Bøger i Acting Edition S. serien

Mike's pleasantly anticipated stay with his girlfriend is shattered by the arrival of his brother, whose wife has thrown him out.

When Alan is accused of murdering a neighbor's daughter, a domestic thriller with surprising twists is set in motion. Alan's father eventually discovers the truth and takes matters into his own hands, with tragic results.2 women, 2 men

The famous story of the Princess with hair as black as ebony, skin as white as snow and lips as red as blood, whose stepmother sends her into the forest to die is excitingly and charmingly brought to life in this dramatization. In this version the stepmother is rewarded, with an enormous nose, for her sins, while Snow White wins her Prince. The music is included in the copy.-11 women, 13 men

The Crowns, the King and the Long Lost Smile is a play ior seven men,three women and extras. The play tells the story of how the Crown Troupe -Thomas, Ben, Will and Sally-a strolling band of entertainers, help the Princess Dulcinea find her father the King, who has been kidnapped by the wicked Baron Drax, and thus regain her long lost smile. The easily staged settings encourage plenty of audience participation.|Flexible cast

Ordered by the Emperor to find the gold "in the skies" and aided by his equally lazy son, they have just four days in which to recover it. They succeed but only after an accidental discovery of the thieves, a trip on the high seas with pirates and a fortunate case of mistaken identity.|Large flexible cast

Four servants sit solemnly in the kitchen of a large Victorian house. Their Mistress has died suddenly and the cook, discovering that the housekeeper and personal maid have stolen some of her jewellery, demands a share. Reluctantly they agree. Then the bell rings in the Mistress's room...everyone is in the kitchen, so who calls?6 women

Comedy / 4m, 14f / Int. Coward's tribute to theatre is set in a retirement home for actresses, all former stars. Jealousies abound, especially between Lotta and another who was also married to her former husband. A tragedy brings them to their senses and a new solarium brings out everyone's good nature. Lotta chooses to stay with her old friends rather than go live with her son. "Should rejoice those of us who still have hearts." London News Chronicle.

Think of Sleuth crossed with Deathtrap crossed with a Feydeau and you'll have an idea of the wild and crazy, unpredictable hijinks in this hit play. Corpse! is set in London in 1936, and tells the story of twin brothers, one of whom plots to murder the other in the most unusual circumstances. Evelyn, an out of work actor, engages the genial Irishman Powell, with a shady past, to do away with his suave, sophisticated, monied twin. Their plotting in Evelyn's Aladdin's cave of a flat is punctuated by the visits of a delightfully theatrical landlady.1 woman, 3 men

Raymonde suspects her husband, Victor Emmanuel, of infidelity and she turns to her best friend, Lucienne, to help her gain proof. They concoct a play-based on a perfumed letter-to trap him at the Hotel Coq d''Or in Montretout.|5 women, 9 men

Adulterous lovers, Sandra and David are called to the Torrances' flat for evening drinks. However, no one is home. What first appears to be a simple mix up of dates turns to something far more sinister when the pair are locked in and, all at once, framed for murder.

Set in Russia shortly after the Revolution, Stephen Poliakoff's intriguing and moving play has an autobiographical background in that it is inspired by what happened to his own family in Russia. Produced first by the RSC at the Pit and later transferring to the Mermaid the play follows the material and spiritual adjustments the upper middle class Pesiakoff family has to make to their life when they are forced to live in a railway carriage for many years. Although ostensibly employed as Telephone Examiner, father spends his time and government money on trying to record sound on to film. With the death of Lenin, however, the research must be abandoned and the family is forced to flee.

Jay Spencer wants to leave his past behind him and start a new life. When he moves into his new flat his only wish is solitude, but the girl next door plagues him with her suicide threats, his current wife causes problems, his ex-wife insists on leading him to Jesus, and his secretary declares her undying passion. Jay's women pursue, attack, seduce and harass him and he only wants to be left alone or does he? Finally when he achieves his aim and has only himself for company, the thought is too much and he telephones the last female left his mother! This very funny and witty play has fast and well-timed comic action.| 4 women, 1 man

Caught in the Act concerns the affairs of Cherry Winters, who runs a chain of sex shops. Late one night she is expecting the return of her lover, Bill. However, it is not Bill who creeps into her dark flat, but Martin, who has mistaken it for the one opposite, which is inhabited by his own fiancee, Helen. Unfortunately not only does he mistake the flat, but also the bed. Cherry thinks it is Bill and welcomes him with open arms. Worse still, they are later surprised by Bill himself. From this auspicious beginnng flows a flood of complications, not lessened by Cherry's need to cultivate an amorous Arab sheikh for business purposes.2 women, 4 men

The river upon which this play is based in the Parret. The river rises in Dorset and flows into Bridgwater Bay on the Somerset coast. It is 36 miles long and is tidal for a good deal of its length. For generations fishermen have trapped and netted salmon in the dangerous tidal waters that surge and flood across the Somerset flats. But advancing civilisation has polluted the river, the fish are dying and t here are now only three licensed fishermen left.1 woman, 2 men

