Three Plays for Young Performers

On The Threshing Floor; The Grandfathers; Flood

Rory Mullarkey

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Year: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781350293656
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medien & darstellende Kunst
• Subtopic: Schreiben von Theaterstücken

This collection of three plays for young performers from multi-award-winning playwright Rory Mullarkey offers astutely relevant and powerfully theatrical pieces of drama. Each offering large and flexible casts for non-gender specific performers, they are perfect for performances and study by young performers aged 13-23. Presented in the style of eloquent contemporary verse, Flood explores the consequences of global warming and salvaging hope in the midst of despair. The play was originally commissioned by National Youth Theatre and was performed at Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation in 2018. The Grandfathers explores the personal experience of warfare and what it takes to train to fight for your country. The play was first performed as part of National Theatre Connections, 2012, before being revived at Bristol Old Vic and the National Theatre's Shed. Through a collection of vignettes, On The Threshing Floor captures the speed, strangeness and confusion of living through pivotal moments of history. The play premiered at Hampstead Theatre and uses a large ensemble cast exploring themes of work, government and society. Popular with drama schools, youth groups and young people, this collection provides an excellent resource for those looking for large-scale and flexible plays to produce, perform and study.

On the Threshing Floor

Characters

Axford, a boy

Elstead, his younger sister

Danaway, a teacher

Coldred, a pupil

Ashby, a pupil

Merton, a boy from The City

Tilford, a miller

Bredfield, a baker

Kelsale, a cowherd

Turville, a cheese-maker

Knockholt, a tanner

Hurtmore, a butcher

Enfield, a sergeant

Bexley, a soldier

Hounslow, a soldier

Redbridge, an official

Eriswell, a farm worker

Gosbeck, a farm worker

Hartest, a farm worker

Byfleet, a farm worker

Sandling, a farm worker

Graveney, from The Holy Place

Newbourne, a congregant

Biddern, a congregant

Freefolk, master of the revels

The company also play farm workers, pupils, congregation, revellers etc, as appropriate.

Roles may be played by actors of any gender.

Just Before the Sun Goes Down

A field. It’s nearly sunset. Everyone is working, reaping. A synchronised movement. Axford stops, looks around, and talks to Elstead, his little sister.

Axford Hey Elstead. Elstead. Stop. Hey Elstead. Stop.

Elstead keeps going.

Axford Elstead.

Elstead Huh?

Axford Elstead, stop.

Elstead stops.

Axford Look around, Elstead. Look all around.

Elstead looks all around.

Axford See this?

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford See all this?

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford Our land.

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford Mine.

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford And yours.

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford And Dad’s.

Elstead Uhuh.

Beat.

Axford Mainly Dad’s.

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford But one day mine. And yours.

Elstead goes back to work. Slight pause.

Axford And see your eyes, Elstead?

Elstead stops.

Elstead Huh?

Axford Your eyes, Elstead. See your eyes?

Beat. Elstead makes a face.

Elstead Well.

Axford Well what?

Elstead makes a face, trying to look at her eyes.

Elstead Trying.

Axford No. Not like. No. Know your eyes?

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford Take them.

Elstead puts her hands to her face.

Axford No. Not like. If. If you take your eyes. Take them out.

Elstead Why would –

Axford Just if. If you take them out. If you throw them. Far as you can. Run up. Take them again. Throw them again. Far as you can. Run up again. Take them. Throw them. Run up. Put them back in. Look again. Do that. What would you see?

Elstead Still our land?

Axford Uhuh. Mine.

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford And yours.

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford And Dad’s.

Elstead Uhuh.

Beat.

Axford Mainly Dad’s.

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford But one day mine. And yours. I love it.

Lights change. Everyone is eating stew.

Axford Taste this? Our stew.

Elstead Ours?

Axford Uhuh.

Elstead But everyone’s eating it.

Axford Yes, everyone’s eating it. But is our stew. Coz the carrot in it is our carrots. Not theirs. And the parsnip in it is our parsnips. And the onion in it is our onions. And the sheep in it is our sheeps.

Elstead Sheep.

Axford Uhuh. Is our sheep.

Elstead But they’re eating it. So it is theirs too.

Axford But mainly ours.

Elstead Uhuh.

Lights change. Everyone is working again.

Axford Coz they work for us, you see.

Elstead Uhuh.

Axford Coz the land isn’t theirs. It’s ours. So they work it. And we give them stew and things.

Elstead Uhuh....

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• On the Threshing Floor
• The Grandfathers
• Flood
• eCopyright