Books published by Samuel French Ltd

It is set in the period preceding the Second World War. It is told in the first person of Harrison, and tells the story of Charles Rainier, a wealthy businessman, and politician, from his time in the army during World War I, his subsequent memory loss and partial recovery, his assuming control of the family business and his attempts to recover his memory as Hitler invades Poland.6 women, 6 men

Presents the story of Penelope Keeling and her family and the passion and heartbreak that have held them together for three generations. It is a story of love, courage and determination, and a painting which threatens to tear the Keeling family apart.

"House" and "Garden" are two plays with the same characters running simultaneously in adjacent auditoria. In "House" Teddy Platt, whose marriage is on the rocks, is visited by the creepy Gavin Ryng-Mayne, and in "Garden", Teddy's jilted mistress threatens suicide as a garden fete is prepared.

On a sunny afternoon, Grantham, a retired army officer, cleans his service revolver. Jessica, his younger wife, arrives with tea. But this normal scene changes when the subject of divorce arises and Jessica shoots Grantham. Dotty Aunt Herbacia happily plans the funeral and when Amelia arrives from America she reassures Jessica. But Herbacia has her own plans...3 women, 2 men

Sitting in a seedy seaside boarding house room, Older Edie reminisces over the past. Out of her memory step a younger Edie and Harry on their wedding day in February 1942. Together, the young couple discover life''s big truths in the span of one night; the day after, Harry will leave for the front, never to return. The uncertainties of their relationship mirror the wider unpredictability and turmoil of the 40s - producing a finely-balanced portrait of that period.|2 women, 2 men

Peter Brammer has turned the whole vampire genre on its head giving it a fresh, witty, novel and funny twist ... a clever and quirky comedy. - The Heather Brothers

The Lancre Witches, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, are the Discworld's only hope of rescue when elves threaten to take control with their hypnotic "glamour". Standing stones; wizards; Morris men and Rude Mechanicals; country lore and ancient magic all feature in this adaptation.

Little Theatre Mystery Marcia Kash and Douglas E. HughesCharacters: 3 male, 3 female Interior SetSix people have come in secret on Halloween to play a murder mystery game at a rustic island cottage. Invited by writer Charles Prince, they appear set for a weekend of fun until ghosts from the past begin to haunt the proceedings and it becomes clear that all is not as it seems. The game takes on a sinister dimension when guests begin to die and the remaining pl

Matt and Ruth are looking forward to a quiet evening at home when their lives are turned upside-down by a visit from 18 year old Freya and her mother, Karen. Freya has discovered that Matt is her biological father, having traced his "donation" to a clinic as an impoverished student. More visitors arrive, including Matt's mother - now a granny - and "Aunty" Bev - revealed as Freya's birth mother... Who's her mom? The egg one? The womb one?6 women, 1 man

The Fordyces are busily preparing for the wedding of their eldest daughter Jacky to Victor, son of Stephen Parker, with whom Henry Fordyce is planning a business merger. Then in walks a total stranger Mrs. Puffin who announces she saw in a vision that Jacky would not marry Victor. She then establishes her vision's accuracy by correctly predicting various hilarious domestic accidents.-5 women, 5 men

When John Haddrell dies of a heart attack in his car, the woman at his side is not his wife Margaret but his lover, Julia. Recovering from her injuries, Julia is visited by Margaret. Events take a sinister turn when Margaret encroaches on Julia's life, and they become locked in deadly combat.

Gripping mystery drama.  An ordinary decent citizen is caught in a waking nightmare.  A West-End hit in 1950.|2 women, 5 men

Who's Who takes place in the lounge of a Brighton hotel a place of faded elegance where the inevitable trio saw away playing sad and dated ballads. In the first act we follow the confusion that Mr. Black and Mr. White land themselves in as inextricable as the hotel itself in their efforts to cover up a clandestine weekend; a confusion which ends in no one knowing anyone else's identity and a hint that, even when things have more or less cleared up, it's likely to start all over again. In the second act the male leads discuss the previous events and Mr. White says that if positions and identities had been reversed the confusion would never have happened. 2 women, 2 men

On the 1st April, 1914, in the village of Burston, a group of children went on strike to protest at the unfair dismissal of their teachers, Kitty and Tom Higdon. The Burston Drum tells the story, in musical form, of the events leading up to this historic first school strike, and of Kitty's battle to provide a comprehensive and enjoyable education for all the village children and Tom's fight to organize the villagers into a more democratic rural community. With simple staging and a large cast (either all children or mixed children and adults) this musical offers the opportunity for an enjoyable and entertaining community or school production.11 women, 13 men

Based on the book Jack the Ripper, the Final Solution by Stephen Knight. A fast-moving dramatization of one of the most plausible of Ripper theories will prove an instant magnet for audiences as well as a satisfying play to perform. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson become embroiled in the grisly murders in Whitechapel, East London in 1888.

