(30 pages) ‘A WAR-TIME ROMANCE’ set during the Second World War. It tells of a young couple who ‘fall’ in love, and the obstacles they have to overcome during the stressful period. M3 (2 young, 1 old). F2 (1 young, 1 old).

(30 pages) ‘A WAR-TIME ROMANCE’ set during the Second World War. It tells of a young couple who ‘fall’ in love, and the obstacles they have to overcome during the stressful period. M3 (2 young, 1 old). F2 (1 young, 1 old).

Have a look at the staged version on youtube or click link below

A War-Time Romance by John Collings

www.youtube.com

HAPPY ENDING\' a play BY john collings (synopsis)
follows a mans’ decline into drug addiction. It starts dramatically with what looks like a rape scene. But, is in affect a couple (bill & molly) trying to consummate their relationship, unsuccessfully. This leads to Bill having sex with various glamour models, in a seedy studio. In a dream he is visited by an old teacher who encourages him to go to college and become a writer. But, his dreams, of reaching his full potential, are destroyed. One of the models he encounters is a drug addict, which quickly leads Bill to become addicted to Heroin. Eventually, he reveals his mixed feelings about his own sexuality (cross-dressing), as he overdoses and dies.
Molly has a premonition, a sort of nightmare/daydream/flashback to her wedding day. In the premonition she sees her and her husband, being separated. Then Molly (back in reality) receives news that her husband overdose.
After Bill’s funeral, and after being attacked by her mother-in-law, who blames Molly, for Bill’s death. Bill appears as a ghost, and tries to tell Molly to go on without him (we don’t know if the ghost is real, or just a part of Molly’s imagination). Molly refuses to let Bill go. After a flashback, to when Bill and Molly first met, aged 16, Bill disappears. But Molly still thinks Bill is alive. Molly’s son Johnnie tries to bully Molly into moving house and living near him in Docklands. Bill appears, he’s against the idea, but shortly after, disappears. Johnnies’ insistence, that his Mother moves, and the disappearance of Bill, coupled with months of waiting for her husband to return, leads Molly to attempt suicide.
It is New Years Eve. Molly meets Alan a new man in her life, but is attacked, by her son and mother-in-law, for doing so. They think she should stay loyal to her husband. In spite of this, Molly still goes out with Alan, but when Alan tries to kiss her, Molly becomes very angry and runs home. Back in her room, Molly rebukes herself for going out with another man, and contemplates suicide, for the second time, but is stopped by her dead husband. Bill persuades Molly to carry on with her life and to start a new relationship. Alan appears and toasts in the New Year. Molly and Alan make up.

(30 pages) ‘K&D’ by john colllings. A BLACK COMEDY. About 2 mentally ill people who share a bed-sit. Length 30mins. Cast 2m (one with a lower mental age. 1 with a higher mental age). Or can be played by 2 fm’s. Author's note: I wrote this when I was counselling clients with mental health problems and feared they may be left with-out support, to fend for themselves. This play I am sure is what happens, sometimes. Watc my my rehearsedd reading on youtube. Free to stage if your staging in Sussex.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnKZnZRsZww
www.youtube.com
OR GO TO YOUTUBE AND PUT IN K&D by john collings

(40 pages) LOOKING FOR MR RIGHT is about a mature prostitute who works out of a flat owned by her pimp. Turns out the pimp is her son. The pimp wants his mother out of the flat so he can get a younger girl in. But family secrets from their past stops the eviction plan. Eventually the mature prostitute meets Mr Right, and starts a new life. But things turn bad, the new man in her life is an East End Gangster, called Barabbas is abusive and the mature prostitute has a mental breakdown when her husband is arrested for murder and released. During her breakdown she is visited by Jesus, asking her why BARABBAS got away with murder, when he was nailed to the cross. It’s Pinter-ish, and has a surreal ending. M3 (2 young-ish, 1 mature). F1 (mature).
Watch my one act play LOOKING FOR MR RIGHT go to Youtube and put in looking for mr right by john collings or click on link below. Pay what you can to stage. Free if you are staging in Sussex. Email johnsscripts@yahoo.com for your free script.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZO2J6KlOHw
www.youtube.com OR GO TO YOUTUBE and put in looking for mr right by john collings

(34 pages) ‘MOLLY’ is about how a woman copes with the death of her husband, and how the ghost of her husband comes back to encourage her to get on with her life and start a new relationship, which she eventually does, by falling in love again. Author’s note: I wrote ‘Molly’ while I was studying & training to be a bereavement counsellor, and working with bereaved people. The play with songs is based on the grieving process. M4 F5. (adult to retired).

