top gods. As the only literate person he soon cons his way into becoming the village scribe and priest, charming the women and cheating the community by forging and falsifying documents. The play ends with Soapy escaping with the villagers' valuables, leaving them to reflect on the foolishness of trusting glib talkers with their claims to authority based on superior knowledge of the one and only book.

-

-

-

-

-

I don't think the play has been published but you could try abebooks.com

children's comedy

One Act

14

11

voices off

Notes:
-

Synopsis:
Theseus sails to Crete with his magic sword to rescue the team of Athenian athletes who have been taken hostage by King Minos and are now threatened by the dreaded Minotaur. But what is the secret of the small boy with bull's horns who he meets in the labyrinth? And what is the Mighty Megataur? And can Theseus stop the athletes from swallowing the mad Professor Daedalus's purple pills before Princess Ariadne arrives in the attack helicopter?

-

-

-

Heinemann in 'Sixth Windmill Book of One-Act Plays'

1972

If the Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased direct, otherwise
(below) are AbeBooks for secondhand & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Children's 1 Act Comedy

One Act

15

15

-

Notes:
A modern version of the Pied Piper story

Synopsis:
The people of a small town are plagued by the Rats, an unsavoury pop group who are having a bad influence on their children. Enter Ed Piper, aa exuberant pop TV producer who gets rid of the Rats by signing them up for his show in Hitsville, the capital. But when the townsfolk refuse to pay him, he lures their children away to be his full-time audience.

-

-

-

-

-

I don't think the play has been published but you could try abebooks.com

children's drama

One Act

13

13

-

Notes:
-

Synopsis:
In 1789 the peasants of Versailles protest to the King's Bailliff and the local priest for seizing their produce for taxes, but the soldiers throw their spokesman into the Bastille, and they are then humiliated to amuse the courtiers at a Royal picnic.However, a revolutionary agitator arrives and fires them with speeches about Liberty, Equality and Fraternity until they launch an attack on the Bastille and release the prisoners. But returning in triumph after their success they are dismayed to find that their situation is still the same because their old masters have been replaced by new ones, including the agitator himself.