N - S
Need to Know
(Drama)
(10-15 Minutes)
TRIGGER WARNING - Sexual Assault/Rape
Plot:
Wife wants to know the truth (or does she?) Girl 1 knows two truths and Girl 2 knows one truth. What is the true truth and does Wife really want to know?
Cast: (3 Female)
Wife - 40s
Girl 1 - 20s
Girl 2 - 20s
Production History:
Recommendations:
“Both women in this story have very real, very believable and strong feelings at odds with one another. In a very uncomfortable, but necessary confrontation, we learn a lot about what some people can turn a blind eye to in order to continue to pretend things are fine. But the twist at the end leaves me wishing I had a friend like Girl 1, and also, I hope to never cross anyone like Girl 1! A true pillar of justice! By any means necessary.”
Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn (New Play Exchange)
“Powerful piece on what we're really searching for when we claim to be on a quest for truth. Very well done.”
Ryan Vaughan (New Play Exchange)
“Sometimes the truth is what we choose to believe. This powerful short piece gives us a private view into a very personal story. Stunning.”
Debra A. Cole (New Pay Exchange)
“Powerful, bold, provocative portrayal of how the truth may or may not set you free, and yet we need it.”
Lucy Wand (New Play Exchange)
No More Tea?
(Comedy)
(5 Minute Sketch)
Plot:
Brian is an avid tea drinker who likes things ‘just so’. So imagine his reaction when going into a tea rooms and find they don’t have his kind of tea?
Cast: (2 Male & 1 Female)
Brian - A Very fussy person who is more than happy to make it clear if he's not happy. 40s
Derek - Brian's long suffering friend. 40s
Lilly - Waitress in The Magic Toadstool Tea Rooom. 20s.
Production History:
June 2023 - Produced as an audio production on Theatrical Shenanigans Podcast - https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/
December 2022 - Produced as a live sketch as part of a Christmas variety show by Exton Drama Club, Devon, UK.
January 2022 - Produced as an audio production by Shout in the Evening for a podcast.
Recommendations:
“Let me spill the tea on this fun short... As a tea room employee, I must say, Lilly is not getting paid enough to deal with Brian's particularities. No More Tea? by Rachel Feeny-Williams is a silly-goofy customer service comedy. Full of distinct and memorable characters and tongue-in-cheek wit, this play is top tier!”
Hannah Lee DeFrates (New Play Exchange)
“I listened to the Shouting in the Evening audio production of this play and it was an absolute riot! I knew some folks here in the States that have Strong Opinions about tea and coffee, and found that warm beverages served incorrectly served as a metonym for Everything Wrong with This Country. And I would be stuck leaving a hefty tip as an apology. This is a truly funny (and cringe inducing) play. Rachel Feeny-Williams has a gift for writing biting dialogue and creating richly drawn characters.”
John Patrick Bray (New Play Exchange)
“Feeny-Williams serves up another quick-paced hilarious ("Run!") comedy full of clever one-liners in this her second play in the "My Chatter" collection. https://www.rfwscripts.co.uk/product-page/my-chatter-10-original-comedy-plays.”
Nora Louise Syran (New Play Exchange)
“You are immediately transported to a British tearoom in this funny short from Rachel Feeny-Williams. NO MORE TEA offers an outrageously fun culture crash and comedic meltdown with panache. The characters are well-drawn and the wordplay delightful.”
John Mabey (New Play Exchange)
“Feeny-Williams pokes fun at ridiculous drink orders demanded by characters like Brian. We've heard them or we order them. In place of coffee, we have tea - and the drama is outrageous and playful. Easy to produce, this comedy would be a smart pick for your festival.”
Asher Wyndham (New Play Exchange)
“There is no better symbol of Englishness than the Tea Shop. If you frequent them or if you've ever worked in one, you will identify with Rachel's short masterpiece in equal measure. It would be a perfect training aid for hospitality staff, in how to deal with the "customer from hell". One of ten plays published as a collection, under the title of "My Chatter" https://www.rfwscripts.co.uk/product-page/my-chatter-10-original-comedy-plays”
Tony Vale (New Play Exchange)
“As an American, I can still relate to the over-the-top demands of Brian and his tea requirements. Everyone has something that has to be just perfect. For Brian, it is tea. And it really is a pretty simple request, it just goes all sixes and sevens on him! Derek's last line kills!”
Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn (New Play Exchange)
“Fun and funny - steeped with more than a hint of relationship drama. The perfect accompaniment to a nice cuppa!”
Arthur M. Jolly (New Play Exchange)
“RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS found a way to make a simple get together for a cup of tea and coffee to be a witty and wonderful short piece. “No More Tea” will delight audiences and be a favourite in a short play festival.”
Jack Levine (New Play Exchange)
“"No More Tea?" had me cackling! The characters are delightful, and the dialogue is fast and sharp. I particularly enjoyed the moment where they discussed different types/flavors of tea (as an avid tea drinker, I won't say I disagree with Brian!). A fun 5-minute play by Rachel Feeny-Williams.”
David Lipschutz (New Play Exchange)
None Time
(Relationship Comedy)
(5 Minute Sketch)
Plot:
Claire has woken up to a work day alarm on a Saturday and Tom is not content to let her get out of bed but encourages her to stay and embrace the wonder that is 'none time'.
Cast: (1 Male & 1 Female) Both 30s
Claire
Tom
Production History:
Recommendations:
“Feeny-Williams has crafted a wonderful play that so perfectly captures the essence of the small and yet precious moments of life. The dialogue is charming, the characters share a beautiful intimacy, and the concept is one many of us need to hear. I'd love to see this one on stage.”
Ryan M. Bultrowicz (New Play Exchange)
“I could use a lot of this none time. I have often been in that situation where an alarm goes off that I set and I don't have to get up, but just like Claire I have that feeling that I'll never be able to go back to sleep. Now I have a path forward the next time it happens.”
Lee R. Lawing (New Play Exchange)
“ Rachel Feeny-Williams' "None Time" is a lovely ode to the lost art of doing nothing. A great two-hander that will warm the hearts of theater-goers and have them craving their own "none time." As is her wont, Feeny-Williams made the most of the 28 Plays Later challenge prompt and gave us something unexpected and brilliant. Bravo! ”
Adam Richter (New Play Exchange)
“This short play by RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS is simply lovely. NONE TIME is a true gift... both the play AND the actual thing itself. What a perfect ending to a 28 day run of new shows by RACHEL.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
Not a Problem
(Monologue - Comedy)
(5-10 Minutes)
Plot:
Angela, just home from a manic Christmas shopping trip, tells the audience anecdotes of how her Christmas is spent.
Cast: (1 Females)
Angela - A woman in her late 30s/40s
Production History:
December 2022 - Live production as part of the Exton Drama Club Christmas variety show, Exton, Devon, UK
December 2021 - Produced as an audio production for YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIiVTqfXuAE)
December 2021 - Performed by Dramatic Chaos as a Zoom production.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqHZO1MKHFI&t=2s)
Recommendations:
“Angela is back sharing her home with us and she is in rare form! Many of us can relate to the stresses of the holidays and how Angela finds ways to bear with unbearable requests from in-laws. Her clever passive aggressive gifts and consummate control of the situation are aspirational and I raise my glass of wine to her!”
Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn (New Play Exchange)
“RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS has written many wonderful plays and monologues. “Not A Problem” is one more grand piece for all to enjoy. There is humour, pathos, and irony. It’s a confession, recognition of holiday stress, understanding of family dynamics, but above all, this piece is very entertaining!”
Jack Levine (New Play Exchange)
“NOT A PROBLEM is a wonderful, funny, relatable monologue that I can clearly see being acted out. I recognise my own wife in this piece! Hugely funny!”
Christopher Plumridge (New Play Exchange)
“As an introvert, I could relate to Angela’s dread at spending Christmas with in-laws and the unnecessary stress it can provoke. I laughed at the idea of a misspelled name on a gift. That is some passive-aggressive inspired brilliance right there. Sure, we could sit back and say she is being a real Scrooge, but I felt her pain. I would love to see this performed with the whole audience drinking a glass of wine along with her!”
Andrew Martineau (New Play Exchange)
“Very funny and so relatable. Hard wedges of fruitcake, horrid home decorations and day drinking—gotta love the holidays. Loved the build up to the title. Cheeky fun!”
Nora Louise Syran (New Play Exchange)
“This overburdened housewife speaks to you like you're one of her girlfriends, as if you're drinking wine with her. Many women, housewife or not, can relate to her and that joy of getting your way with relatives. A Christmas monologue that will fit right in with your December showcase, on Zoom or stage.”
Asher Wyhndham (New Play Exchange)
Not Getting Old
(Monologue - Comedy)
(5 Minutes)
Plot:
Edna has decided she's bored with getting old so she has decided she is going to be 25.
Cast: (1 Female)
Edna - A woman in her 60s.
Production History:
July 2023 - Audio Production on Theatrical Shenanigans Podcast - https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/
July 2022 - Bocking Theatre Club, Braintree, Essex, UK performed as part of their "Summer Shorts" show.
Recommendations:
“Haha, you can't help falling in love with the youthful, spritely Edna! In many ways I wish my Nan was like her, but in many ways I'm very pleased she wasn't! Rachel has very swiftly created a wonderful character in Edna, I think there could be further 'Adventures of Edna' monologues. This would be a fun role for an actress of Edna's real age to have a lot of laughs with!”
Christopher Plumridge (New Play Exchange)
“It's hard not to admire Edna's resolve or to empathize with her resolution. Her monologue is filled with witty observations and unintended humour. It would be delightful to see her realized by a female actor in late middle age.”
Paul Donnelly (New Play Exchange)
“NOT GETTING OLD by Rachel Feeny-Williams is a terrific monologue for female performers 60+. It is positively optimistic and the takeaway that I got Feeny-Williams delightful 5-minute monologue was that, while our number of trips around the sun is real, we do not have to base our "being" on that number. How we approach and enjoy life is up to us. Growing older doesn't mean we should be silent and disappear. Once again, this is an excellent piece for a 60+ year-old, female actor to showcase an endearing, bright and light-hearted performance.”
Peter Anthony Fields (New Play Exchange)
“We can’t stop aging but “getting old”… that’s an entirely other matter. As a long time advocate of immaturity, I heartily endorse Edna’s decision to be 25! Feeny-Williams deftly bridges a number of generational gaps with specificity, humour, and zeal! It's almost as if Edna's youth is contagious and joyously so!”
Scott Sickles (New Play Exchange)
“Edna is a marvel! Reversing the clock with a simple decision. Acting one’s age is just acting. Choosing who we are, how we approach the world, and even what age we want to be are glorious choices that Edna shows us how to make!”
Christopher Soucy (New Play Exchange)
Oh Levels
(Comedy)
(10 Minute Sketch)
Plot:
Professor Greenway is a visiting linguistic professor to lecture on the history of the word 'oh'.
Cast: (1 Male & 1 Female)
Professor Alexis Greenway - 40s
Gustav - Professor’s Assistant. - 20s
Production History:
Recommendations:
“One way to mine comedy from a subject is to look at it from different perspectives. Taking this tactic, Rachel Feeny-Williams gives us a quirky example by looking at the simple word "oh" through the eyes of a classroom of students who, at first, don't quite get it. But as the play moves along they, and we the audience start to see possibilities. Having a play teach and amuse doesn't always work, but here it does, "Oh-kay?"”
John Busser (New Play Exchange)
“Wonderfully fun and even informative piece on all things "Oh." The setup is perfect, and the journey that the Professor takes from the beginning of her lecture on the history of the word Oh to the, er, climax, so to speak, is funny and even surprisingly moving. Onwards and Ohwards!”
Robert Alexander Wray (New Play Exchange)
One in Every Flavour
(Comedy)
(10 Minutes)
Plot:
Mandy thought there was no one who could ever make ice cream dangerous…and then she met Giles!
Cast: (1 Male & 1 Female)
Giles Filistoe Tenderson Harper McFee - 40s, an inventor who is mad for ice cream and finding new and 'interesting' flavours for it.
Mandy - A customer, 20s.
Production History:
July 2023 - Audio Production on "Shouting in The Evening" Podcast - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1854669/13319959?fbclid=IwAR2x8yRzZW3sHnNb3IJjsUgLeR-aWoIApBCXOIQ1OlMc_kgSxASDwSm-BRY
25th June 2023 - Audio Production on "Theatrical Shenanigans" Podcast - https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/
Recommendations:
“It's certainly possible to take an obsession too far, as Giles certainly does. The build as ice cream flavours become progressively more ... novel is most amusing.”
Paul Donnelly (New Play Exchange)
“Ewwww.....While I am pretty open to new culinary creations, this ice cream inventor may be more than I can handle. This disgusting and entertaining short pay will have audiences questioning their bravery with new flavors.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
“I may never eat ice cream again. Unless it's vanilla. An unsuspecting customer gets way more than they bargained for when they accidentally step into an experimental ice cream station. Absolute fun for two actors who want to play close to over the top. This was so good I'm still queasy.”
George Sapio (New Play Exchange)
Operation Protocols
(Thriller/Science Fiction)
(15-20 Minutes)
TRIGGER WARNING - Violence, Discussions of murder & child death
Plot:
In an America that is the grips of virus that has been ravaging the country for nearly ten years, Sergeant Janson has been tasked with finding the High Commander’s missing wife but what he discovers, he wasn’t expecting.
Cast: (4 Female & 4 Males)
News Announcer – 30s
Patricia – High Commander's wife, 30s
High Commander – Late 40s
Sergeant Janson – Mid 40s
Soldier – 20s
Production History:
Recommendations:
“In this tense one-act, Rachel Feeny-Williams presents a dystopian future America trying to deal with a devastating virus. The authoritarian leader has implemented a mandate so severe it would make today’s right wingers cry for masks. Quite a scary look at what the not too distant future may hold. This is a thriller that will leave audiences breathless!”
Morey Norkin (New Play Exchange)
“I was on the edge of my seat reading this short tale of biological devastation and betrayal. Rachel Feeny-Williams has created a play about the various ways mankind deals with the same event. Some are trying to do the right thing, others the absolute opposite, just as in real life. The twists come fast and change the dynamic in thrilling ways. The end is perfect in that every audience member can manufacture their own outcome. It would be interesting to hear a post-play discussion on what people thought happened. I'll bet it would be as fascinating as the play itself.”
