Recommended by Alice Josephs

Such a well structured play for a play written in a day or indeed any play! Sharp and witty with juicy parts for all concerned!!! Even the tree ;)

Set in a diner, a Hispanic woman lawyer tortures herself over a legal set up only there for those who can pay. A nuanced character, a campaigning lawyer, not above flashes of anger and swearing and, as a Latino, with skin in the game. Plus a knowledge of the dangerous, knife edge life - and death - of immigrants going ‘off the radar’ when the money for legal fees dries up. A passionate, characterful, vivid monologue as driven Amelia tries to square the circle over financing her work over yet another late-night cup of coffee.

A neat variation on the weary wife having to put up with an ‘old school’ know-all of a husband. The characters are introduced in a witty and concise way so we understand immediately their place in this family’s journey. Full of pace with a cheeky pay off, this is about a woman finding her own voice and freedom - all within the confines of her own living room!

A life summed up with economy and precision - the flip side of The Office. From the history contained in a few words of description ‘former athlete who’s out of shape’ to the deftly handled reversal for the audience where assumptions are overturned and replaced by visceral identification. A searing monologue delivered as a short, sharp shock and a chance for an actor to leave an indelible impression.

A sympathetic and multifaceted, up-to-date drama which cleverly changes its focus from one generation to another before drawing the threads together through the eponymous character. With easy, natural dialogue between male and female school friends and the family, this is a modern piece appealing across the ages. Bringing together the stories of mother and son within a satisfying unravelling plot, the change of perspective and resolution gives this verisimilitude and complex, truthful roles for four actors.

An original and engrossing duologue as two farmhands in the midst of The Depression in dustbowl America debate their future. With natural to and fro and with lashings of dry humour, this is a characterful gift for two actors, either as a self contained piece of drama or the beginning of a longer play.

A deft and compelling adaptation of the Icarus myth with pitch perfect pace. Feeny-Williams cleverly relates a story from the point of view of her protagonist, subtly guiding identification and then shifting the audience’s sympathies. All this is heightened by a Greek chorus shadowing the boy as misdeeds lead to a banging to rights. Yet it is done with a light touch as well as an impactful moral with the audience following every step of the downfall from the inside.

In that British cottage-strewn no man’s land beloved by international audiences somewhere between Miss Marple and Rosemary and Thyme live the Stillwell sisters, genteel private investigators. An entertaining parody of British TV period detective exports with an eye for a twisty turny plot and an ear for dialogue from memorable characters, Lermond has concocted a picturesque murder mystery to make one both wrinkle one’s brow and laugh out loud. Moving along at a lick and giving total satisfaction with its denouement, this is easy, relaxed listening whetting the appetite for the next episode of the sisters’ adventures.

A polished and fascinating musical spanning half a century of a couple’s lives through two college reunions - only their husband and wife are elsewhere. This reads exceptionally well even without knowing the music, with lyrics that advance the plot and characters and traditional social and political roles changing with the years. A wonderful piece with real heft for musical theatre actors with a wistful but hard edged look at the changing generations with believable characters as certainties dissolve into a recognisable present day and trajectory.

A low key but powerful character study of two former High School classmates circling round each other on social media. Set in two contrasting bedrooms, one of a couple, the other alone but unselfishly appreciating the lives of others. The conjuring up of internet and off line worlds is deftly done with three credible characters caught in the moments when they hop from one to the other. A delicate piece about the crude magnifications and dismissals of online life where no one means any harm but a simple key stroke may be misjudged on both sides.