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My Plays
The Moosetrap
Synopsis:
A group of teenagers break into an abandoned theatre only to find themselves face to face with 'The White Lady' and transported back in time to solve a seventy year old mystery. The opening night of Constance Sotherby's 'Murder at Barrington Manor' in 1954 was the final performance of lead actor Gerald Moose - brutally murdered before curtain up. But was justice really done and what secrets do the rest of the cast and crew have? Join Detective Scott Lanyard and a cast of familiar stock characters as they try and solve the mystery of who really set the 'The Moosetrap'.
Scooby Doo meets Cluedo in a dark and ever-twisting comedy of murder and mayhem.
This full length play was devised with members of the Questors Youth Theatre and director Rory Hobson. It was specifically written for drama teachers to pick up and stage quickly and contains minimal prop and scenery use. The production is designed for a cast of 9 older teens supported by 4 smaller roles for younger teens and a large ensemble of any age.
Number of Characters: 13
Minimum Number of Actors Required: 13
Length (in Pages): 77
Location: Backstage at an abandoned theatre
Key Words: youth theatre, large cast, murder mystery, supernatural, funny, ensemble
Has the Play Been Produced? Yes
Are the Rights Available? Yes
Has the Play Been Published? No
Award nominations/wins:
Reviews:
This play brought together an incredible cast of young performers, a well written mystery and some excellent movement work - 1showmore
\'The Moosetrap\' was a fantastic example of youth theatre at its finest. All of the teenagers in this production maintained focus and professionalism throughout the show, delivering the murder mystery with energy showcasing their incredible talent - 1showmore
Production Photos/Posters/Playtext Cover:

Tomcat
Synopsis:
In the not-too-distant future, the world is better than ever. Diseases and disorders have been wiped out. But Jess doesn't belong. She slipped through the net and there's something dangerous in her DNA, something that must be 'cured'. Charlie is watching Jess. He'll do whatever it takes to keep society safe. As debate over genetic screening rages,Tomcat asks how far will we go to keep humanity healthy? When you can learn everything about a person from a computer screen, is there anything left to discover?
Number of Characters: 5
Minimum Number of Actors Required: 5
Length (in Pages): 60
Location: Facility
Key Words: dystopian, love, thriller, psychopathy, character driven
Has the Play Been Produced? Yes
Are the Rights Available? Yes
Has the Play Been Published? Yes
Award nominations/wins: Papatango New Writing Prize (2015)
Reviews:
James Rushbrooke's Tomcat reads at times like an intriguing fusion of Gattaca and The Silence of the Lambs. - The Stage
Rushbrooke’s debut, winner of this year’s Papatango Prize, is manna to moralists: a chewy mix of medical ethics. WhatsOnStage
This is a play full of serious issues that suggests Rushbrooke, in his fascination with moral dilemmas, is a genuine ethics man. The Guardian
Rushbrooke throws doubt over everything: where do you draw the line between love and manipulation; parenting and coercion; imagination and insanity or being and acting? Aren’t we all psychopathic? Exeunt
Tomcat is original and at times delightful, with some huge questions wound into 95 minutes that could each stand as chapter headings in a medical ethics textbook. Progress Educational Trust
Production Photos/Posters/Playtext Cover:
