Books published by Samuel French Ltd

Adapted from Sir Arthur Pinero's Trelawny of the Wells.-8 women, 10 men

The year 1845 finds the Moulton Barrett family of London tight in the grip of a tyrannical father. His invalid daughter Elizabeth is gaining a brilliant reputation as a writer. Her verses reach Robert Browning who falls in love with her before they have ever met. Browning sweeps into Elizabeth's life with the invigorating force of a sea breeze and her father senses that his absolute authority is in danger. Tension mounts as Edward Moulton Barrett and Robert Browning engage in a struggle for Elizabeth's life and happiness. A big hit in London's West End.10 women, 30 men

"If only I had my life over again." We all say it, but what would we really do differently if we had the chance? The hero of this play gets that chance. At the point of his death, he revisits himself as a teenager, a young man, as a disgruntled middle-aged husband and as a newborn child.

Victor Hugo's passionate and epic tale of social injustice, class conflict, love and revolt in 19th-century France is brought to theatrical life in this adaptation. The play follows its many characters through a story spanning several years.

Catherine Morland lives for much of her time in a fantasy world of romance and mystery based on the Gothic novels of her time, the early 1800s. But a stay in Northanger Abbey leads her into a series of misjugdements and a farewell to her Gothic world, only to be dealt a cruel blow in the real one.

The women are running the world. An atomic accident has resulted in the disappearance of all men. All, that is, but two who were protected in an underground shelter. The women keep these potential supermates under close guard but, spurred on by the thought of a whole world of desirable women at their disposal, the men try to escape.|7 women, 2 men

A nouveau riche bourgeois gentleman makes a jackass of himself by trying to impress everyone with his importance and wealth. He will not permit his daughter to marry anyone who is not a nobleman and is quite willing to suffer an indignity providing it comes from a person of quality. He will lend money, with no hope of recovery, to anyone who claims to be on speaking terms with the king. His attempts to dress in a style suitable to his new station are ludicrous. Finally he is made the butt of a practical joke, takes part unwittingly in the marriage of his daughter to a man of her choice, and is properly initiated into the nobility by a sham ceremony that only emphasises the servility of those that pretend to greatness.-6 women, 16 men

One of the funniest plays in dramatic literature, this modern version abounds with laughter. Th e son and daughter of the miser fall in love and are about to declare their intentions when the miser announces his own wedding plans: he, to the girl with whom his son is in love, and his wealthy friend, to his daughter. Aft er a few rollicking laps around the block in which the miser's hidden treasure figures, it is revealed that the rich friend is the long lost father of the boy who loves the miser's daughter and of the girl who is loved by the miser's son.-3 women, 11 men

Mr Love is an organised person. He knows what he wants and he gets it - marrying vulnerable women and stealing their nest-eggs. Adelaide works in a hat shop off the Edgware Road, has a diamond brooch Auntie Myra left her, and a dream of better things. This is the story of what happens when they find one another.-1 woman, 1 man

All the tragic majesty of Thomas Hardy's celebrated novel is captured in this arresting and theatrically exciting adaptation, narrated by a masked Chorus in the style of Greek tragedy (Hardy's favoured form of theatre) and using songs to counterpoint and underline the action. Michael Fry's adaptation provides a clear and thrilling experience and an enlightening and fascinating re-evaluation of a familiar text.Large flexible cast

An adaptation of Rene Fauchois's Prenez Garde a la Peinture by Emlyn Williams.-4 women, 5 men

Golf-loving American composer George Bevan falls in love with a mysterious young lady who takes refuge in his taxicab one day; when he tracks her down to a romantic rural manor, mistaken identity leads to all manner of brouhaha.9 women, 9 men

The famous story of the Princess with hair as black as ebony, skin as white as snow and lips as red as blood, whose stepmother sends her into the forest to die is excitingly and charmingly brought to life in this dramatization. In this version the stepmother is rewarded, with an enormous nose, for her sins, while Snow White wins her Prince. The music is included in the copy.-11 women, 13 men

A bloodthirsty tale of the king who sacrifices his own daughter so that he can lead his army to conquer Troy. A cast of fifty young actors retell the story of the blood curse of the House of Atreus from its beginning to its end through the life of Agamemnon and the lives of his children.27 boys or girls

Voyager is a moving, thought-provoking play in one act, with excellent roles for two men and two women.

Miss Croft, a retired teacher, has an Edwardian house with a wonderful garden. After six months in a nursing home, following a heart attack, she returns home for a visit, fearful that her health will force her to sell her beloved home. An unexpected visitor gives her new hope that the garden will continue to bloom and she may be able to return.-2 women, 2 men

It is 1948 and Britain is still recovering from World War II. To "The White Cliffs", a Midlands boarding-house, comes a group of concert performers who are touring with a Summer Revue, and they are in for an eventful week. Mrs Murdoch, the landlady, hides her wartraumatized son Danny away in the house.

