Composers and their stage works 



 

T Bone 'n' Weasel

Comedy. Jon Klein.
3 men. Open Stage.

Hoping to bring themselves up to at least the poverty level, two young ex-convicts, T Bone (who is black) and Weasel (who is white) have stolen a rather decrepit Buick and have set off across South Carolina with minor mayhem in mind. Moving swiftly from one adventure to another (with all the people whom they encounter played by the same actor) they botch an attempted robbery (because the drawer of the cash register is stuck); are swindled out of the Buick by a fast-talking used car dealer; run foul of a sexually voracious lady farmer (who is "ugly enough to turn a train down a dirt road"); fall into the clutches of a larcenous country preacher; and try to make off with the automobile of a politically ambitious small town doctor who wants to exhibit them as examples of what poverty can do to people. Eventually Weasel is hired on by a construction company (and actually buys a car), but when they refuse to take on T Bone as well, because of his color, it is back on the road again, pausing only to make out their last wills and testaments disposing of all their "worldly goods" which, for T Bone is nothing at all, and, for Weasel, consists primarily of his used Chevette - with thirty-two payments still to go.
ISBN: 0-8222-1112-2

The Table Laid

(in German Plays) - Anna Langhoff. Trans D. Spencer
5m 6f Drama. Single interior set.

Set in a temporary shelter for asylum seekers, The Table Laid offers a view of the lives of a group of refugees who have come to Germany in the hope of a better life. An examination of the distrust and aggression engendered by a simple lack of communication. Premiered at Royal Court: reading 1995; workshop 1997.
ISBN 1 85459 338 2

Tadpole

Comedy. Jules Tasca.
5 men, 2 women. Interior

Jimmy (The Arm) Younkers, after many successfirl prior years of big-league pitching stardom, and extravagant living, has decided to "hold-out" on signing the reduced contract resulting from his failing record of recent seasons. But while Jimmy's athletic powers are waning, his destructive life style has yet to run its course. Having walked out on his wife and children he continues to pursue romantic assignations with ladies near and far; he borrows money he knows he will never repay; he indulges every impulse and has no hesitation in dragging others down with him; and in general, he refuses to admit that the days of glory are over. But, throughout, he remains cocky, irreverent and unfailingly funny as he moves through a series of events in which humour, human frailty and ultimate poignancy are blended with rare theatrical skill.
ISBN: 0-8222-1107-6

Take Away the Lady

Play. Jimmie Chinn
M3 (40s, elderly) F4 (30s, 40). A drawing-room.

Intriguing glimpses into a cupboard full of family skeletons, together with detective work, combine in this unusual suspense play, to keep everyone guessing until the very last page. Matthew, still protesting his innocence, returns home from prison, after serving fifteen years for allegedly protBering his mother. Who did kill Mother. It takes an apparent suicide and a good deal of amateur sleuthing before the truth is revealed and the lady can be taken away.
ISBN 0 573 11453 6

Taken In Marriage

Play. Thomas Babe.
5 women. Interior

The action of the play takes place in the basement of a New. Hampshire church, which has been set up for a small reception, on the day of a wedding rehearsal which never takes place. The bride, her sister, her mother and her aunt, a patrician group who have come up from New York, wait in vain for the groom and his family to appear - but they are apparently off at a local hostelry busily getting drunk. They are, however, joined by Dixie, a down-on-her-luck entertainer who has been engaged by one of the absent men to sing at the wedding. The unlikely and sometimes abrasive interaction between the bored, sophisticated women and the earthy, outspoken Dixie leads on to some disturbing revelations, as the ladies let down their defenses and, in turn, expose their secret, private feelings - and the bitter frustrations which lie beneath their well-bred veneers.
ISBN: 0-8222-1108-4

Taking Sides

Play. Ronald Harwood :
M4 (24, 35-50s, 60) F2 (20s, 32). An office.