John Busser (New Play Exchange)
“I adore this short play by RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS. After the recent pandemic, this piece will really resonate with audiences. Contagions, secrets, mystery, and questions - this short play will have audiences on the edge of their seats. BRAVO!”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
“Imagine a virus even more terrible that the one the world has so recently endured. Then imagine that the most draconian measures to combat it are instituted and put in control of a man who is willing even to take those measures to the farthest extremes. Rachel Feeny-Williams has imagined just that and realized it in this tense, desperate, chilling drama. So well done is it, that audiences, based on their current experience, will accept that the horrible circumstances portrayed just might be possible next time a virus comes calling. And there are super possibilities for onstage interpretation and design.”
Donald E. Baker (New Play Exchange)
Our Lives
(Comedy/Drama)
(10-20 Minutes)
Plot:
Jenny and Max met at a bench they fought together as a dragon. But then as they grew up things changed, even if the bench did stay the same.
Cast: (1 Male & 1 Female)
Jenny
Max
*The piece shows Jenny and Max over many years, but I suggest the same actors play them throughout.
Production History:
Recommendations:
“It's hard enough to sum up the history of a life-long friendship into word. It's even harder to put it on paper. Harder still to capture the intensity and passion of a friendship that nothing can break. Rachel does all of this and more in just 12 pages: compiling a lifetime of triumphs and tragedies into 6 little scenes. Even with so little time, by the end of the play you feel for Max and Jenny because they're... Well, they're like us: People with a lifetime of experience.”
Jarred Reynolds (New Play Exchange)
“Sometimes, despite our best intentions, things just don't go the way we think they should. RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS has created the characters of Max and Jenny - full of passion, miss opportunities, and grace.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
“It’s rare, I think, for intimate relationships to momentarily break and then rebuild into deep friendships. But how sweet that is when former lovers are able to be friends and confidantes. Feeney-Williams gives us that story in a short play that follows Max and Jenny from childhood to old age. It’s a poignant, bittersweet story delivered with a deft hand.”
Kim E. Ruyle (New Play Exchange)
“As if I needed another reminder of how fast life goes by. Rachel has woven a tale of intimacy and friendship, mundane betrayals and climatic fantasies, all the things that make a life a life in just twelve pages. Heart breaking and heart warming all at once.”
Christopher Soucy (New Play Exchange)
“I thought the friendship that Rachel created in this piece felt very real, and I wished we had more than ten minutes of Max and Jenny. But at the same time, something about the shortness of this play and the fleeting moments we did see made it all the more poignant. I loved their complicated relationship.”
Hannah Land (New Play Exchange)
Outside the Line
(Comedy)
(5-10 Minutes)
Plot:
Harriet Gray has been a model member of the Gray family for years but now, something has changes, something her mother is not happy about!
Cast: (3 Male & 2 Female)
Harriet Gray
Fiona Gray – Harriet’s Mother
Jason Gray – Harriet’s Father
Dr Tinson
Bradley – The son of one of Fiona’s friends
Production History:
Recommendations:
“People are often trying to place their kids in a traditional box. Young Harriet has other ideas, much to the distress of her parents, the Grays. And doesn’t their name just suit them. This is a fun and slightly absurd short play”
Marj O'Neill-Butler (New Play Exchange)
“I really loved this short play! It starts out as a drama, gradually becomes a comedy, and is filled with gripping magical realism throughout. In just eight pages, Rachel Feeny-Williams creates vivid characters, an engaging premise, and a colorful set that any production team would love to bring to life. This would be perfect for short play festivals. Well done!”
Ryan Kaminski (New Play Exchange)
“Nice play with colors! I really enjoyed Harriet’s interaction with Bradley at the end.”
Samantha Marchant (New Play Exchange)
Passion Therapy
(Comedy)
(10-15 Minutes)
Plot:
Giles & Mary were given couples counselling vouchers for their wedding anniversary but they don't think they have a problem, because they don't discuss their feelings. But for them, and Dr Wilkinson, they are about to discover how passionate therapy can be.
Cast: (1 Male & 2 Females)
Dr Rebecca Wilkinson – A couples therapist, 30s
Mary – Early 40s
Giles – Mary's husband, early 40s
Production History:
Recommendations:
“Oh my, this is a fun comedy. The interplay between Dr. Wilkinson's exasperation and the couple's stubborn properness and sudden passion is so funny. The vibes are so vivid and this piece would be a delight onstage.”
Hannah Lee DeFrates (New Play Exchange)
“EVERY moment of this short play by RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS is delightful! Bravo to the daughter who gave her parents a voucher for couples counseling -these two REALLY NEEDED IT! The perfect selection for two mature actors ready to let loose! This needs to be produced.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
“What a funny premise to have a daughter give their parents a voucher for counciling! This sets the scene very well and I commend Rachel for giving the Doctor such a strong personality of their own. This is a fun play of which you won't see the ending coming.
A bad day for this doctor to give up smoking, but things are looking 'up' for this couple!”
Christopher Plumridge (New Play Exchange)
“I don't often laugh out loud while reading comedies, and even less while reading a ten-minute comedy.
Thank goodness for "Passion Therapy" for breaking that streak.
Starting from the moment the mild-mannered (almost full on repressed) couple enters the office, the audience is deftly brought along their transformation. Decidedly not for kids (unless you want to answer a whole bunch of questions), it is also an interesting take on what may happen when people allow their feelings to get the better of them. I would love to see this staged. I would love to be the one to stage it.”
Brian Cern (New Play Exchange)
“The daughter who bought Giles & Mary a couples therapy voucher may not have realized the firestorm she was about to unleash. The couples' journey from severe repression to unbridled passion is depicted with great comic flair.”
Paul Donnelly (New Play Exchange)
“Hilarious. A very well paced comedic romp into the realm of repressions and the ecstasy of releasing them. I can always count on Rachel Feeny-Williams to deliver a tight, fun script. This play is a sheer delight!”
Christopher Soucy (New Play Exchange)
“It's amazing what showing a little enthusiasm can bring to the surface! Rachel Feeny-Williams' PASSION THERAPY is a hilarious look at one couple's passionate re-ignition at the hands of a beleaguered therapist who just wants to get through the day and save up money for her cruise vacation. Sparks take some time to start flying, but once they do, audiences--and the characters alike--will have a firestorm on their hands! Feeny-Williams' character writing is strong here; I loved Dr. Wilkinson's muttered asides.”
Sam Heyman (New Play Exchange)
Pointing Toes
(Drama)
(10-15 Minutes)
*TRIGGER WARNING - Domestic Violence
Plot:
Helena, a once famous ballet dancer shares her story with her granddaughter.
Cast: (2 Male & 6 Females)
Louisa - Helena’s Granddaughter, aged 6
Helena - aged 60
Helena - aged 16, 17 & 19 - Can be played by one actress
Anna - Helena’s Mother from the past
Darina Bogdana - Helena's Dance Instructor from the past
Maria - Helena’s Daughter, 30s
Boris - Helena’s Father from the past
Jack Niles - Helena’s first boyfriend from the past
Production History:
Recommendations:
“This play is absolutely beautiful. The writing, the relationships, the staging. I love the playwright's use of the split stage to bring the past to life as they are in Helena's memories and now Louisa's imagination. The play is so full of movement, the story becomes a dance. The connection between grandmother and granddaughter is so meaningful and the playwright does a wonderful job bringing it center stage!”
