Bøger i Acting Edition serien

Someone has attempted to poison James Ondersley. Inviting the potential cuplrits to a weekend party, James has an elaborate plot to find out and reveal the would-be murderer.| 7 women, 5 men

Philip King and Falkland L. Carey's domestic comedy, Rock-A-Bye Sailor, revolves around the christening of Able-Bodied Seaman Alfred and Shirley Tufnell's child, and the ensuing mayhem. Albert's mother-in-law, Emma Hornett, has her nose put out of joint on several occasions and being excluded from seeing her grandson in hospital, and is determined to have her say in future events...|5 women, 4 men

Two perfectly ordinary couples - hosts David and Caroline, guests Helen and Edward - are enjoying a dinner party. David is having an affair with Helen and Caroline knows all about it. Once the cat is out of the bag there is no way to stop the evening developing into a battleground of recriminations, explanations and cruel home truths. Explosively and observantly written.

This clever satire explores the Four Ages of Man from a modern perspective using dialogue, songs, dances and mime. A voyage of discovery that freely pokes fun at the styles and pretensions of theatre, this tongue in cheek piece is ideal for adventurous groups.|Large flexible cast

Features ten plays, which have been selected from the BT National Connections scheme, in which some contemporary playwrights in the UK and Europe were commissioned by the Royal National Theatre to produce original drama specifically for young people. The scripts are specifically written for 11-16+.

When their father dies, the Dashwood girls are forced to move to a Devon cottage. They are befriended by Aunt Jennings who determines to find them husbands. Marianne, trusting her sensibliities falls for the dashing Willoughby, while Elinor applies her sense to her feelings for Edward Ferrars.

Delachume, a charming young man, is married to a rich, hysterical wife; they live in luxury in Paris, and their worldly goods are shared by Georges' parents and his best friend Jacques, not to mention Jacques' wife Barbara, all of whom have been in comfort for years. Then into Georges' life comes Isabelle, a quiet young girl with a kind heart and humble upbringing. Georges succumbs to a longing for an uncomplicated life - shared, of course, with Isabelle. He spins stories for her about his family life and for one night he hires house, servants and stage parents, but his real family materalize, and Isabelle discovers the truth.-6 women, 6 men

The new vicar has transformed the vicarage with his flair for interior design. One of the village spinsters, Hester Byfield makes it plain that she is interested in him - romantically - but she is spurned. One of the village girls comes to see him and says that she is pregnant and ne'er do well teenager Larry is the father. after leaving the vicarage she sees Larry in the arms of the vicar's maid and distraught steps in front of an oncoming lorry and is killed. The vicar invites Larry over to the vicarage and tells him that he holds him responsible for the girl's death. Larry is in a dishevelled state as he has been fighting. | 4 women, 5 men

The Fogden's are expecting a paying guest to stay with them for the summer. Great-Aunt Popsy is preoccupied with a recent murder in the papers by a woman who has fed her husband with a poisoned shepherd's pie and is now at large. The village gossip, Miss Iggulden, suggests that the guest who has arrived and who has presented them with a shepherd's pie is the murderess. Very soon various mysteries about the guest lead the whole family to think the same. It is only when a neighbour arrives and explains that the guest is really a lecturer on cookery who has been misdirected that the mystery is cleared up. | 8 women

This historical romp finds diarist and 'father of the Admiralty Samuel Pepys rescuing lovely singer Mrs Knight from a violent pickpocket, then slyly arranging a musical tryst with her that evening. His dinner guests include young francophile dandy Pelham Humphries and brazen Mrs Pierce and Mrs Knepp, but Pepys declares he has urgent business at the Navy office. His attractive wife sees him dress up, and knowing his ways with women, doesn't believe his story. Back home Sam and wife confront one another with various accusations, protestations and extractions of mutual promises of fidelity. It is now past midnight, their adventures are over... and so to bed.| 10 women, 12 men

Marcia's parents, own a country cottage intended for quiet week-ends. It does not, however, work out that way on some occasions. The place is never quite ready and neighbours drop in at inconvenient moments. Marcia and her husband arrive to join the party, but the couple are not on the best of terms. Miranda, a young guest, is emabrassingly devoted to Denys, Marcia's young brother, who is attracted to the more glamorous Rowena Marriott, with whom he arrives. Mildred has to cope with the complications which develop in such an ill-assorted party. Adrian Barasford, a bachelor neighbour, is divided between fishing and his devotion to Mary Jarrow, a charming middle-aged woman living nearby. Everything seems to be going wrong.| 8 women, 5 men

A quiet, domesticated couple, Fred and Norah, live in a London suburb. They have married later in life than most people and  are devoted to one another. It is Fred's practice to go out for a glass of bitter in the evenings and on this particular occasion, while he is away, Norah has a visitor - a flash-looking young woman, Evie and Norah is faced with a decision difficult to make.|2 women, 3 men