Wilhelm Furtwangler (1886-1954) was one of the great conductors of this century. It was his misfortune to have been at the height of his career when the National Socialists came to power. While many of his fellow artists were either forced to leave Germany or emigrated as an act of protest, Furtwängler remained. After the war he was accused of having served the Nazi regime. Period 1946
Taking Sides takes place in the American Zone of occupied Berlin, in 1946. It is here the American portion of the de-Nazification Tribunal has convened to take over the questioning of Wilhelm Furtwangler, one of the outstanding conductors of his time. Furtwangler was at the height of his career in 1933, eclipsing all other conductors, just as Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. As the terrors of Nazism spread, many of Furtwangler's colleagues fled the country, whether out of protest or persecution, but Furtwangler mysteriously chose to stay. Did he stay to do as much good as possible in the face of evil, as so many believe, or, did he stay to serve Hitler, of which he was later accused? The Tribunal's evidence has been prepared firstly by the British, and then taken over by two groups of Americans: one in Wiesbaden which assisted in Furtwangler's defence, the other in Berlin which helped build the case against him. Little is known of the motives and methods of this group which is the focus of TAKING SIDES. What is known is that Furtwangler was humiliated, pursued and, that even after his acquittal, disinformation followed him. This may or may not have been justified it depends on the side you take.
ISBN; 0-8222-1566-7

Taking Steps

Farce. Alan Ayckbourn
M4 (25-40s) F2 (20s, 30s). A lounge, bedroom, attic, hall and stairs.

Roland is considering buying an old Victorian House. In the house are his solicitor and the vendor; Roland's wife, who is considering leaving him; her brother; and later the brother's fiancee. In the course of one hectic night and morning, with continual running up and down stairs, these characters try to sort themselves out. All this takes place in a highly ingenious and original setting, in which all the rooms, passages and stairs are on a single level.
ISBN 0 573 11425 0

A Tale of Two Cities

A theatrical adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel by Mark Fitzgibbons
M16 F10. The courtyard of an English inn.

When Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities English inns were experiencing hard times. To improve things, inexpensively produced entertainments were presented in the innyards. In this brilliant adaptation the audience are watching the inn's production of Dickens' masterpiece, therefore the problem of different locations is simply solved and the full life and scope of the characters can be absorbed, stunningly presented in this tour de force for theatrical organizations everywhere. Period 1860s

A Tale of Two Cities

Play. Matthew Francis, adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens
Large mixed cast. Various simple interior and exterior settings.

This moving and exciting adaptation of the story of Sydney Carton and Charles Damay, the English lawyer and French aristocrat caught up inextricably in the violence and bloodshed of the French Revolution, is played on a simple set, with numerous lighting changes and sound effects, minimal props and vivid stage images, making this an atmospheric, fast-moving and satisfyingly theatrical experience which is always true to the original. Period 1780s
ISBN 0 573 01942 8

The Talented Mr Ripley

Play. Phyllis Nagy, adapted from the novel by Patricia Highsmith
M5 (teenager, 25, middle-age) F2 (young, middle-age). Various simple settings.

When. Tom Ripley is sent to Italy to track down Richard Greenleaf, the errant son of a weal American couple, his mission takes on a sinister twist as their lives become inextricably entwined Phyllis Nagy's stage adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel explores the mind of one of crime fiction s great anti-heroes; an intelligent, suave and charming psychopath whose amorality is the centre of a plot about duplicity and murder. Period early 1950s

Tales from Hollywood

Play. Christopher Hampton
M14 F6. Extras. Various interior and exterior settings.

Evening Standard Best Comedy Award winner, this evokes the vagaries of Tinseltown from the late thirties to 1950 McCarthyism, which welcomed the multi-talents of German emigre writers fleeing Nazism and employed them as screenwriters for the major film companies. Mixing fact and fantasy, Hampton presents comical, witty and often moving vignettes of life through the eyes of AustroHungarian playwright Odon von Horvath whom he sends to America with the Mann and Marx brothers, Garbo, Weismuller, Brecht and many others.
ISBN 0 573 11433 1

Tales of King Arthur

Play. John Chambers
M24 F14. Various medieval settings.