Robin Berl (New Play Exchange)
“Pointing Toes is another sweet treat by Rachel Feeny-Williams. The vivid imagery and flow of words, dance us through this heart-warming story, where the reward is your smile at the end. Bravo!”
Emily Julian (New Play Exchange)
"We don’t often get to see the other side of happily ever after. This is a loving portrait of a scene we should all indulge in, listen to the stories of our elders. A hauntingly evocative play that is laced with dreams and memories.”
Christopher Soucy (New Play Exchange)
Political Bedfellows
(Comedy/Farce)
(15-20 Minutes
Plot:
Charles has come into office with the noble intension of running a clean ship with no sexual scandal or sleaze, but he's about to discover there is a lot he doesn't know about politics.
Cast: (4 Male & 4 Female)
Charles Tottesque – Political Candidate
Nathan – Charles Driver
Major James Bradbury – Margaret’s father
Bradley Minsk – Son of Charles political rival
Janine – Charles’s Assistant.
Margaret Tottesque – Charles Wife
Fiona Tottesque – Charles Mother
Vivienne Tottesque – Charles & Margaret’s daughter
Production History:
Recommendations:
“Rachel Feeny-Williams has crafted a textbook farce, reminiscent of the classic workplace comedies of the 80s and 90s. Fun characters, slamming doors, and chock full of outrageous puns and innuendo. Something about a victory party just seems to make people lose thier inhibitions!”
Elle Meerovich (New Play Exchange)
“This political farce harkens back to the romps of days gone by… and it’s perfect! Actors will delight in bringing the written antics to life. Audiences will be on stitches. I adore how RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS’ brain works.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
“In this political farce, Rachel Feeny-Williams takes the idea of a family affair to comic extremes. Fast-paced entrances and exits, clever dialogue, and great opportunities for physical comedy make this an absolute delight! POLITICAL BEDFELLOWS has my vote!”
Morey Norkin (New Play Exchange)
“This has to be Rachels funniest play to date, and credit to the author for creating this in just one day! British politics is often said to be rife with this sort of behavior, that maybe it is actually expected! The action is swift, the farce is farcical and there are some wonderful one liners to get the actors mouth around, pun intended! Brilliant!”
Christopher Plumridge (New Play Exchange)
“To borrow the French term for stuffing, this "farce" is stuffed chocker-block full of silly, sexy fun! It was hysterical to read and I can well imagine would be a fun piece to perform and even one for Rachel to expand into a Noises Off meets *insert your favourite political comedy* parody. Great fun.”
Nora Louise Syran (New Play Exchange)
“Shades of Ray Cooney, this was a fun little farce. Rachel Feeny-Williams keeps all the plates spinning as she dives into the sexual politics of sex and politics. Funny and fast, it makes politicians seems somewhat human, instead of the bull-headed nincompoops we see in real life. This was a good, old-fashioned sex farce (and in only 13 pages) for the ADHD crowd.”
John Busser (New Play Exchange)
Responsible Adult
(Comedy)
(10-15 Minutes)
Plot:
Amanda and Jeremy's plan to have a week away takes an interesting turn when they discover their babysitter (Jeremy's mother) has made some 'interesting' new life choices.
Cast: (3 Male & 2 Female)
Tommy - About 12
Jeremy - Tommy’s Dad
Doug - Meredith’s Boyfriend
Amanda - Tommy’s Mum
Meredith - Tommy’s Grandmother
Production History:
Recommendations:
“We all have these set ideas of what is responsible and also how one should behave responsibly at any given age and one of those is older equals wiser but only if older looks a certain way or behaves a certain way. Responsible Adult shows a funny punk take on Mame with the delightful and very real Meredith--sorry, Merry who has found a new life at church none the less. I'd vote to stay at her house for any sleep-over.”
Lee R. Lawing (New Play Exchange)
“A lovely comic piece from Rachel Feeny-Williams - just goes to show that life is too short not to let your hair down and have fun - and also shows that the older generation can be just as outgoing as those younger than themselves. Lovely observations about the essence of responsibility and age gaps. Huge fun!”
Paul Smith (New Play Exchange)
“Control freak Amanda meets her match in a mother-in-law who has discovered that's life's too short not to pursue her bliss. Even if that bliss includes pink-dyed hair, a nose piercing and a 30 years younger boyfriend. The generational shift between stodgy young person and free-wheeling older adult is illuminated to great comic effect. I wish my grandmother had been as much fun as a babysitter!”
Paul Donnelly (New Play Exchange)
Rivalry
(Drama)
(15 - 30 Minutes)
Plot:
Jennifer and Maria are two sisters who haven’t spoken in years until a family emergency drags them together.
Cast: (2 Female) - Both 30s
Jennifer
Maria - Jennifer's Sister
Production History:
Recommendations:
“Jennifer and Maria's relationship is clearly established from the start. The natural ebbs and flows of their conversation and emotions while waiting for news about their mother feels very natural. This lovely short play candidly explores universal themes of personal facades, family, and mending broken relationships very nicely.”
Samantha Cooper (New Play Exchange)
“From the offset I thoroughly believed in the two characters, rivaling sisters bought together. Even though they were arguing from the off, you could sense the underlining love they have for each other. The play is set neatly and simply, floating seamlessly through the three acts as such. I could relate to their relationship, being bought together due to a family crisis. A heartfelt play with true meaning which I would love to produce or direct. Nice!”
Christopher Plumridge (New Play Exchange)
Roar!
(Comedy - Suitable for Youth Group)
(5 - 10 Minutes)
Plot:
Sammy is just a young boy with an active imagination thinking he’s a dragon…or is he?
Cast: (2 Female, 2 Male & 4 Either)
Sammy – a six year old boy
Dad
Mum
Teacher
Child 1
Child 2
Child 3
Child 4
*The children characters can be played by people of the correct age or can be played by adults.
Production History:
Recommendations:
“What a tender age Rachel has highlighted in this charming short play. Anything is possible.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
“Roar! is a fun little romp about the imagination of a child. In this piece, Rachel Feeny-Williams provides a story that-while cute and comedic- at its core glimpses into ideas of identity. This play is a family-friendly adventure that will make you smile.”
Morey Norkin (New Play Exchange)
“A powerful piece that has multiple layers to it. What initially begins as a 1984-esque play about how controlling the government can be, transitions into a play that shows how our lives can change based on the cards we dealt. I would love to see this play performed as it would certainly get audiences talking!”
Ryan Kaminiski (New Play Exchange)
Rotten Roots
(Drama)
(15 - 20 Minutes)
* TRIGGER WARNING - Sexual content
Plot:
Katie & Jessica have searched long and hard to find their biological fathers but neither they (nor their father's) know how this day will turn out
Cast: (2 Females & 2 Males)
Katie - 15 year old girl
Jessica - 15 year old girl
Richard - 40s Wealthy businessman.
Albert - 40s Landlord of a pub.
