Ron Nicol Plays
Ron Nicol Plays

ONE-ACT COMEDIES

BEGGAR YOUR NEIGHBOUR

(Stagescripts Ltd.)

Mrs Freebody has copied every detail of Mrs Lightfoot’s living room - or has she? Then Mrs Lightfoot reports the disappearance of her husband and twelve children. Mrs Freebody is responsible - or is she? Constables Boulter and Cadbury investigate, and are about to make an arrest for kidnapping, body snatching and mass murder when the truth is revealed.

4f - Mrs Lightfoot, Constable Boulter, Mrs Freebody, Constable Cadbury

‘highly entertaining plot’ (Amateur Stage)

 A BIRD IN THE BUSH

Stagescripts Ltd

 "...can only be described as hilarious..." (Amateur Stage)

One hot summer night and Bernard's stomach ache and his hatred of a cooing pigeon combine to keep his whole family awake. When he determines to track the pigeon to its lair, his daughter's fiance and the next door neighbour become entangled in his growing fixation. Eventually the police are called and Bernard has to face the consequences - and the wrath of his long-suffering wife.

2m 3f - Bernard, Marjorie, Kate, Jessica, Malcolm

CHAIRS

(Stagescripts Ltd.)

Marion, an enthusiastic young lecturer, is determined to foster better communication among the college staff. She enlists the help of her colleague Kath to re-arrange the chairs in the staff-room, hoping it will encourage the staff to talk to each other. Meanwhile, long-serving lecturer Mrs Douglas and newly-appointed Tessa become involved in a feud about where each should sit. Moving the chairs has unforeseen consequences. Feelings are hurt and tempers rise, Kath gives up her job, and Mrs Douglas has a break-down. For some people, insignificant things can have an importance which others don’t always appreciate.

A light comedy for an all-female cast - or for six women and a token man.

7f or 6f 1m - Annie, Dorothy, Marion, Kath, Tessa, Mrs Douglas, The Principal

FLUSHED

(Stagescripts Ltd.)

It’s a singles night, and Jan and Meg are taking a break in the Ladies Room. Jan is criticising Tara, unaware that Tara is hiding in one of the toilet cubicles. When Tara’s presence is revealed a fight ensues and Jan confesses the reason for her jealousy. Then Meg discovers that the door to the room seems to be locked, and the succeeding series of mishaps and misfortunes ruins Jan’s appearance and assurance. Tara eventually manages to open the door, but on the threshold of escape they find that Meg is trapped in one of the cubicles. 

3f - Jan, Meg, Tara

 "...a fun choice for the Festival circuit from one of Scotland's most prolific playwrights...  (SCDA Scene)

*Festival Awards* Ury Players Youth - 2015 SCDA Aberdeen District Best Youth Performance. Abbey Players - 2015 AETF Leicester and Rutland Festival Best Stage Presentation; nominations for Best Director and Best Actress; 2015 AETF Hastilow Festival Best All Female Cast; Kilmaurs and District Young Farmers Club - 2017 SAYFC West Region First Place and Best Set.

("Flushed" was formerly published by Silvermoon Publishing - now dissolved)

FLUSHED AGAIN

(Stagescripts Ltd.)

The sequel to "Flushed." It's Jan's wedding reception and Jan. Meg and Tara are taking a break in the Ladies Room. Feelings run high when Jan accuses Tara of having ruined her hen-night party. Then Meg discovers that the door to the room is jammed, sparking off a series of mishaps and misfortunes. Leaks appear in the ceiling, lights fuse, and pipes burst before help can arrive.

3f - Jan, Meg, Tara

MURDER AT THE CATHEDRAL

(Stagescripts Ltd.)

‘highly entertaining’ (Amateur Stage)

Henry King is furious that his Cathedral Amateur Dramatic Society (CADS) haven’t won anything at any drama festival since the defection of leading actor Tom Becket to the rival Priest’s Players three years ago. Sally Knight and Toby Barron decide to do something about it, and Tom Becket disappears. Did Knight and Barron murder the Priest to please King?

3m 3f : Henry, Eleanor, Polly, Sally, Toby, Tom

crackles along ...very enjoyable’ (Waddington Dramatic Society)

(Formerly published by New Theatre Publications.)

PIG TALE

Stagescripts Ltd

An updated re-telling of the tale of the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs. Mummy Pig throws the Three Little Pigs out into the big wide world to seek their fortunes. They have to cope with the demands of relating to others, gathering materials, building houses, and keeping the Wolf from the door. The Narrator also has problems to deal with in the shape of an insufferable Prompter and a wily and wilful Sheep.

Narrator, Prompter, First, Second and Third Little Pigs, Mummy Pig, Sheep, Big Bad Wolf, Man or Woman With Straw, Man or Woman With Sticks, Man or Woman With Bricks, Police Officer - some doubling and trebling possible.