Tracing Arthur's life from his boyhood, through his magical accession to the throne by means of the sword in the stone, his romance with Guinevere and his search for the Holy Grail, to his death at the hands of the wicked Mordred, Tales of King Arthur tells its story clearly and economically, provides good acting opportunities for a large cast and can be staged as simply or as lavishly as circumstances allow.
ISBN 0 573 05110 0

Talking Pictures

Drama. Horton Foote.
6 men, 5 women. Unit Set

1929, Harrison Texas. Myra Tolliver makes her living playing the live music for the silent pictures. She makes barely enough to survive, caring for herself and her teenage son, Pete. As boarders in the home of the Jacksons, Myra supplements her rent by giving piano lessons to the Jackson's two daughters. Mr. Jackson is a railroad man who, during the course of the play, is transferred from his engineer's position stationed in Harrison, to one stationed elsewhere, and transferred back again. They'll stay in Harrison, meaning Myra and Pete can stay; that is if Myra can continue to find work since talkies are about to take over the town picture show and Myra won't be needed anymore. Myra knows her means of making a living is at an end, and that her prospects are slim. But she is willing to do almost anything to keep her and Pete going. While trying so hard to provide for her son, his father, Gerard, keeps trying to lure Pete away from Myra to live with him. Changing girlfriends, jobs and being a show-off Gerard doesn't know anything about bringing up their son, but Myra doesn't realise how much Pete believes his father's promises of a better life. Through all this, Myra is courted by Willis, a bricklayer abandoned by his wife 5 years earlier. Smitten with Myra, everyone knows Willis will soon ask her to marry him. Though taken with Willis, Myra may not be in love with him. He will be a good provider though, and a kind, loving companion, so when he does ask Myra to marry him, she accepts. Pete announces he will go to live with his father nearly breaking Myra's heart. She won't stop him though, for fear he will hate her. Yet when Gerard casually announces he is married again and he is postponing Pete's move, Pete knows things will never turn out the way he wanted. Myra, now happy Pete is staying with her, faces a hard life since the talkies have come to Harrison. Around them, the Jackson girls learn music from Myra and listen to the stories of a young preacher boy their own age who will travel back to his native Mexico, leaving the girls with dreams of running away to that exotic land. Willis' ex-wife shows up too, running away from an abusive boyfriend, hoping Willis will take her back to shield her. Through it all, Myra and Willis quietly carve out a place for themselves and what will be a new era.
ISBN: 0-8222-1462-8

Talley's Folley

Lanford Wilson : Comedy/Drama
1M 1F Exterior set

Set in the deserted Victorian boathouse at the Talley's home in Lebanon, Missouri, this touching and lyrical play deals with the courtship of the young Sally Talley and her Jewish suitor, Matt Friedman in 1944. Matt, an accountant from St Louis, has arrived to plead his love to Sally, the susceptible but cautious daughter of the family. Matt refuses to accept her rebuffs, and through his charm and persistence, gradually overcomes her resistance, telling her his innermost secrets while at the same time learning hers as well. He gradually awakens Sally to the possibilities of a life together until, in the final moments, it is clear that they are two kindred spirits who have truly found each other, with a wholeness rare in human relationships.
ISBN: 0 374 52157 3

Talley & Son

Play. Lanford Wilson.
6 men, 6 women. Interior

The time is Independence Day, 1944, the place the parlor of the Talley homestead in Lebanon, Missouri. As World War II rages across the seas, the Talleys are beset with crises of a different sort. Slipping into senility, the elder Mr. Talley still has flashes of explosive lucidity, when he schemes to dispose of the local bank among heirs of his own choice, and berates his charming but spineless son, Eldon, for considering the sale of the family garment business to an eastern conglomerate. Also involved in the bickering are Eldon's long-suffering wife, Netta; their son, Buddy, who is home on leave from the Army; his vapid wife, Olive; and Eldon's sister, Charlotte, a defiantly free spirit who is suffering the fatal effects of radium poisoning. And, commenting on the action, unseen by the others, is the "ghost" of the second son, Timmy, already a casualty of the Pacific war, although the family has not yet learned of his death. In the end the petty antagonisms, scandals and selfishness which infuse the play are their own reward, and we are aware that a dynasty built by hard work and clear if conniving vision is about to be dismantled by lesser men who have inherited the property, but not the character, of their predecessors.
ISBN: 0-8222-1452-0

Tantalus

Thriller. Ian Cullen and Catherine Arley. Based on a bestselling French novel.
5 men, 1 woman. Interior.