Production History:
July 2022 - 1st Place Winner of The Surfside Playhouse 10 Minute Play Competition
Recommendations:
“RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS is an amazing playwright. She writes more plays in a month than some people write in several years. She uses her enormous talent to give us another gem, “Rotten Roots”.”
Jack Levine (New Play Exchange)
“This is a beautifully structured play, with both warmth and comeuppance.”
Rex McGregor (New Play Exchange)
“Perfectly sequenced, deftly written, this side-by-side is captivating, both for its heartfelt characters and the powerful reveal. And the best last line I've seen in a long time!”
George Sapio (New Play Exchange)
“I must compliment Ms. Feeny for this compelling and ultimately satisfying and twisty play. Secrets are revealed perfectly and surprisingly, by strong characters. The story begins in a way which has you wondering how the characters are connected and the answer is revealed in an extremely clever way. Kudos to Ms. Feeny for this idea and for the way she ramps up the drama to a logical conclusion.”
Bruce Karp (New Play Exchange)
Runaway Toys
(Comedy/Drama)
(10-15 Minutes)
Plot:
Katie is in hospital to have her tonsils out and is not thrilled about the idea but she makes some unexpected friends in the form of the contents of a toy chest who help her feel less scared.
Cast: (3 Males & 4 Female)
Katie –Six-year-old girl wearing black shoes, tights, a dungaree dress with flowers on it and a light yellow long sleeved top. She also carries a small pink backpack.
Mother – A woman in her late thirties dressed in a pencil skirt suit and expensive looking white overcoat. She carries a large white handbag and has a blue tooth headset in her ear.
Hot Wilma – Hot Wheels car, very excitable & likes to bend the rules – Wears roller skates with shimmering tights. She wears a short dress covered in pictures of cars with a headband on her head with two lit headlights and her hair in a ponytail.
Betty – ‘Knock-off’ Barbie, Joe’s girlfriend. Sensitive to being second best to barbie – Wears a 1950s polka dot dress with petticoat and heels. She has her hair & make up styled in a 1950s way.
Doctor – Suit trousers, white shirt, tie, ID page and white coat carrying a clipboard.
Barrie – A Teddy Bear, very old and wise. – Wears a brown teddy bear suit (patched in places with patches of various colours), has face paint and bear ears on his head.
Joe – GI Joe, very stern and ‘by the book’. – Wears combat trousers, jacket, black boots and helmet.
Production History:
May 2023 - Performed by KATS Productions in Addlestone, UK
July 2022 - Perfomed by the InZone Summer Enrichment Camp in Illinois, USA.
April 2021 - Performed by Chudleigh Amateur Dramatics Society (Youth Division) for a Zoom Performance.
Recommendations:
“I'm rather partial to bringing a Teddy Bear to life. In RUNAWAY TOYS there are a few more toys bought to life to make one child smile just before her operation. In no time at all they launch into quite an unexpected and funny argument, with the silent Katie looking on in bewilderment. But each toy is there to bring enjoyment to the children and sure enough they find a way to put a smile on Katie's face.
The role of Katie would be wonderful for an aspiring young actress.
BTW, someone needs to have a word with Katie's mum!”
Christopher Plumridge (New Play Exchange)
“Williams’ play “Runaway Toys” is a cute story that almost feels like a knock off version of ‘Toy Story’, almost as if from Andy’s little sister’s perspective. “Runaway Toys” is a marvelous piece that will keep kids (young and old) entertained, and I’m not just talking about the toys. Bravo! In the words of ‘GI Joe’…”Mission Accomplished Ma’am!””
Jaxson Mackling (New Play Exchange)
“This was a super heart-warming story that shows us the delicacy of a child's mind, and how they sometimes rely on their imagination to make them feel better. I love the use of the toys as actual characters, and I think the toys used matched their personality and also helped fuel the piece. Rachel Feeny-Williams created a simple yet brilliant work with this piece.”
Cole Hunter Dzubak (New Play Exchange)
Scandals and Scones
(Comedy)
(15 - 20 Minutes)
Plot:
A baking competition at a church fete. Nothing more harmless you’d think. Well as Jane (a newcomer to the village) is about to discover, you get a lot of scandals with the scones!
Cast: (6 Female & 1 Male)
Margery - 50s
Jane - 40s
Emma - 40s
Janice - 30s
Claire - 40s
Alice - 30s
Mr Tettenhall - 50s/60s
Production History:
October 2022 - Performed as part of a night of four one act plays by Exton Drama Club (Devon, UK)
May 2022 - Performed by Chacewater Players at Chacewater Village Hall, Cornwall, UK.
Recommendations:
“A charming piece with a decidedly sardonic edge about ladies who bake! With great roles for female actors of all ages, this twist on the traditional British village fete theme brings in tension and malfeasance, all with a large dollop of clotted cream comedy! Delicious!”
Alice Josephs (New Play Exchange)
“This is a delightful little play with the kind of banter you love to hear to make for an amusing, fun evening of theatre. “Scandals and Scones” is witty and will put a smile on your face. RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS knows how to write entertaining plays, and this is just another one of her gems.”
Jack Levine (New Play Exchange)
“A true audience pleaser and loads of fun for the right actors who thrill to quick banter. This is the judging contest we've always wanted to see. (Oh, and will be quite fun for the set designer as well!)”
George Sapio (New Play Exchange)
“This is the eighth play in Rachel Feeny-Williams's collection "My Chatter" and it's funnier than an episode of Little Britain at the village fete. The dialogue is witty and full of energy. I cannot imagine anyone not being able to relate to at least one of the cast. And the ending with the exhausted mother, god love her! Fun!”
Nora Louise Syran (New Play Exchange)
“I had the pleasure of hearing this read at our Sunday playwright's group. DELIGHTFUL! Rachel has the amazing gift of creating entertaining real-life situations with colorful characters that to whom all can connect. Audiences will CHEER ON the attacked and wronged and find themselves pleased with the satisfying justice Rachel always delivers.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
Secrets, Sex and Over 60
(Comedy)
(90 - 120 minutes
Plot:
Bernard, Ruth, Charlie and Joyce have been taking the same caravan holiday every year and this year they’ve brought a niece and nephew. This year however, due to some secretive behaviour, half heard conversation and mis-understandings it soon leads everyone down the suspicious path that everyone is sleeping with…everyone else!
Cast: (4 Male & 4 Female)
Ruth - 50s
Katie – 20s, Bernard’s Niece
Joyce - 50s
Marissa - 20s/30s
Bernard – 50s, Ruth’s Husband
Charlie – 50s, Joyce’s Husband
Adam – 20s, Charlie’s Nephew
Danny - 20s/30s
Production History:
September 2021 - Produced by Free Theatre Company as a radio play. (https://youtu.be/fBr6YzaG8mc)
Recommendations:
“Oh, what absolute fun! Rachel Feeny-Williams has created a perfectly structured farce with a set that relies on two camping trailers. Timing is everything, and the timing for the characters to overhear bits of conversation out of context or witness something that isn’t what it seems is hysterical! All of the wrong conclusions these delightful characters reach come to a chaotic conclusion that will leave audiences exhausted from laughter. Where can I see this?!”