Taking its title from the traditional song "Green Grow the Rushes O", this play explores the events surrounding a murder which took place four years previously and how strangely the song lyrics seem to fit so well with the circumstances.

Though Mother Shipton's shoe is crowded to its laces, she lives there happily with her vast brood of children, among them Jack and Jill. Unfortunately, however, the shoe is actually the property of a Giant, who lost it and has been looking for it - with one bare foot - ever since. One day The Great Boon arrives, a genial and charming, but not terribly efficient, magician, looking for a Circus in which he is due to appear. His attempts to save Mother Shipton and family from the Giant involve the loss of her shoe because he is unable to bring the Giant down to human size and harmlessness without also reducing the shoe. However, after a lot of adventures and muddled magic all ends happily.-Large flexible cast

Mr Overall, the Junior Under Minister for Justice, has a special knack for finding legal loopholes. When Prisoner 604 is sentenced to death all his talent is brought to bear. Aided by the prison chaplain, he finds a way, only to be defeated by his officious assistant and the prison officer. But Overall is not quite convinced that the game is over.4 men

The hole is in the road. In the depths of it workmen are working. At the top, a man with a camp stool, vacuum flask, haversack, and other necessities for a long vigil is forming the nucleus of a queue. From time to time curious folk gather round and wonder what is going on below. Each gazes into the hole and sees a different significance to the events down there. Their theories are ingenious but contradictory. With the fanaticism of the scientist, the politician and the preacher, each tries to convince the others. Produced in London with great success.2 women, 5 men

New York's Playwrights Horizons had a success starring Elizabeth Ashley as the legendary Isadora Duncan. The acclaimed author of Bent brings us Paris 1923, and Duncan's desperate attempts to keep herself financially solvent to realize her dream of retirement: a school in Italy to teach young dancers her art while distracted by her mercurial husband, a poet who only speaks Russian, as well as various acolytes, through whose eyes we glimpse the greatness of Isadora "when she danced".5 women, 3 men

From the author of The Anniversary comes an exciting thriller. The Colonel has never got over the loss of his elder son, killed in action in Cyprus. Peter, his younger son, a corrupt solicitor, feels his father's resentment and hates him for it. When Peter becomes involved in another unethical scheme that goes badly wrong, he is forced to turn to his father for help, with unexpected and tragic results.2 women, 2 men

With a mixture of gentle comic poignancy and dramatic tension, one of America's leading contemporary playwrights here examines the problems which arise when John, a leading playwright, returns home to ask his parent's permission to produce his latest work, a play about his family. The Cocktail Hour had a long and successful run in New York and successful tours in both the UK and Australia.2 women, 2 men

A hilarious comedy which follows the life of redundant civil servant John, a bitter recipient of a 'tarnished chrome handshake'. John struggles to keep his dignity and sanity in the face of his wife's successful business, an adulterous affair, the incipient break-up of his marriage and regular visits from his mother-in-law.3 women, 3 men

Following the successful television series based on Barbara Euphan Todd''s children''s classic, Keith Waterhouse, Willis Hall and Denis King bring us a new, effervescent stage musical of the story of Worzel Gummidge. The naughty, petulant, greedy, yet always lovable scarecrow is here with all the familiar characters: Aunt Sally, Sergeant Beetroot and Sue and John. Brought to life by the Crowman, Worzel creates havoc and farce wherever he goes in his frenzied efforts to win Aunt Sally''s unwilling hand until he finds himself before the scarecrow court on a very serious charge. But the final resolution is a happy one with a birthday cake enormous enough to satisfy even Worzel''s appetite!|5 women, 13 men

Tom "Tink" Bell is the town crier, not a "boo hoo" crier, but a "yoo hoo" crier. Unfortunately he's prone to making mistakes, and when he accidentally announces that celebrations for the Emperor Persimmon the Twelfth's birthday will take place every Friday, sure enough the emperor insists that is what must happen.

A taut thriller which begins when Trevor Wyatt lets a girl in to his house who says she has been the victim of an attack by a lorry driver. But that's nothing compared to what follows - petty larceny, manslaughter, bogus policemen and a devilishly elaborate form of blackmail.

Head waiters of White Horse Inn have found that to fall in love with the attractive young widow who owns the establishment is a swift and certain route to dismissal. Yet none have been able to resist Josepha; least of all Leopold, the present incumbent. She, however, pines for Valentine Sutton, a regular visitor from England, and is resolutely blind to all the evidence that his thoughts for her are no more than warm friendship.|6 women, 12 men

Vocal score on hire. Perusal material available.|7 women, 9 men