Anton Korf, aide to a mysterious ailing recluse, who is reputed to be one of the world's richest men, interviews a young woman who has applied for a position as nurse for the aging mufti-millionaire. Korff's questioning centers on whether the applicant, Hilde, is completely unattached and whether (as she has stated in her letter of inquiry) she would indeed do anything for money. Once satisfied of her qualifications, Korff adds a startling requirement: if she is taken on he will legally adopt her as his daughter; he will also maneuver his employer, Karl Richmond, into proposing marriage to her, and she will sign a letter paying over a large sum of money to him in the event of her would-be husband's death. Hilde accepts his terms, and thereafter the action of the play moves darkly and deviously to its menacing conclusion - but with so many strange events and tantalizing developments along the way that the truth of what transpires remains clouded until the final, surprising moments of the play.
ISBN: 0-8222-1110-6

Tartuffe

Comedy. Molière. Adapted by Miles Malleson
M8 F4. Interiors.

In public, Tartuffe affects every pious excellence; so virtuous is he that every form of pleasure is anathema to him. M. Orgon, a rich merchant, is completely taken in. Inviting Tartuffe to his home, he watches approvingly while Tartuffe 'reforms' his whole family. The besotted merchant even plans to give Tartuffe his fortune and his daughter's hand in marriage. Finally, Mme Orgon exposes Tartuffe for the rogue he is - and M. Orgon for the gullible fool he has been. Period 1664
ISBN 0 573 01437 X

Tartuffe

Comedy. Molière Translated by Christopher Hampton
M8 (young, middle-age) F5 (young, 30, elderly). Interiors.

This new translation of Moliere's classic depiction of hypocrisy in action into colloquial, English blank verse, was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and was first presented at The Pit, London in 1983, with Antony Sher as Tartuffe, Alison Steadman as Elmire, and Nigel Hawthorne as Orgon.

Tartuffe

Molière, translated into English verse by Richard Wilbur : Comedy
7M 5F Interior set

A sparkling new version of one of the great comedies of the French theatre. Tartuffe, a fraud and a pious imposter, has insinuated himself into the home of the wealthy Orgon. He succeeds magnificently in winning the respect and devotion of the head of the house and then tries to marry his daughter and seduce his wife and scrounge the deed to the property. He nearly gets away with it, but his duplicity is ultimately exposed and punished. An examination of the evil which men can commit in the guise of religious fervour, presented in the form of a sparkling comedy.

A Taste of Honey

Play. Shelagh Delaney
M3 (20s, 1 Black, 30) F2 (17, 40). Composite setting.

Jo, the teenage heroine who lives in a filthy tenement bedsitter, is deserted by her nagging peroxided mother, who is unaware that her daughter is pregnant by a black sailor. Jo's greatest fear is that her illegitimate baby might be mentally deficient like her own father. To soothe, clean and cook for her is Geof, an effeminate art student, with whom she makes a temporary home. Bruised by insensitivity and rejection, the boy and girl find a very real comfort in each other. Period 1958

The Taxpayer's Waltz

Peter Coke : Comedy
5M 7F Interior set

Flora Draycott, an exuberant and impulsive widow, lives with her sister, Joyce, writing books and raising funds for charities. But to make real money she secretly, under a male nom de plume, writes a highly scandalous novel based on her late husband's drunken experiences. When a possible publisher arrives unexpectedly, she doesn't admit authorship, so blurts out that the author 'is ill upstairs'. This leads to a mass of complications as the sisters get involved in the highly coloured life they invent for him. The audience is kept very amused and intrigued as they watch Flora and Joyce endeavouring to extricate themselves from the many complicated situations which arise.
ISBN: 0 85676 025 0