Morey Norkin (New Play Exchange)
“Feeny-Williams writes a laugh-out-loud comedy that has great pacing and is structured beautifully. Feeny-Williams does a great job of channeling and rediscovering these relationships between the characters which just adds to the uncomfortable situations for these characters but adds so much laughter for the audience.
This is a great play for actors and directors to bring to life. There are so many great moments of comedy that would work so well if this were to be fully staged.”
Brenton Kneiss (New Play Exchange)
“There aren’t many doors, only two, and they’re on caravans (vacation travel trailers). But they are occasionally slammed, and like any good slamming doors farce, this play has lots of wacky hijinks, confusion about who’s doing what with whom, bawdy humour, and budding romance. Secrets, Sex, and Over 60 has some wildly fun roles for mature actors who are (mostly) enjoying life. We need more plays like this. Wonderful!”
Kim E. Ruyle (New Play Exchange)
“As a writer/director who almost entirely does comedy, I know a good comedy when I read one and this script had me laughing out loud. It's a very funny, well-structured and briskly paced farce about two retired couples who holiday in adjacent caravans, each bringing a younger relative along with them, and with a few other characters drifting by, much confusion and misunderstanding ensues. Easily staged with simple sets, simple tech and a small cast.”
Robert Chantler (New Play Exchange)
Setting Places
(Comedy)
(25-30 Minutes)
Plot:
Sarah & Jack are hosting their first dinner party since having a baby (and its proving rather stressful for Sarah). So when Jack announces that instead of his work colleague and Sarah’s sister, he’s invited a last minute guest in the form the sister’s ex-husband (who she can’t stand to be in the same room with!) But fear not for Jack has a fool proof plan to get them out of it, disguise the husband as the interior decorator and get the sister so sloshed she won’t notice, what could possibly go wrong?
Cast: (2 Male & 2 Female)
Sarah – Mid-30s
Jackie – Sarah’s sister – Early 30s
Jack – Late-30s/Early-40s - Sarah's Husband
Luke - Jackie’s ex-husband & Jack’s best friend – Mid-Late 30s
Production History:
October 2021 - Performed & streamed by Scantic River Productions in The Montauk Club, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
October 2018 - Performed by Exton Drama Club in Exton, Devon, UK.
July 2018 - Performed by Patterns Theatre Company in Cullompton, Devon, UK.
Recommendations:
“A very funny play that escalates on each page. I particularly like how the playwright merges both language and action to further the humor, all the while keeping the characters true and in front of the situation. I would love to watch this on stage someday, and hope it has a long life in the theatre.”
Ross Tedford Kendall (New Play Exchange)
“From the start of the play, you know you're in for a treat. Rachel Feeny-Williams captures an initial tension that escalates hilariously throughout the play until all cards are on the table. It’s brilliant and hysterical, chock full of outrageous disguises, secrets, and mistaken identity.”
Sasha Karuc (New Play Exchange)
“Rachel Feeny-Williams has written a really funny play about an intimate dinner party that goes wrong. Or does it? I was reminded of Ayckbourn – delicate and tricky relationships, confused identities, doors, miscues, and more. This play is sure to be a crowd pleaser!”
Kim E. Ruyle (New Play Exchange)
“A mix of old fashioned tried and tested farce techniques plus a modern scenario of a couple with their first evening without their recently arrived baby, the mix ups and laughs escalate in Setting Places over seven tightly-wound scenes during a rollercoaster dinner party. A classic four-hander farce, simple to stage, Setting Places works with characters in excruciatingly funny knotty situations and the clockwork precision of the best of its genre.”
Alice Josephs (New Play Exchange)
She Came in From the Rain
(Comedy/Romance)
(5 Minute Sketch)
Plot:
On a wild and stormy night what else is there for a couple to do then explain the clichés of romance novels!
Cast: (1 Male and 1 Female) - Both in their 30s
Martin
Lucy
Production History:
Recommendations:
“What is it about wet clothes and dry wine that offer the perfect concoction for romance? Do these tired stories really satisfy us, or are we just conditioned to enjoy them? Rachel Feeny-Williams offers a quick and amusing analysis of romance novel clichés and tropes, while having her characters live within their own clichés and embrace them fully. A fun, well-executed concept!"
Andrew Martineau (New Play Exchange)
“Lively banter between two characters that pokes fun at genre conventions, while also playing into them in a clever way. In between discussions of tastes and expectations, we are treated to a highly entertaining dive into a narrative cliché. In doing so, we get to see why said cliché works so well to begin with, and why familiarity can be appealing. And it's through those conventions and expectations that the romantic payoff at the end lands so well.”
Ky Weeks (New Play Exchange)
“A quick, down-and-dirty (without getting the dirty) play, this a a fun fast-paced 5 minute piece that does what any good romance novel should do. Get you a little worked up, waiting for the passionate kiss at the end, and maybe provide you with some light entertainment to get you through the night.”
John Busser (New Play Exchange)
Shot to the Heart
(Comedy/Drama)
(10 - 15 Minutes)
Plot:
The heart is a valuable but fragile part of the human body. So when something happens to shatter your confidence in something you're passionate about, how does the heart (and its monitors) respond?
Cast: (3 Female)
Day Monitor – The senior monitor of the heart - Older woman also dressed in red/pink but in a more mature style.
Night Monitor – The junior monitor of the heart - A young girl dressed in pink/red.
Confidence - 20s, dressed in a brightly coloured outfit.
Production History:
Recommendations:
“Rachel Feeny-Williams gets right to the heart of the matter as she explores how one can renew their passion after having their confidence shaken. The opportunities for this to happen to a writer are too frequent. But hopefully nothing a strong dose of confidence can’t cure. This is a fun and encouraging look at how our cardiovascular and nervous systems respond when we receive criticism for the work we are passionate about. You’ll be rooting for this writer’s internal monitors as they hop into action.”
Morkey Norkin (New Play Exchange)
“Why do we let the words of others dictate our passions and our heart? RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS nails what it's like to put your passion out for the world to critique, With passion comes vulnerability and with vulnerability comes a chance to be hurt. Thank goodness brain, heart, and confidence work together to make things right again.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
Shouldn't
(Comedy)
(15-20 Minutes)
Plot:
When Charlie takes Lucy to meet his very conservative family (with a few secrets of their own) she decides to throw a cat amongst the pigeons!
Cast: (3 Female)
Lucy - Late 20s
Amelia – Late Teens/Early 20s Charlie’s Sister
Marianne – 60s - Charlie’s Mother
Charlie/Charles – Late 20s, Lucy’s Boyfriend
Rupert – 60s - Charlie’s Father
Production History:
Recommendations:
“I can just see the actors champing at the bit to chew this one up. Olde worlde social customs vs modern, laid-back values (with a bit of kink thrown in for good measure) make this one a hilarious comedic romp.”
George Sapio (New Play Exchange)
“This wild "meet the parents" comedy begins with a familiar premise - a young man brings a new girlfriend home to meet the family for the first time. The magic in this piece comes from the characters, who each harbor a fun, colorful secret. As the protagonist (the aforementioned new girlfriend) becomes acquainted with each family member, she comes to realize that, despite her boyfriend's claims, there is NO need to fake perfection! It leads to a lovely, silly, magical moment of catharsis at the end! Each little character reveal will be a blast for audiences to experience! Fun!”