‘OLD FLAMES’ is a play with songs about two people who meet in a pub and rekindle their relationship. M1 F1. pay what you can to stage free if you're staging in Sussex.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywFPjHdAKP4&t=1503s
www.youtube.com or go to youtube and type in old flames by john collings

(31 pages) PENNY BLACK follows a woman’s life with her dominating husband and show’s how, despite her circumstances, she manages to re-discover her own hidden talent for singing and goes on to find true love. Author\'s note: I used to be a counsellor and I became aware in my work, that although there are lots of happy marriages, there are some marriages that are not working and in some cases the wife is being oppressed by the husband. So I wrote ’Penny Black’ to try to give a voice to these women who are suffering in our community. I am a big campaigner for women\'s rights, and feel deep concern about all oppressed people all over the world. Cast: F6-M5 (adult to mature)

‘REAL LOVE’ is a light romantic play with songs and comedy. It tells of a young girl\'s dream to find real love, and break away from her dominant mother, and the obstacles she has to overcome to reach her goal. M3 (1 old-ish, 2 young-ish.) F3 (1 old-ish, 2 young-ish). Real Love can be viewed on youtube just put in Real Love by John Collings.

Love is a genuinely charming romantic comedy, potentially potent enough to give Richard Curtis a run for his money. The
characters are very endearing and easily likeable and given its current length there is ample room to develop them further.
Indeed, there are many opportunities for development and the author may consider (or may have already considered)
some of the depths the story might dive. One of the its most appealing aspects is its stylistic turns. It almost parodies the
now standard romantic movie tropes and there is a demand for more of this to really solidify the style. Some might say
there’s a tendency towards the absurd (for example, Cindy’s mum dying and going to heaven to speak to the narrator
before coming back) but such excesses can be ironed out. There is also a tendency for the action to be a little rushed,
but the author may be encouraged to maintain the great pacing seen at the start and extend the narrative. Indeed with
more character development and with further endorsement of its more stylistic moments (such as the Dance of Zorro)
especially through the second half, this will undoubtedly see this piece flourish.
Some plot inconsistencies may need to be addressed (questions revolving the abusive relationship and motivations for
returning to it, for instance) and some exploration of the significance of the mother may be in order, but all in all this has
some great potential.

(25 pages) ROMEO & JULIET (PLEASE NOTE R&J COMES AS A PLAY WITH-OUT SONGS IF NEEDED) I have adapted “Romeo & Juliet” into modern day English and added some beautiful ballads and set the play with songs amongst the youth gangs of the inner-city. It’s very easy to stage, as I have used minimal props. It comes with guide vocals & backing tracks & sheet music. Out of respect for Shakespeare, I translated the original book, word for word, into modern day English, not changing the plot, well only slightly editing the story, to keep it simple, helping it flow for modern day audiences.

P.s. Romeo & Juliet comes in shorter edition of 18 pages LESS WITH-OUT SONGS & 8 characters.
Also there is a version entitled Juliet & Romeo from a women's point of view only one man needed.

(54 pages) Pantomime.

Or a play for children with songs, ideal for schools touches on bullying.
THE ADVENTURES OF THE CHILDREN & THE GENIE (VERY FUNNY). A very poor family wins the lottery (with the help of a Genie), and act out their fantasies. Mum wants to be a Pirate. Dad wants to go on a Teddy Bears picnic. One of the children wants to be Elvis & wrestle a crocodile. Another wants to be Madonna. One wants to be an astronaut and walk on the moon. One ones to be James Bond. Eventually all their money is lost on the stock market by a corrupt Lottery official. But realize family is more important than money.

(34 pages) WASTE is a play that follows a man's decline into drug addiction. The play starts dramatically with what looks like a rape scene. But is in effect a couple trying to consummate their relationship, unsuccessfully. This leads to the man having sex with various glamour models, in a seedy studio. In a dream he is visited by an old teacher who encourages him to go to college and become a writer. But, his dreams, of reaching his full potential, are destroyed. One of the models he encounters is a drug addict, which quickly leads the man to become addicted to Heroin. Eventually, he reveals his mixed feelings about his own sexuality (cross-dressing), as he overdoses and dies. M1 (20-40) F3 (adult). Watch my rehearsed reading of the play on youtube email johnsscripts@yahoo.com for the full script.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2nC9SJB41k
www.youtube.com or just go to youtube and in waste by johncollings