A sequel to the much acclaimed Radio 4’s Boniface and Me, this play is based on a true story.
Nell Porter decides to see whether paying school fees for just one child, (Loveness Matakuro) in poverty-stricken rural Zimbabwe will make a difference.
Loveness dreams of playing netball for her country. She has been inspired by her crippled mother who tells her stories about how she used to play netball when she was younger, and how it was their love of sport that brought her and Loveness’s late father together. Loveness and her sister Rutendo form a village team, with their mother as coach, and are supported by headmaster, Godfrey Rubaya, who insists that if she wants to form a school team and play matches, all the girls will have to pay school fees and attend. This is the story of how Loveness realises her dream and, against unimaginable odds, takes her team to represent Zimbabwe in an International Tournament in Zambia.
Radio 4 play, first broadcast 5th November 2010
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Two one-act plays – The Wooden Pear and Beata Beatrix. First performed at the Old Red Lion in 1999.
Two pivotal moments in the lives of four fascinating characters: moments when past actions come to weigh unbearably on the present moment and redefine an uncertain future.
In ‘The Wooden Pear’, Madeleine is a woman whose life is cruelly shattered by a vicious attack. Now, ten years later, she must confront the perpetrator to exact a bizarre form of revenge, only to discover that in many ways Daniel is as much a victim as herself. Now, together they must find salvation from the past.
In ‘Beata Beatrix, a chance encounter in an art gallery reveals a man tortured by a guilty past and a woman wracked with insecurity for the future, whose lives subtly mirror Rossetti’s famous painting.
In two beautiful plays, award winning playwright Gillian Plowman explores themes of mutual dependency and personal redemption with poignant sensitivity, humour and tremendous human insight. A beautiful and thought-provoking evening’s drama.
Produced at The Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington by Carpe Diem Productions starring Frankey Martyn as Beatrice and Madeleine and Chris Humphreys as Daniel and Jon.
Script available from Gillian
One-act play for two women and three men.
In this poignant play, an ironic twist is given to the traditional eternal triangle. David, a mentally-handicapped young man, forms the catalyst between two couples – his sister Liz and her husband John, and between his other sister Maggie and her partner Paul. Both sisters bear conflicting emotions of love, hate, compassion and guilt toward David – highlighted in the flashback to childhood sequences. But even more provoking are the insights between David as a child and now full-grown and between the others and their adult characters.
Published by Samuel French
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Crooked Wood is a black comedy about a bunch of ruthless property developerswho find themselves faced with an elderly lady who refuses to move out from the last remaining house on their prime site. Andrew Veitch, the smooth-talking iron fist of Golden Future, cannot budge intrepid Miss Barwick whose conviction that Veitch has come to restore her rotting stairs and floorboards and mend the holes in the roof generates the soft-centered humour.
Full-length play for 5 characters available from Gillian
One-act play for one man, one woman and two voices. Won Best New Play at Welwyn Drama Festival in 1995. Also won the 1995 George Taylor Memorial Award for new plays.
Hugo, a PR consultant on his way to an important meeting, and Martha, a Museum Education Officer with a case full of liberty bodices, are trapped in an overturned railway carriage following a rail crash, waiting tensely to be rescued. A touching relationship begins to develop between them, as they amuse each other, annoy each other, tell stores, jokes and secrets, sing songs and play word games. Just as rescue seems likely, however, they are torn apart by tragedy. A funny, perceptive, tender and moving play.
Published by Samuel French
One-act play for 3 women.
Following a motorcycle accident in which her boyfriend was killed, Cecily is brain-damaged. Her lone parent, Sheila, is struggling to cope whilst her aunt, Ellen, tries to distance herself from the situation. Ellen, elegant and married, comes to visit and gradually intense and complicated family relationships are revealed when Sheila confronts Ellen with her responsibilities. The problems of carers are sharply highlighted.
‘I love her, I love her, but I don’t know wht to do with her.’
We are shown flashbacks of Cecily before the accident, her lively personality contrasting cruelly with the wheelchair-bound reality. Fiery, forthright and honest, this moving play has three excellent roles for women.
Available from Samuel French Ltd
* Imagine Imogen is a full-length version of this play
Produced for Radio 4 by Catherine Bailey Ltd. Directed by Annie Castledine and staring Jude Akuwudike, Denton Chikura, Diane Findlay, Gracy Goldman, Denver Issac, Tonderai Munyevu and Harriet Walter.
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One-act play, published by Samuel French Ltd and winner of the 1994 National Drama Festival Association’s British All Winners Festival.
On a guided tour of an art gallery, Beatrice notices a lone man, Jon, crying in front of a painting. She knows the tragic story behind the painting: the apinter;s wife killed herself because he was unfaithful, and in remorse he painted her in a heavenly repose. Beatrice offers help, and it transpires that, for Jon, whose wife died of leukaemia while he was with another woman, the painting tells his own story. His guilt makes life no longer worth living. Beatrice, though, has her own haunting secret and through their awkward attempts at understanding, the pair develop a rapport and improvise a touching scene between the painter and his model, to the amazement of startled tourists. Their salvation comes in the form of their new love …
The Samuel French version has a cast of 7
See Destinies
See Fabulous Face
Stephen and Phil dream of being Stan and Ollie. But their cabaret act is as close as they can get and real life intrudes upon their dreams.
In the flat shared with Meg, Stephen’s girlfriend, the boys are preparing for their big break – a professional cabaret slot as Laurel and Hardy – but past relationships cause problems and a revelation from Phil throws everything into confusion. Will they make it to the show, or will the strain prove too great?
Their problems link with favourite Laurel and Hardy scenes which our characters re-enact and which throws light on the contrast between the charming innocence of Stan and Ollie and the hard reality of Stephen, Phil and Meg.
Through the course of the play we see many scenes recreated from Laurel and Hardy films including Thicker than Water, Blotto, and The Flying Deuces. Of course, from the film Way Out West, we have those favourite song and dance numbers, The Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and Commence your Dancing.
Full length and one act play versions available from Gillian
