Siren Songs

by Lindsay Partain

[One-Act : Approximately 60 Minutes] “...immediate assistance to fetch us off the Smalls before the next Spring or we fear we shall all perish, our water near all gone, our fire quite gone and our house in a most melancholy manner.” - Henry Whiteside, builder of Small's Lighthouse, January 1777

Staring out into the cold oblivion of the Irish Sea, Thomas Griffith and Thomas Howell must fight for their lives...

[One-Act : Approximately 60 Minutes] “...immediate assistance to fetch us off the Smalls before the next Spring or we fear we shall all perish, our water near all gone, our fire quite gone and our house in a most melancholy manner.” - Henry Whiteside, builder of Small's Lighthouse, January 1777

Staring out into the cold oblivion of the Irish Sea, Thomas Griffith and Thomas Howell must fight for their lives trapped inside the Small's Lighthouse; a tree house built on the edge of the universe swaying back and forth amidst the relentless violent waves and unforgiving storms off the coast of Wales.

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Siren Songs

Recommended by

  • John Weagly: Siren Songs by Lindsay Partain
    “

    This chilling, lyrical play would be fascinating to see. A production with a good sound designer and movement choreographer could bring this script to life as a vivid, mesmerizing nightmare.

    This chilling, lyrical play would be fascinating to see. A production with a good sound designer and movement choreographer could bring this script to life as a vivid, mesmerizing nightmare.

    ”
  • Greg Burdick: Siren Songs by Lindsay Partain
    “

    Partain absolutely chills in this page-turner. With the sensibility of a tale by Poe, she weaves themes of loneliness, obsession with death, and madness, into a dark and gripping one act. I’ve climbed several lighthouse towers all along the east coast... after reading this play, I’ll never be able to scale the steps of another without thinking of Griffith and Howell. Terrifying.

    Partain absolutely chills in this page-turner. With the sensibility of a tale by Poe, she weaves themes of loneliness, obsession with death, and madness, into a dark and gripping one act. I’ve climbed several lighthouse towers all along the east coast... after reading this play, I’ll never be able to scale the steps of another without thinking of Griffith and Howell. Terrifying.

    ”
  • Aleks Merilo: Siren Songs by Lindsay Partain
    “

    In this ghostly and vivid script, Partain manages to bridge the gap between Sailor lore, mythology, and the stark reality of a nautical life. The immersive writing places the audience alongside the lonely scene at the edge of the known world. Characters are robust, and the cast is rounded out by a fascinating female lead. This feels like a play from another place and another era. Those who attend theater to see a world they’ve never seen before would relish this play.

    In this ghostly and vivid script, Partain manages to bridge the gap between Sailor lore, mythology, and the stark reality of a nautical life. The immersive writing places the audience alongside the lonely scene at the edge of the known world. Characters are robust, and the cast is rounded out by a fascinating female lead. This feels like a play from another place and another era. Those who attend theater to see a world they’ve never seen before would relish this play.

    ”
View all 6 recommendations

Character Information

  • Thomas Griffith
    Quite tall and powerfully built, a laborer. Hot-headed. Youthfully stubborn.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Henry Whiteside
    Builder of musical instruments and Smalls Lighthouse.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Thomas Howell
    Smaller build, a bit grubby, a craftsmen and ex-cooper. Defensive. A dreamer and a bit of a romantic. Could easily be mistaken for Griffith’s father.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Martha Howell
    Dark hair, beautiful in her own way. A kind of mermaid—soft and graceful as though moving underwater; alluring. She haunts her husband as he descends into madness.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female