A humorous portrayal of how mothers are treated in a family. It was first performed as a play in 1953.                     |3 women, 2 men

The household of a Bloomsbury lodging house is composed of the landlady, who cheats her lodgers; a slavey; a major - who drinks and bullies his wife; a shark a cad; a retired bookmaker; and others all as unpleasant as one could wish. The third-floor back is taken by a passer-by a mysterious personage, who interviews all the boarders, and influences them to lead better lives.| 6 women, 6 men

"To meet Oscar Wilde" was an inducement printed by Victorian Society hostesses on soirée invitations. In this fascinating play Oscar Wilde gives a dissertation on his life in a lecture in 1899. Supported by his friend, Lord Evelyn, and an actress, Penelope Dyall - who between them enact all the male and female characters mentioned in the dissertation - we are taken, in a series of short scenes, on a journey through Wilde's life.|1 woman, 2 men

In the drawing room of a house in the country three women are arguing over a man. The man is Colin, and the argument is heated, for one of the women is his mother, another his wife Clare, and the third his mistress Helen. All four allow their tempers to get out of control, and painful truths are told. Colin, a weak man, is on the point of leaving when there is an unexpected interruption. Outside their open windows a film director, the formidable Kramer, has been listening to their arguments and taking notes and insists that they have been indulging in bad theatre and that they must go through their parts again, but with his direction...|4 women, 2 men

When a house party gathers at Gull's Point, the seaside home of Lady Tressilian, Neville Strange finds himself caught between his old wife Audrey and his new flame Kay. A nail-biting thriller, the play probes the psychology of jealousy in the shadow of a savage and brutal murder. A carefully unpeeled investigation before our eyes brings the story to a pointed ending.

It is 1950 and revolution has swept a country and now reached a mission station which cares for children. A new Communist government has taken over and there has been persecution of Nuns and Priests throughout the province. The Mission has been cut off from the local village and the orphaned children have been removed. The British Consul, together with his wife Ruth visits the Mission, both have a deep-seated dislike of Germans because of their son's death in the Second World War. A letter arrives from Mei Cheng the governing General of the province addressed to Sister Magdalen. This elderly Nun looked after Mei Cheng when he was an orphaned boy many years previously and is the Generals Godmother. | 6 women, 3 men

With All My Love I Hate You is a tense play for two women. Julia is surprised to receive a visit from her one-time friend Clare ¿ and a little apprehensive too, because for some years she has been mistress to Jerry, Clare¿s husband, and has even borne him a son. Clare, in a pathetic state of misery following the death of her own small child and Jerry¿s hatred of her, seems just to want to talk to and be comforted by Julia, but as time passes it becomes clear that she is deliberately goading the other woman for some purpose of her own. What starts as a quiet and uncomfortable talk erupts into violence and tragedy, with an ironic twist at the end.|2 women

Tom, suffering from heart disease and aware that he does not have long to live, commissions Jan, an artist, to paint a picture that Tom can leave to his wife Brenda. From this simple premise Colin Crowther has created a many-layered, thoughtful play exploring illness, grief and the difficulties of caring for the dying, threaded with a lucid discussion of the redemptive power of art.|1 woman, 1 man, 2 women or men

Johnny sits on a high ledge writing a suicide note. The building's caretaker, a young policeman, a priest and others - including his mum, and girlfriend Eileen - visit Johnny on his ledge and the conversations they have with him satirically demonstrate various degrees of hypocrisy and callousness. Observant and funny.|3 women, 5 men

Eveline meets up with three men who courted her. It is a play of characterization and its successful presentation depends on the male actors being able to convey the tension which exists between them. This tension springs not only from their rivalry for Eveline's favours but also from their sense of class.|1 woman, 3 men

K.O. Samuel's adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood.|Flexible casting

V.C. Clinton-Baddeley's much-loved, pantomine version of Dick Whittington or Love in the Key That Opens Every Door.

Mrs Meldon is entertaining her usual party for the Christmas week. The pleasure is not, however, unalloyed. The difficult Aunt Topsey is among the guests, and the easily offended Uncle Ned is expected. The couple detest each other. Moreover, Mrs Meldon's daughters are not on the best of terms. Olivia, the elder, is strongly attracting Tony Martley, a young artist, who has generally been regarded as her sister Ann's future fiancé...

Playback is a play for five women. Faith and Edith Fellowes are spending a normal, uneventful afternoon, when a strange woman is seen leaning over their garden gate. They bring her in, to find that she is apparently suffering from loss of memory. When they summon the police, however, the woman· detective is a little sceptical, as such tricks have been used before by thieves. She takes an early opportunity of going through the stranger's handbag.It appears to contain nothing incriminating; but the arrival of a doctor, and some further questioning, unveil something a good deal more sinister than petty theft.