When Mr Kane and Kathleen meet eating lunch on a park bench, they end up sharing more than just their sandwiches; together, they learn to accept the blessings and face the challenges of love.

Adapted from the stories by Rudyard Kipling. Mowgli, the "man-cub", lost in the jungle, is rescued from the clutches of the fearsome tiger, Shere Khan, by Baloo the bear and Bagheera the black panther. Brought up with a family of wolf-cubs, the time eventually comes for Mowgli to return to the world of Man. But Mowgli is not finished with the jungle, for one day he returns to settle the score with Shere Khan...Large flexible cast

Adapted from the novel by Jules Verne, this play tells the story of Phileas Fogg's and his servant, Passepartout's, whistlestop journey, as they try to satisfy a wager that they can travel the world in 80 days. Hindered by bandits and villains and transport problems, will they make the deadline?

Opening on the wedding night of Henry VIII and his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, and closing with the execution of his fifth wife, Katherine Howard, found guilty of adultery, this play takes a slice of history and turns it into theatre. There is romance, political intrigue, and betrayal.

Marion Nairn, a young widow, is spending the summer together with her young sister Lucy at Boulogne with Justice Proudfoot and his wife. The Duke of Hermanos, who is also passing his Summer at Boulogne, one day catches sight of Marion, and becomes her devoted admirer. He admires for a few days, but finally, he enters the house and declared his passion. Marion, ostensibly to get rid of him, tells him that she is married, whereupon he declares that her husband must die, and goes forth in search of him. One after another, the men in the piece are mistaken by the impetuous foreigner for the husband of his adored one, and one after another, he tries to fight them all.-5 women, 4 men

No Room For Love is a play for five men and four women. Dr Garfield arrives at the somewhat seedy Lawns Hotel in the hope of spending an enjoyable, if discreet, visit with his attractive receptionist, Michele. Unfortunately, however, his wife is the harpist in an orchestra also visiting the hotel, which makes his excuse of a golfing excursion difficult to sustain.4 women, 5 men

An ex-miner turned poet is appointed writer-in-residence at Eastwood branch library. Ellen, senior librarian, soon realizes the feckless but charming Geordie is no poet. Despite this she finds him highly entertaining, much to the disgust of Nutley, an earnest young man who covets the writer-in-residence role. These three find themselves an unlikely but united strike group when the Libraries sub-committee proposes demolishing the library.|2 women, 3 men

M2 F4 Revived in the West End in 2007, Boeing-Boeing is a 1960s French farce adapted for the English-speaking stage. Self-styled Parisian lothario Bernard has three fiancees, each beautiful airline hostesses with frequent layovers. There's American Gloria, German Gretchen and Italian Gabriella. He keeps one up, one down and one pending until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris and his apartment at the same time. Bernard's old school friend Robert, a visitor from the provinces, and his housekeeper Bertha, attempt to diffuse the inevitable chaos.

It is 1999. Hannah is sixteen. She loves karaoke and her bloke Bullfrog; she hates her hometown of Margate and the Kosovan asylum seekers who have come to live there. Hanna is also sixteen. She loves karaoke, loves Margate - and is one of the asylum-seekers. Slowly and unexpectedly, the two become friends, Hannah being forced to face up to her prejudices. This play for two young women addresses important issues through comedy, personal drama and the uniting power of music.2 women

The year is 1996. Trevor and Linda have been struggling for a while to deal with the behaviour of their rebellious teenage son Jason. In a moment of madness, they hatch a plan to create his own funeral in their living room.

Nigel Sheridan's suburban life is, superficially, idyllic. He has an attractive wife; bright, well-behaved teenage children; a pleasant house; peace and stability ... But for several years Nigel has harboured a secret, and today his wife Eve has discovered it. How will the family survive the revelation that Nigel is having an affair in this intense, caustic drama?

Leonard Vole stands accused of murdering a rich widow. The stakes are high with shocking witness testimony, impassioned outbursts from the dock and a young man's fight to escape the hangman's noose. Generally regarded as one of Christie's most accomplished plays, this suspenseful thriller keeps audiences guessing until the very end."Once more the Christie conjuring trick has come off. Once more we have been led down the garden path. Apart from being a clever puzzle, this is an extremely actable play."THE DAILY TELEGRAPH"The play has all the usual advantages of Counsel in conflict, agonised outbreaks in the dock, and back-answers from the witness-box. To these are added an ingenious appendix; the jury's verdict is only the beginning of a story that has as many twists as a pigtail."THE OBSERVER