Aly Kantor (New Play Exchange)
“Beyond the tension of Charlie introducing girlfriend Lucy to his uptight mother is a wonderful secondary tension (Rupert’s) and a tertiary tension (Amelia’s) that turn the tables. Maybe SHOULDN’T is extra fun if your name happens to be Charles (like mine) but I suspect its a blast for anyone who has experienced reactionary parenting or old-school bullying. Rachel Feeny-Williams’ eventful play moves quickly and believably toward its delightful finish!”
Charles Scott Jones (New Play Exchange)
“This is a play that keeps raising the unexpected to new levels and builds to a highly satisfying crescendo. I must admit that I thought the mother was going to turn out to be a sociopath when the son and girlfriend find the clothes with their names on them, but there are enough revelations about family members here to make the ending work beautifully. Rachel Feeny-Williams has a true gift for writing engaging characters and sparkling, fun dialogue. Very entertaining!”
Andrew Martineau (New Play Exchange)
Showers
(Drama)
(5-10 Minutes)
*TRIGGER WARNING - DEATH
Plot:
A tragic story of a mother, a daughter and their time in the rain.
Cast: (2 Female)
Claire - A woman in her late 30s/early 40s
Joy - Claire’s daughter - Age 5 - The director can decide whether she wants this character played by an actual child or adult
Production History:
Recommendations:
“This series of short, interconnected scenes is designed to be disorienting, but there is an anchor - the couch, where a mother sits, ready to offer comfort. By the time you reach the end of the play, you will thoroughly understand how the scenes are connected and why - and why the mother is so thoroughly rooted in place. This one would be a treat for an invested design team, with ample opportunities to use lighting and sound to boost theatricality and elevate the effective, haunting storytelling. This piece is an emotional ride that will leave audiences feeling raw!”
Aly Kantor (New Play Exchange)
“What an absolutely haunting piece of theatre. For some, safety comes from not taking chances... not going outside... This mother and daughter are caught in a loop of safety that is truly devastating. Wonderful work, RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
“Why do you have to do this to me? Well, when I woke up this morning, my heart was in one piece. Then, I read this play, and it has broken beyond into two pieces. I love how the couch onstage is the center for connection and once a character leaves the couch, the other feels only isolation. My heart went out to both of these characters, as I felt like I knew both of them in my life. The pacing is absolutely gorgeous, and this should be held as an example of what the ten-minute play should be.”
Scott Cantrell (New Play Exchange)
“I'm a stickler for a spooky story, but what the author does is take you one uncomfortable level further in this atmospheric and tragic two hander. It's suggested an adult or child could play Joy, but for real impact a child will be best to portray young Joy.
The rain sound effects set behind the seemingly comfort of her mothers couch add to the tension running through this piece. I'm often left wanting more from this prolific authors work, but here she neatly ties it up in this heart-breaking short piece. It needs to be staged.”
Chris Plumridge (New Play Exchange)
“This play was devastating, and it speaks to a parent’s desire to protect their child, despite the very real threats out in the world that no amount of protection can always circumvent. I used to make up stories at bedtime to tell my kids, so I was taken in by the mother’s imaginative ways of describing things, especially thunder. I was not prepared for the ending, and I think that was Rachel Feeny-Williams’ point. Some things we can’t prepare for, or feel hopeful about, even when a rainbow appears.”
Andrew Martineau (New Play Exchange)
Snake for the Grass
(Drama)
(5-10 Minutes)
Plot:
Sarah has spent most of her life being deceived by friends and having suspicions about her husband but this time, will she be able to see the snake for the grass.
Cast: (1 Male & 2 Female)
Dr Catherine Tenson - Late 30s/40s
Sarah - 30s
Michael - 40s
Production History:
Recommendations:
“OUCH! I didn't see that coming! Rachel Feeny-Williams really knows how to set you going one way and then pull the rug out from under you. I mean that in a the best possible way. After a lifetime of trying to know the score, a woman tries to do the right thing while the thing she fears is closer than she might think. An intriguing setup and heart-breaking resolution.”
John Busser (New Play Exchange)
“ hen a relationship goes bad, it really goes bad. And where do you go for help? This short yet fully packed play has more than enough emotion to keep you interested. It's all about trust, and why trust is so dangerous. Another well executed piece by RFW.”
George Sapio (New Play Exchange)
“A short but full piece about the danger of loving someone so much you forget who you are...but then what happens when you stop loving them? what's left of you? The poor woman. My sympathy was really built and my anger at those who betrayed her was strong. Darn them!”
Lindsey Brown (New Play Exchange)
“RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS has a true gift. This intense, fast-paced short piece asks audiences members to dive into the deep end of dysfunction, tragedy, and suspicion. Sharing the darkest parts of ourselves is one thing with a stranger, its quite another with a foe.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
Star Light, Star Bright
(Comedy/Drama)
(5-10 Minutes)
Plot:
Amanda Twinkle is afraid she’ll never have her shining moment, until her Grandfather gives her gift that truly allows her to shine.
Cast: (1 Male & 1 Female)
Mr Twinkle
Grandpa Twinkle
Joseph Twinkle - Mid teens
Jacob Twinkle - Mid teens
Mrs Twinkle
Amanda Twinkle - Early teens
Production History:
Recommendations:
“Star Light, Star Bright is a truly charming piece for all ages. Whether on a stage, as a best-selling children's book, or the perfect cartoon short - THIS PIECE DELIVERS all the feels. The message is clear, we all find ourselves at different rates, but the wait is worth it when the outcome is true and full of love and light. BRAVO, Rachel! Your pieces bring such joy to audiences and readers.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
“STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT is a wonderfully touching play and a gentle reminder--for children and adults--that each of us blossoms in our own time. And when that time finally arrives, oh, how we shine! Rachel Feeny-Williams has written a true treasure for the whole family to enjoy. This will be a lovely addition to any short play festival.”
Enid Cokinos (New Play Exchange)
“Awww, this is a brilliant, gorgeous little family piece to tug at the heart strings. It’s also the opportunity for a director and lighting designer to convey its sincere and warm message inventively. The perfect tender and empathetic antidote In an age of youngsters competing for the perfect social media and prom image which will delight parents and children alike!”
Alice Josephs (New Play Exchange)
Stitched Together
(Comedy/Drama/Romance)
(10-20 Minutes)
Plot:
Ever wonder where the toys go when they’re broken? Why Stitched Together Toy Hospital of course. Although the latest patient is causing quite the stir!
Cast: (5 Male & 2 Female)
Brenda – Ward sister – Robust Doll
Jilly – Assistant – A giggling barbie like doll with one arm.
Sarge – Orderly – An old teddy bear with one eye
Benny – Latest Patient – Ken doll missing a leg.
Production History:
Recommendations:
“ This is such a sweet story! I'd love to see more with these characters! This would be fun to play AND design! ”
Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn (New Play Exchange)
“A 21st century variation on the ‘Dolls’ Hospital’ in 1960s and 70s kids’ comics. Still suitable for children, this manages the considerable feat of being both a gentle and humorous piece, but with an out-of-sight truly sadistic villain and also dealing with the possibility of injury with light touch social comment. This would also work as a radio/podcast play or a cartoon. But on stage the director and actors, sound and lighting would have plenty of scope with a play on a child’s subject with unexpected depths and deft handling of difficult subjects.”
