Comedy. Murray Schisgal. 2 men, 1 woman. Interior
Schneider has become a glutton, and Roxanne, his pretty, and much
younger wife, is surprised by the new method of trimming him down:
a live-in, over-,zealous, yet attractive doctor, Peter Wellington.
Though Schneider agreed to this method, he rebels when he can't have
all his vices around him while he diets and cleans his system. After
lots of door-slamming and double-daring, Schneider becomes the epitome
of a make-over to an extreme degree, Dr. Wellington falls hopelessly
in love with Roxanne, and Roxanne struggles to get her old life back,
though she'll settle for compromise. In the end, Roxanne gets her
way as she straightens out both men in a style all her own.
ISBN: 0-8222-0834-2
Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme
Play. Frank McGuinness
M9 (20s, 30s, old). Various simple interior and exterior settings.
Eight men volunteer to serve in the 36th Ulster Division at the outbreak of the First World War. Seven are from working-class backgrounds, fervent Protestants united in hatred against the Fenian. The eighth is from a wealthy family, a widely-travelled sculptor who has lost faith and enlists in the sole hope of dying. 'A play of extraordinary depth of feeling and understanding.' Sunday Telegraph
Comedy. Neil Simon
M6 F2. A living-room.
Divorced from his wife, Oscar lives in the cheerful chaos his carefree
nature thrives on. Into the midst of his smoke-laden, beer-sodden
weekly poker session, comes Felix, newly separated from his wife
and, so he says, suicidal. At Oscar's invitation Felix moves in,
and is soon finding comfort in performing, with the same thoroughness
which lost him his wife, the cooking, cleaning, polishing and laundry
until Oscar is almost reduced, by continuous nagging, to a nervous
wreck.
ISBN 0 573 61331 1
The Odd Couple (Female Version)
Comedy. Neil Simon
M2 F6. An apartment.
In this hilarious female version of The Odd Couple, Olive
Madison, like her original male counterpart, is divorced and living
in cheerful chaos in her New York apartment. At Olive's invitation,
the suicidal Florence Ungar, newly separated from her husband, moves
in and is soon finding comfort in cooking, cleaning, and fussing
until Olive is almost reduced to a nervous wreck. It becomes clear
that the patterns of their disastrous marriages are already reoccurring.
ISBN 0 573 61828 3
Play. Michael Meyer. After the novel by George Gissing
M4 (20s-40s) F6 (20x, 30x). Simple settings.
Michael Meyer's play, based on Gissing's feminist Victorian novel,
was presented at the Royal Exchange, Manchester in 1992. Genteel
but impoverished Monica escapes her life of drudgery by marrying,
with disastrous results, a rich man twice her age. In contrast, the
emancipated Rhoda rejects marriage to secure her own freedom. Period
1880s. 'It was a remarkably prescient book when it first appeared
in 1893, and in spite of its period flavour still seems topical.' Financial
Times
ISBN 0 573 01852 9
A play for children.
Mark Medoffand Carleene Johnson. Flexible casting, minimum of 5-11
boys, 1-7 girls. Open Stage
An inventive and delightfully highspirited comedy, so easily staged that it can be performed indoors or out, in which the children of the audience have an active participation.
Jeremy Jack, a turtle, is dissatisfied with his lot in life, and
has decided that his only hope is to rid himself of his shell. With
the help of his friend Lou (a lizard), he begins an odyssey which
leads him from Miles, Niles and Giles (triplet raccoons), and others,
on to Oliver the Oracle (who can't stay awake long enough to be of
much help). In fact no one seems to be able to figure out a way to
free Jeremy from his burden. During all this he is stalked, and finally
trapped, by Bad Irving (a sinister buzzard), who covets his shell
and concocts diabolic schemes to win it. In the end Jeremy not only
escapes intact, but also learns a most important lesson: to accept
what you are, and to make the best possible use of attributes with
which Nature has endowed you.
ISBN: 0-8222-0835-0
Play. Sophocles. Translated by Christopher Stace
M6 F3. Chorus. Simple settings.
The blind Oedipus, close to death, accompanied by his faithful daughter Antigone, arrives at his final resting place near Athens, only to become involved in a power-struggle with his sons and his brother-in-law, Creon. In death, Oedipus' sins are expiated and he becomes a hero. This translation of Oedipus at Colonus was first performed at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester with Oedipus the King, under the collective title Oedipus. 'Christopher Stace's new translation ... bright, brisk and accessible ...' Guardian
Sophocles. Translated by Christopher Stace
M7 F3, Chorus. Simple settings.
Oedipus, King of Thebes, discovers that he is the cause of a curse that has fallen upon the city. As revelation falls upon revelation - he has, unwittingly, fulfilled a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother- his very sense of identity is shattered, leading to a tragic act of self mutilation. Commissioned as the I 00th production of the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre Company, this new translation renders Sophocles' tragedy into clear modern English, making the play accessible, thrilling, taut and powerful.