Writing
David is a long-standing member of Actors & Writers London, London’s longest-running professional play-reading group.
In 2005, David established The British English-Speaking Theatre of Slovenia (BESTheatre) for which, in co-operation with the Osborne Estate, he adapted John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger which toured Slovene schools for three consecutive years.
David adapted Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband and he played Sir Robert Chiltern in BESTheatre’s 2015 educational schools tour of the play.
Funny Turns
(6M 3F) A two act comedy drama set in a theatrical boarding house in 1935 in the dying decades of the Music Hall era. Struggling comedian Norman Tate passes his time rehearsing his average act with Sally, the daughter of his landlady Alice. When Norman’s ex-wife Nellie Price moves into his lodgings it sets in motion a chain of events which changes Norman’s life forever. A tale of humour, heartbreak and eventual redemption which demonstrates that life is indeed full of ‘funny turns’. Further play information and audience comments can be found on the NEWS page.
Funny Turns is published by Stagescripts Ltd. Please click on the graphic below for complete play details and for production information.
Visiting Emily
(1M) A monologue. Elderly Frank visits the grave of his adored late wife Emily, something he has done regularly for many years. On this occasion he talks to her about the recent passing of his good soldier friend Albert, their late daughter Eunice and about an important decision that he has reached. The play serves as a companion piece to Visiting Frank. (See below).
romeo & juliet
(1M 1F) A funeral wake in a church hall. Former sweethearts Harold and Dora reunite at the wake of their good friend Grace. Harold is not best pleased to see Dora as they parted on acrimonious terms many years before. They discuss what has happened to their lives in the intervening years. Can romance strike a second time for the star-crossed lovers?
Vile Company
(2M 1F) A TV studio where the obsequious Jonathan Vile is presenting the reality talk show ‘Vile Company’. Shane and Laine, a couple who possess three brain cells between them, are appearing on the show in an attempt to save their dysfunctional relationship. Shane suspects that while he was in prison Laine has cheated on him three times. Laine says that’s a lie; she insists she’s only cheated twice, and she’s taken a lie detector to prove it. Will Laine prove that she’s only cheated with Shane’s brother Kane and Shane’s best friend Dwayne? It’s a tangled web. The sanctimonious Jonathan Vile unravels it in vile fashion.
Happy Inside
(2M 1F) A nursing home. Walter is watching TV as his daughter Claire arrives for her daily visit and they chat amiably. Claire presents Walter with a framed photo of himself that was taken at his 80th birthday party. Brian, Claire’s husband, and Walter’s least favourite person arrives and proceeds to address his father-in-law in his usual loud, condescending manner. When an emotional Claire informs Brian that her father hasn’t spoken to her it becomes apparent that what appeared to be a duologue has in fact been two separate conversations. Claire’s dearest wish is for her father to be happy – and he assures her that he is – although she cannot hear him. The play is a message of hope.
Face Value
(3M 3F) The lounge in the Surrey home of Theresa and Jonathan. A 25th wedding anniversary provides the impetus for this darkly comic full length play which explores the evolving relationships between three couples. Jonathan’s forgotten a special date. Allan, his actor friend, wants a date. Christopher, Jonathan’s son, has lost his date. And, ultimately, this is a date that no one involved will forget as nothing and no one can be taken at Face Value.
The play is published by Stagescripts Ltd. Please click on the graphic below for complete details of the play and for production information.
Straight Man
(1M 2F) A home for retired variety performers. 1964. Ronnie Rainbow, one half of the veteran comedy duo Ron and Ruby Rainbow rehearse the double-act they have performed together for over forty years. Ron, the straight man, has always yearned to get a laugh. Ruby insists that as she’s the comic she should get the laughs. A nurse enters and starts performing a hospital sketch with Ron – feeding him the straight lines so that he can finally receive the laughs he’s always craved. But Ron and Ruby have never performed a hospital sketch…?
Ava Gardner
(1M 2F) Moreton-in-Marsh railway station. 1980. Bevan, an elderly man, sits on a platform bench watching the trains pass, drinking his bovril and listening to the tannoy announcements: a daily practice. An attractive woman sits beside him and they strike up a conversation as she waits for her train. She reminds Bevan of someone he knew long ago. His late wife perhaps? Or Ava Gardner?
Something for the Wife
(2M 1F) An up-market jewellers. Long-suffering cockney ‘geezer’ Syd visits a jewellers to buy his profoundly deaf wife Beryl a 50th wedding anniversary gift. Should Syd purchase an expensive ring? Or perhaps a bracelet? How much does Syd estimate Beryl to be ‘worth’?
Over the Top (UP)
(2F) Winner of Actors & Writers London’s ‘Over & Above’ Competition 2010. A railway carriage. Chelsea and Jade are addicted to their mobile phones. They gossip loudly and inanely to each other on them swapping tittle-tattle about boyfriends, The X Factor, and, most importantly, which of them has the latest phone model. The problem is that they’re on a crowded train – a problem for the other passengers that is.
