A pennyweight play is light, by nature it is short, thus easy to learn and simple to stage. Props and scenery are minimal. All the pennyweights can be used to help explore their subject area in more depth, whilst making the lessons fun. Pennyweights can be learned in 30 minutes or less. Ideal for adding dramatic content to the curriculum. Each volume includes notes and suggestions for the teacher, along with discussion and follow-up ideas.
48 very short plays over 4 volumes (12 per volume) - each 5-10 minutes in length - ideal for very young performers, available from Fox Plays in A5 format. Registered schools and youth theatre companies which have purchased any volume may perform material from it without payment of a performing fee.
Pennyweight Plays Volume 1
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...
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 Texta is a street artist spray paintng a wall when others come along and want to join in. He tells them he knows of other nice clean walls to spray.They are suspicious. What’s the catch? They go off and the final twist is revealed.
THE RECITATION a stage director is auditioning hopeful actors for his next play. Each does a recitation: they go from bad to worse to awful, how does the director make a decision?
IS IT SAFE? Three suspicious characters are inside a bank vault preparing to blow a safe. They set the explosives and the timer but things don’t go quite according to plan!
READING OF THE WILL Three family members are seated in a solicitor’s office for the reading of a Will, but who is the stranger they don’t recognise? Is what she says true? Do any of them deserve to inherit a penny?
POLITICAL PEARLS A politician is to address a crowded news conference. The hacks have the scent of a hot story. The politician’s words tell them nothing new. The hacks slowly drift away. Will they miss the real hot news?
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM Some passengers are leaning over the rail of a cruise ship, they are all miserable. A ship’s officer enters and speaks to them. They brighten. He leaves, they are miserable again. Why?
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