Shortlisted in the Youth section of the Drama Association of Wales One Act playwriting competition 2008. "By far the funniest play in the competition. The only play that made me laugh out loud, not once but several times. Ron Nicol has a wonderful and quirky sense of humour." ( Angharad Elen, D.A.W.)

"The audience and the adjudicator loved the play and the reception we got from the audience was fantastic ... I would say the best audience reaction out of the whole festival. We are chuffed to bits!" (Peninver Players); "hilarious" (Kintyre Forum)

*Festival Awards* Peninver Players Juniors - 2010 Argyll Kintyre District Best Youth Entry; 2010 Western Division Youth Final Best Stage Presentation. Highnam Players Youth - 2010 Gloucestershire One Act Festival Best Youth Play, Best Female Youth Performers, Best Male Youth Performer Runner Up. Hyde Little Theatre Youth Group - 2010 Hale One Act Festival Best Junior Production, Best Director Junior Section, Most Promising Newcomer. Young Portonian Theatre Company - 2014 SCDA Falkirk District Youth Winners. 2014 SCDA Eastern Division and Eastern Division Youth Finalists. Saltburn ’53 Drama Group (Youth) - 2014 AETF Saltburn Festival Best Youth Production, Best Youth Actress, Best Youth Comedy, Best Cameo Performance, Audience Award for Best Production. Abbey Players - 2014 AETF Tamworth Hastilow Festival Open Festival Winners, Overall Festival Runners-Up, Most Promising Junior; 2014 AETF Warwickshire One-Act Play Festival Runners-Up, Adjudicator’s Shield; 2014 AETF Eastern Division Quarter-Final Runners-Up; 2014 AETF Semi-Finalists. Greenock Players - SCDA Inverclyde District Youth Winners.

SCOUNDRELS AND STRATAGEMS

(Stagescripts Ltd)

"a combination of superb comedy and fast action melodrama" (Menorca Charity Players)

Penniless Lady Pinchbeck wants to acquire Charity's inheritance. Squire Buzzard wants to win the hand of Prudence, but she loves Gerald, so Buzzard is plotting to discredit his rival. Lamprey has schemes of her own. When Sergeant Quickly and Constable Muggins investigate, suspicion falls on Gerald. After a great deal of confusion and a lot of hilarity, Prudence takes a hand and everything is resolved.

4m 5f - Lady Pinchbeck, Lamprey, Buzzard, Prudence, Gerald, Quickly, Gosling, Charity, Muggins

*Festival Awards*:- Hall Players - 2008 Preston Festival Adjudicator's Award (Kath Dobson as Lamprey) and nominations for Best Production, Best Performance, Best Director and Individual Achievement Awards.

THICKER THAN WATER

(Stagescripts Ltd.)

‘enjoyable, with a touch of dark humour’ (Scene)

Mrs Prince makes her son a vampire cloak for his birthday. Harold is captivated, and bites a girl at his birthday party. He decides on a career as a vampire, and his reign as the self-styled Prince of Darkness begins. As Harold grows older, he and his mother encounter horrified parents and a succession of angry teachers, until his fumbling attempts at seduction lead to the deaths of a number of women. Combined with his new career, this eventually results in Harold’s downfall and his inevitable destruction in the traditional vampire manner – a stake through the heart.

2m 7f 9m/f - Harold, Mrs Prince, Reporter, Sally’s Mum, Irate Man, Irate Woman, Head Teacher, Second Head Teacher, Third Head Teacher, Barbara, Drama Teacher, Drama Teacher 2, Penelope, Valerie, Maureen, Pathologist, DI Gillespie, DS Barnes. With multiple casting and a bit of ingenuity, it’s possible for the eighteen speaking characters to be played by a company of six, although any number of performers may be used.

THREE'S A CROWD

(Stagescripts Ltd.)

Tim brings Tanya to a pub to propose to her, but Tania is more interested in texting her best friend Tilly. Barmaid Tamara decides to take a hand and things come to a head. Tilly arrives, Tim takes a stand, Tanya storms out - and Tamara takes charge.

3f 1m - Tamara, Tania, Tim, Tilly

(Previously published by Silvermoon Publishing as "No Problem")

TOO MANY BRIDES FOR DRACULA

Stagescripts Ltd.

Loosely based on Bram Stoker's "Dracula". Jonathan visits Transylvania to meet Count Dracula. When he returns to his fiancee Mina he's a changed man. When Dracula also arrives in England, Mina's friend Lucy mysteriously becomes ill. Doctor van Helsing is sent for. The Doctor suspects Dracula of being the cause of Lucy's illness and determines to track the evil Count to his lair. After much confusion - and a great deal of hilarity - Dracula is defeated.