Garabini
(3M 1F) Winner of Actors & Writers London’s ‘Conflict of Interest’ Competition 2009. A Penzance pub. Antique art dealers Josh and Derek are visiting Cornwall from London to purchase some stock when they are befriended by Tom, a local. They persuade Tom to sell them an old oil painting cheaply, telling him it’s worthless but knowing it to be worth a small fortune. But is it? Is Tom as naive as he appears? Who’s scamming whom?
Cross Words
(2M 1F) Jonathan’s forgotten a special anniversary – or has he? A short play that forms the basis for the opening scene of the full-length play Face Value. (See above)
The Waitrose Wing
(3M) Winner of Actors & Writers London’s ‘Another Fine Mess’ Competition 2007. A London art gallery. Scott and Melville, two pretentious art critics, lavish praise on a modern installation. Enter Jack the gallery caretaker and a self-proclaimed expert on all things artistic. His bombastic opinion on the installation leaves the critics aghast. But does Jack know something about the installation that they do not?
25 Reasons on a Quiet Day
(1M 1F) A view-point overlooking Niagara Falls. An elderly couple Harvey and Mary sit and recall their long and happy marriage. Mary’s life-long ambition was to view the falls, and Harvey was determined to take her on their 50th wedding anniversary. We discover that this will be their final holiday together. The play ends on a note of hope.
The Actor and the Extra
(2M 1F) A canteen trailer on the set of a TV drama. Donald Marchbank, an elderly, once-famous actor imparts some valuable career advice to a nervous young actor who is preparing to audition for RADA. But as the conversation develops we begin to wonder who is the actor and who is the extra. A cautionary and touching tale on the vagaries of the acting profession.
3 Brickies and a Lady
(3M 1F) A London pub. Bricklayers Tom, Dick and Harry are drinking in The Dirty Duck. Dick reveals to his mates that he harbours ambitions to become a writer and has joined a writing group. This is met with derision by his fellow brickies until the budding author reveals that his first play is to be performed that evening and that the women in the writing group outnumber the men by three to one. A swift change of heart ensues.
Christmas Presence
(1M 4F) A longer one-act version of the play of the same title. (see below.)
Up and Down?
(2M) Winner of Actors & Writers London’s Summer Competition 2004. A bare room bathed in white light. After his sudden demise on the Kingston by-pass Ronald arrives at the pearly gates and is confronted by Peter; a jobsworth who is far from saintly. Except this isn’t the pearly gates – the gates are three floors up. This is the holding area where it’s Peter’s job to collate Ronald’s sins and where he decides if he is going to send Ronald ‘up or down’.
Where There’s a Will
(4M 2F) The offices of Balder & Dash solicitors. Vera, the widow of Albert a millionaire businessman, sheds crocodile tears as she waits impatiently to hear how much money she will inherit from her late husband’s will. When the will is read in front of the assembled management it transpires that Albert has left his fortune to his faithful secretary – for ‘services rendered’.
Visiting Frank
(1F) A monologue. Performed at the New End Theatre, London in 2010. A Belgium war cemetery. Boxing Day. 1974. Emily visits the grave of her soldier husband Frank whom she lost in the great war: an annual pilgrimage she has made for the past sixty years. Now frail and elderly and with her memory failing Emily reveals that this will be her final visit as she says a last goodbye.
Briefcase Encounter
(2M 1F) Winner of Actors & Writers London’s ‘The Missing Scene’ Competition 2003. A railway station tea room. Laura is distraught as her lover Alec has just departed for foreign climes. Then to Laura’s joy Alec reappears. But has Alec returned because of his love for Laura or does he have an ulterior motive? An affectionate homage to the Noel Coward classic written in the style of the original play.
Visiting Frank
(1F) A monologue. Performed at the New End Theatre, London in 2010. A Belgium war cemetery. Boxing Day. 1974. Emily visits the grave of her soldier husband Frank whom she lost in the great war: an annual pilgrimage she has made for the past sixty years. Now frail and elderly and with her memory failing Emily reveals that this will be her final visit as she says a last goodbye.
Christmas Presence
(1M 4F) A bedroom. Robert surprises his daughter Samantha by turning up at her bedroom late at night. Samantha angrily takes her father to task over an affair he has recently had. They eventually make their peace and Robert departs. The next morning Samantha wakes to be told that her father was admitted into hospital in the early hours. How can that be?
An Eye for an Eye
(2M 1F) Winner of Actors & Writers London’s Summer Competition 2001. A clifftop overlooking Penzance. Susan, and Jack, her architect husband, are viewing a house they are considering renting for the summer. Tom, a local, befriends them and reveals a horrific tale about the house’s history that makes the would-be tenants flee in terror. But does Tom have an ulterior motive?