Pennyweight Plays

Very short plays from 5 to 10 minutes each. Ideal for drama classes, concert items,  drama camps or as warm-ups. Why are they called pennyweight plays?

A pennyweight is 1/20th of an ounce or 1.55 grams. Alongside a house brick that's pretty light. So a pennyweight play alongside a one or two-act play is very small.
Absolutely minuscule. 

Pennyweight Plays Volume One 

THE AUCTION sees the Auctioneer calling for bids. Nobody bids. The Auctioneer then starts picking on spectators. Someone scratches their nose. That's a bid.
Someone coughs. Another bid. Someone sneezes. That's another one. Someone yawns. Up and up goes the price. The sale is completed and the Auctioneer is
delighted. The winning bidder is not too thrilled. S/He's the owner! PIG OUT sees the Marshall starting the race to eat the food. The diners attack the grub. After the
event one diner complains. The bowls are one millimetre shorter than last year. The race must be run again. But everyone's full. Well not everyone.

THE DENTIST'S DRILL sees Fang enter a crowded waiting-room. Fang is in for a long wait. But Fang chats to the other patients. "Did you know the dentist
drinks?" Simple throwaway comments sees the others leave one by one. Funny tag when the mystified nurse opens Fang's bag. DON'T JUMP is set on the ledge on
the roof of a tall building. Someone is out on the ledge ready to jump. A brave citizen moves out to save the troubled soul. The police are called. But the fear changes
from one person to the other. The rescuers have a new target. 

LONG TIME NO SEE is a funny two-hander where two people meet who haven't seen each other for years. Or so they think. So much to catch up on. After much
happy hugging they slowly realise they've never met. Oh well, we all make mistakes. 

PUMPING IRON is set in a gym where several athletes try to get fit. One
overweight chum arrives and soon a bet is made that the obviously unfit person can't benchpress a certain weight. A lot of money is on the line. Heave, sweat, heave.
Kidda makes it. The losers are spitting chips and leave. Kidda peals off a tracksuit to reveal some interesting clothing. 

GRAFFITI, THE RECITATION, IS IT SAFE?, READING OF THE WILL, POLITICAL PEARLS and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM are the other six pennyweight plays in Volume One.

Pennyweight Plays Volume Two

THE ART GALLERY sees the characters in a painting step out of their frame for a chat. They're bored. Being frozen all day and stared at by stupid students is not
their idea of fun. They decide to make changes. Subtle mind. What a joke. But what happens when an art-expert arrives and examines the altered painting? Oh no!

WILL THE REAL SANTA starts with a young child creeping downstairs to surprise Santa busy putting out the presents. But Junior has it figured. It's not really Santa. It's Dad. Santa is shocked. Santa protests but Junior laughs. Santa grabs his sack and exits. Junior is most amused until Dad appears behind him. "Oh no! I've just attacked Santa!" Junior races upstairs to repent and someone else wanders in to chat with Dad. It's a sting. 

THE HACKER has one visible human and one invisible human playing the computer. The hacker is trying to hack. The computer is denying the hacker access. The hacker is a nasty type with no concern for the computer. But this computer fights back. Soon it's the hacker seeking help from the computer. 

ABANDON SHIP is set on a huge oil tanker fully laden with crude oil and sailing at full speed in dangerous waters. The crew are concerned. The captain is giving crazy orders. A mutiny is in the wheelhouse wind. The tension builds until suddenly the alarm bells ring. Is this an environmental disaster? All is revealed in the final speech. 

HARD-TO-BELIEVE-INCREDIBLE-STORIES is a daytime TV live-audience chat-show with some amazing tall tales. Can you believe this stuff? One guest has 672 cats! Another has married his mother-in-law. A large guest owns a pizza shop and eats it out daily! But then shock of shocks. On comes the most unusual guest who causes even the compere to fall speechless.

THE IDENTIFICATION PARADE sees some ten potential suspects line up to be examined by police and the victim. Who is the criminal? Tension builds. Yes. The criminal is present but not in the line-up! 

THE GREAT OUTDOORS, A BIRD'S EYE VIEW, THIEF THAT ALONE, MUSOS, FLORAL FRIENDS AND FOES and HAVE YOU DECIDED YET? are the remaining pennyweight plays in Volume Two.

Pennyweight Plays Volume Three 

BABY TALK sees a couple of parents learning the international language of infants. 

DO IT YOURSELF sees three friends removing some shelves and replacing a window with very interesting results. 

FISHY BUSINESS reveals the art of fishing in the same spot every week for nine years and always going home with a terrific catch. 

THE DUMMY is all about a ventriloquist and his/her dummy. Can you say "Bottle of Beer" with your lips closed? 

FORTY LOVE is a frantic tennis match with a surprise ending. 

ALIENS is set on a far-off planet where the locals are watching the heavens for humans in space ships.

MILK AND SUGAR?, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT?, AT THE COALFACE, BURGLARS, SHOWERS and STICKY BEAKS are the other six pennyweight plays in Volume Three.

Pennyweight Plays Volume Four 

HAWKERS When neighbours discuss door-to-door sales folk, the discussion turns lively. When a hawker arrives, well .... 

PROTEST sees protesters making a banner. They're going to march. They'll be on TV. Disaster. The protest is not today. Never fear. We'll protest about ...

HOW TO GET A PAY RISE features a doctor, patient and receptionist. But who is which and why? Sneaky.. 

PAY ATTENTION On board a plane the flight attendant struggles to deal with passengers. What do the staff really think of the passengers? 

RUBBISH BINS Do you have anything in your garbage of which you are ashamed? Embarrassed maybe? There's nowt so queer as folk. 

INSURANCE Is it worthwhile? Can we, should we fiddle our insurance? If we try to what will happen?