What do a Koala bear, a devious chef, and an emerald necklace have in common? Carl Houston, Sussex hotelier, nearly loses his life finding out in this thriller of international intrigue which bears all the Durbridge hallmarks of suspense, mystery and murder.-3 women, 5 men

Returning home unexpectedly early from a rendezvous with her lover, Sophie Fontaineau finds that her husband Etienne is absent and immediately suspects him of philandering. She accidentally spills brandy on her porter''s trousers; the poor man soon finds himself trouserless behind a screen, desperately worried by the return of Etienne, who is disguised as The Hunchback of Notre Dame.|3 women, 2 men

Four expectant mothers and one father find themselves in a small hospital room awaiting the midwife who is to give them their first Parentcraft class. Differences in experiences, outlook and class lead to some interesting and at times hilarious exchanges, as each of the five have to face, and come to terms with, the prejudices and foibles of their companions. An amazing revelation shocks them all - one of their number is not, in fact, going to be a parent at all!4 women, 1 man

Unmarried sisters, in their 50s share a flat: Nina is brisk and gainfully employed; Nancy is plump, self-concious and redundant. However, when she becomes a model for a life-drawing class, Nancy glimpses a possible future. while Nina faces her unhappy past.

Henry Fielding's novel (which started out as a skit on Richardson's Pamela), recounting the adventures and misadventures of the handsome footman and the simple, loveable parson, is dramatized for a simple-to-stage production, requiring a minimum of props and settings. Robbers, grasping innkeepers, love, jealousy, female rivalry, personal misunderstandings, surprise revelations of unexpected relationships - all find their places in the exuberant story.11 women, 7 men

An exhuberant comedy which is yet a sad commentary on twentieth-century bureaucracy. The Hesseltines are living in property well overdue for demolition and they are looking forward to being re-housed in more beautiful and salutory surroundings. The crisis comes when they find that, far from a house with a little bit of garden, they are to live in a warrenous block of flats.|3 women, 6 men

Filumena has lived with Domenico for twenty five years, but is to be thrown over for a younger woman. So she pretends to be dying and inveigles him into a "deathbed marriage." When he proves the marriage to be null and void, she informs him she has three grown sons which she has supported by stealing from him and that one of them is his (she won't say which).5 women, 8 men

The beauty of Exmoor dominates this blend of romance and adventure that is R.D. Blackmore's novel "Lorna Doone". Spanning 13 years, all the characters are here from the ruthless Doones to the peace-loving Ridds with the love of John Ridd for Lorna Doone at the heart of the play.

The Royal family has been moved to a housing estate in Leicester and have to live as ordinary people. This play is a satire on the failings of the welfare state, the pretensions, expectations and personal foibles of the Royal Family as they attempt to come to terms with their new situation.

The light-hearted and entertaining play concerns four elderly actresses passing their days in a Home for Retired Artistes. They bicker and banter, showing the different parts of thier profession. Only Dame Anthea's dresser, Gladys, keeps an observant distance, injecting pithy comments into the actresses' small talk. Needing a man for their projected Christmas play, they enlist the help of newcomer Arthur Pendragon. But it is the dapper Antony Redfern who devises an entertainment ideally suited to their personalities, whilst the redoubtable Gladys in installed as costume mistress, as usual!|5 women, 2 men

A pantomime script based around the "Sleeping Beauty" story. Princess Aurora suffers a curse from the evil Carabosse, and falls asleep for hundred years. With a kiss from Florizel, and a little help from the audience in solving a riddle, Carabosse is defeated and all ends happily.

This gentle play, told with warmth and tenderness focuses on Lily who has spent all her married life in the same two-up, two-down council house. Although widowed, her husband Joe is very real to her and Lily's life continues as though he were still alive. Lily's peace is shattered by a letter notifying her that her house is to be demolished and she rehoused. Lily flatly refuses to go, despite warning letters and entreaties from social worker Ann. If Lily goes her memories of Joe and their life together will be smothered in the rubble. Eventually, though, she bows to authority and the "big cats", but at least she has the chance – this time – of saying goodbye properly to Joe.| 2 women, 1 man 

These short plays weave together the pyschologically complex themes of jealousy, deceit and manipulation and throw together the most unlikey of couples: Bruce in Rialto, is an attractive ex-actor employed by elderly dying ladies to help make the most of their last days. In Mortmain, Diana, finds her dead husband's diary and all her previous assumptions about her marriage are threatened. Is Arabella Snelgrove in Dead End the perfect, upright and law-abiding citizen? A visit from an inpsector from the Department of Social Security throws suspicions on Arabella's honesty. All are tense, tantalizing, pyschological thrillers with the most unexpected twists.| 3 women, 3 men