Alice Josephs (New Play Exchange)
Strangers and No Train
(Drama)
(5-10 Minutes)
Plot:
Bert has worked on the trains for most of his life only to now be cast aside for a job that could be done by a signpost. He is feeling without purpose, until he meets Alice.
Cast: (1 Female & 1 Male)
Bert - 60s
Alice - 20s
Production History:
May 2023 - Audio Production on Theatrical Shenanigans Podcast - https://theatricalshenanigans.podbean.com/
Recommendations:
“Yeah... we need more folks like Burt in this world. A very lovely, touching moment for two disappointed souls who manage to find each in the most unlikely of places. Tis will add a tender highpoint to any evening of shorts. Rachel's done it again.”
George Sapio (New Play Exchange)
“What a gloriously sweet warm look at life as it should be, as it can be in the bygone days when men and women were polite and kind to each other for no other reason than that it was the right and honourably thing to do. Rachel's two diverse characters merge into a brave new world. Bravo Rachel, my words could never adequately express my joy and delight with this delightful play”
Scot Walker (New Play Exchange)
“This is a touching short two hander where two characters meet from worlds apart, both are portrayed perfectly, Bert the old fashioned gent and Alice the damsel in distress. Rachel has a unique talent for recording snapshots in time and this is an excellent example. I can imagine Bert and Alice chatting all through the night!”
Chris Plumridge (New Play Exchange)
“This delightful, unconventional brief encounter on an out-of-service train platform says so much about human connection and human kindness, as well as about generations, age and obsolescence, and the value we sometimes fail to place on the things that should matter most. We should all strive to be more like Bert, a gentle soul and one of nature’s true gentleman. This short play is heart-warming in all the right ways. Lovely in every way.”
Robert Weibezahl (New Play Exchange)
“What a beautiful and touching piece between two strangers. RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS always finds the humanity in characters as they make their way through difficult moments.”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
“I wish there were more Bert’s in the world. Tried and true and so kind. A lost young woman runs into him on a lonely, non-active train station. She’s stuck, but he makes the best of it for her. A lovely chance meeting.”
Marj O'Neill-Butler (New Play Exchange)
S.T.R.A.U.S.S
(Sci-Fi/Thriller)
(5-10 Minutes)
Plot:
Dr Multray, builder of the Synthetically Trained Recreational Automated Utility Sympathetic System (S.T.R.A.U.S.S) has started to realise that there are some things that just can't be made synthetic
Cast: (1 Male & 1 Male/Female)
Dr Multray – Scientist – Male, 30s
S.T.R.A.U.S.S – Synthetically Trained Recreational Automated Utility Sympathetic System – Male/Female – Age Unkown
Production History:
Recommendations:
“This is another clever little play from the pen of Rachel. The audience are initially drawn into a sweet inventor/robot relationship, as STRAUSS declares it has feelings. There follows two great twists, one will warm your heart, the other just may well tear it out. Great writing.”
Christopher Plumridge (New Play Exchange)
“Feeny-Williams creates a layered, topical and easy-to-stage piece on a subject which could otherwise too often descend to cliche. The writer uses character traits of the scientist and the gradual mutation of his Artificial Intelligence creation to cleverly plot and structure this two hander. With more complex characterisation for the hard drinking scientist and his Jeeves-like robot than might first appear, S.T.R.A.U.S.S. delivers two nuanced roles for actors and a satisfying plot with a final devastating twist.”
Alice Josephs (New Play Exchange)
“I came for the A.I.... stayed for the memories and murder. RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS NEVER disappoints with her clever dialogue, sharply drawn characters, and a delicious ending. I am amazed at what is possible with a wacky first line as a prompt and a BRILLIANT playwright at the helm. Poor Dr. Multay...”
Debra A. Cole (New Play Exchange)
Such a Waste
(Comedy)
(10-15 Minutes)
Plot:
Brad, a college boy who thinks he’s gods gift to women, meets his match when he meets Jennifer!
Cast: (3 Male & 2 Female)
Claire – A young college girl, wearing glasses, jeans, long sleeved top, sleeveless puffer jacket and a beanie hat.
Jennifer – A young college girl, wearing skinny jeans and a tight long-sleeved jumper. She has long hair that is loose.
Brad – A College guy, wearing jeans and a t-shirt
Jamie – A College guy, wearing jeans and a t-shirt
Simon - A College guy, wearing jeans and a t-shirt
Production History:
October 2022 - Zoom production as part of the "States of Play" competition in the USA.
Recommendations:
“This is the seventh play in Rachel Feeny-Williams's collection "My Chatter" and while it starts quite innocuously, it smacks of Cyrano de Bergerac in Jennifer's whittling Brad down to size. Great fun for the actors to play and full of lessons worth learning, for us all. Bravo!”
Nora Louise Syran (New Play Exchange)
“This is a delightful play with a fun twist at the end. Brad is so sure of himself. He expects all girls will gladly succumb to his looks and charms. In a fun piece, RACHEL FEENY-WILLIAMS brilliantly blows up Brad’s expectations. This will be a totally fun play for the male and female lead roles. “Such A Waste” is a gem!”
Jack Levine (New Play Exchange)
Suffocating
(Drama)
(45-60 Minutes)
*TRIGGER WARNING - SWEARING, SEXUAL VIOLENCE & DEATH
Plot:
This is the story of Charlotte, a young girl who was sold by her mother to fund her drug habit and proceeded down a dark path of prostitution resulting in the eventual murder of her captor.
Cast: (6 Female & 11 Male - Double ups are possible)
8 year old Charlotte
16 year old Charlotte
23 year old Charlotte
40 year old Charlotte
Nicola - Charlotte's Mother
Nurse
Man
Nicola’s husband
Fairy
Client 1 - Biker -
Client 2 – Business Man -
Client 3 – Teenager -
Client 4 – Fat man
Policeman 1
Policeman 2
Psychiatrist
Doctor Hartman
Production History:
March 2008 - Performed as a Bursary Awarded Student Production at Liverpool Hope University. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7efOHOVdUh4&t=11s)
Recommendations:
“Wow! I have read a few pieces of this prolific authors work, this play goes way beyond in both content and quality. Dare I say this is Rachel's true vocation? In SUFFOCATING she tells the harrowing, gut wrenching story of the desperate plight of Charlotte as she's sold into a life of prostitution. Staged in one long, flowing scene, in a series of monologues and dialogues, this would be both visually gripping and uncomfortable in equal measure. I'm very keen to direct this play, A story which sadly still happens across the world and needs to be told! Incredible.”
Christopher Plumridge (New Play Exchange)
“A harrowing and haunting story of one character's life, vividly told in a short play. That is a real achievement. The detail in the story draws you in, while the play hits all the right beats. Great job!”
Ross Tedford Kendall (New Play Exchange)
“Blunt, horrifying, and emotionally devastating. A tour de force for the four women playing Charlotte, the central character, and for the director lucky enough to be able to stage this theatrical, moving, and heartbreaking gem.”
Doug DeVita (New Play Exchange)