3m 7f 1m/f - Jonathan, Young Woman/Second Bride, Count Dracula, Mina, Lucy, First Bride, Second Bride, Third Bride, Mrs Swales, Arthur, Mrs Westenra, Doctor van Helsing. Mrs Swales and Mrs Westenra can be doubled. Doctor van Helsing can be male or female.

(Previously published by Silvermoon Publishing as "Love Bites") 

TWO BODIES AND A BOTTLE OF SAUCE

Stagescripts Ltd

A murder mystery rehearsal is about to start, but cleaner Molly finds make-believe corpse Anastasia and calls the police. When Inspector Whelping arrives, Bertram and Cassiopeia try to bluff things out instead of revealing the true state of affairs. Truth and invention become blurred by misdirection and misunderstanding, complicated by the intervention of aspiring actress Esmeralda. The body disappears, is replaced by another, and then re-appears, while a bottle of tomato sauce seems to be a crucial piece of evidence. Whelping eventually leaves, but Bertram has a real murder in mind.

Characters - Cassiopeia, Bertram, Anastasia, Molly, Whelping, Shortley, Esmeralda

NEARLY ALL AT SEA

Stagescripts Ltd.

Sir Henry Nearly and hapless Mortimer Leeveme set sail on a voyage of discovery with Cap’n Codfish and Barnacle the Mate. Unluckily for them, the fabulous island they discover is simply the Isle of Wight, now inhabited by the vindictive Henrietta and irksome Aurora.

"...it's hard to explain the plot, as quite frankly, it's far too silly to have one. The plays have the same line of humour as Monty Python and Spike Milligan" (Ealing Times)

3m 3f 2m/f - Narrator, Henry, Mortimer, Henrietta, Aurora, Codfish, Barnacle, Voice Off

NEARLY PULLS IT OFF

(Stagescripts Ltd.)

Intrepid adventurer Sir Henry Nearly and his incompetent associate Mortimer Leeveme set out with bungling Cap’n Codfish and feisty Barnacle the Mate on a quest to find the Lost Temple of Howjahdoodah. Followed by Henry’s indomitable wife Henrietta, Mortimer’s sweetly silly wife Aurora and a Tiger who thinks it’s a rug, they manage to find the Lost Temple – or do they?

3m 3f 3m/f. Narrator, Henry, Mortimer, Henrietta, Aurora, Tiger, Cap'n Codfish, Barnacle, Voice Off

NEARLY UP A GUM TREE

(Stagescripts Ltd.)

Heroic explorer Sir Henry Nearly and his gallant follower Mortimer Leeveme explore a desolate wilderness which bears a striking resemblance to the shrubbery at the bottom of Henry’s garden. With Henry’s authoritarian wife Henrietta, Mortimer’s innocently trusting wife Aurora, Queenie the cook and Tweenie the maid hot on their trail, they make an exciting discovery.

3m 3f 3m/f - Narrator, Henry, Mortimer, Henrietta, Aurora, Kitty, Queenie, Tweenie, Voice Off

NEARLY UP THE POLE

(Stagescripts Ltd.)

Intrepid adventurer Henry Nearly and his sidekick Mortimer Leeveme set out on a expedition to find the Pole – any Pole. Led by expedition expediter Jules Goudeau (aka as Jessie Boggs) and hampered by husky Rowff, they merely encounter Henry’s indomitable wife Henrietta and his irritating daughter Aurora.

"...a cross between Victorian Melodrama, Monty Python and the Goon Show" (Bucks Free Press)

2m 3f 3m/f - Narrator, Henry, Mortimer, Henrietta, Aurora, Goudeau, Rowff, Voice Off

*Festival Awards* Northern Lights Academy - 2013 Newfoundland and Labrador High School Festival Best Comedic Duo (Josh Adams & Robert Jacque), Best Ensemble and Best Directing Award (Sarah Oldford)" 'Nearly Up The Pole' nearly brought down the house" (Les Rigolettes)             

WOLF TALE

Stagescripts Ltd.

'sure to appeal to all ages' (Amateur Stage)

A re-telling of the tale of Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. Wolf tries to turn events to his own advantage, but despite the warnings of his cousin Big Bad nothing turns out the way he expects. Little Red won’t co-operate, Granny’s more troublesome than anticipated, the Woodland Fairy is less than helpful, a pair of infuriating Sheep complicate proceedings, and the arrival of Robin Hood finally throws a spanner into the works.

Casting - Mrs Hood, Red Hood, Fairy, Wolf, Big Bad, Granny Hood, Sheep, Wee Sheep, Robin Hood

*Festival Awards*:- Highnam Young Players - 2011 Gloucestershire Drama Association One-Act Festival Youth Play Runners-up, Best Female Performer U18 Runner-up, Best Female Performer U18 Nomination, Best Male Performer U18, Best Female Performer U13. 'we had a great time, and the audience loved it!' (Highnam Young Players)

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© Copyright Ron Nicol Plays