Plays
D.R.A.M.
Full-length comedy, 6f, 3m
A comedy of amateur dramatics, and dramatic amateurs.
In the little-known Shropshire village of Muchleymarsh, the local amateur dramatic society (D.R.A.M.) has long been a staple of the community. None of the villagers seem to notice, however, that D.R.A.M. is probably the worst theatrical group in England – or at least the West Midlands. When Kay, the chairwoman’s daughter, is forced to step in and direct their next production, she finds she must battle with difficult egos and a host of quirky characters, and face just as much drama offstage as on.
D.R.A.M. was first performed by a professional cast from 24th-26th October 2019, at the Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre, Walton-on-Thames.
"It’s rare to read a script that is funny, surprising and satisfying. I liked the characters, and enjoyed being wrongfooted by turns in the plot that were still entirely believable. Anyone can throw in a plot twist to confound the audience, but it takes real skill and thought to lead them in an unexpected direction that still agrees with what they know of the characters."
-- Appraisal by Damian Trasler
Love After Death was written with socially-distanced production and staging in mind, and was due to be performed by an amateur cast from 13th-15th November 2020, at the Barn Theatre Club, West Molesey. Due to the nationally-imposed lockdown, the production was recorded and broadcast via streaming video on the original dates, with plans to stage live performances in the future.
In February 2021, the play was also performed and streamed by Teddington Theatre Club with a new cast and directed by Tess Townsend.
Love After Death
One-act drama, 1m 1f
Lyn Taylor has died, leaving her husband, George, to cope on his own. Except that he isn’t alone – a shadow of his deceased wife appears to have stayed behind. Can she help him to work through his grief, or will her lingering presence prove to be more unhealthy than comforting?
"This script has a lot going for it – the small cast from an age group who don’t normally get to carry a play. It’s unusual to find a two-hander that features two older characters, especially one that doesn’t involve Alzheimer’s. The play does a good job of presenting both characters as real people. It would be fair to say the plot of the piece is minimal, but even so, the author did a good job of wrong-footing me with my expectations of what was going to happen."
-- Appraisal by Damian Trasler