Recommended by Alice Josephs

Within many women of a certain age may lurk the needy High School student yearning for a Prom date and a future wedding ring. Yet this sharp, on-the-money, loopy piece, with the resonance of a traditional musical theatre counterpoint in its sure-footed back-and-forth rhythmic dialogue style will have audiences applauding as its two senior heroines finally dance away, leaving any male-dependent troubles to melt away into the cracked wood of a park bench. Needing only simple staging, this is a terrific bright and bold silver surfer generation duologue appealing to all ages.

Both a wisecracking farce and a Bonnie & Clyde escapade, this sassy short unpacks a wildly entertaining story in its short span. It has an unusual and fascinating vibe in that it could be a contemporary romp or a period piece. The characterisation of recognisable types gives the chance for actors and director to let rip with sparky performances while keeping up the energy in a later change of pace and plot twist. A possible for stage or screen - maybe even an embryo full length movie.

With a twist on both the genealogy and reality TV craze, this is a fun, fast-paced comedy which works both as a stand-alone piece or is ripe for expansion. Throw in a love interest, it could even be a Hallmark romcom. With a trio of distinctive characters and a 21st century equivalent of the American heiress bringing her money, this will appeal to a wide demographic both audience- and acting company-wise.

As a stand-alone short piece or expanded full-length play or movie script, this relatable law firm drama never underestimates its audience. After having navigated unstable, generational shifts with the loss of consensus political grip, a veteran woman lawyer can no longer shape support for an untethered lie. A pair of meaty roles await skilled actors of a certain age, one rushing in, as career and contacts disintegrate within a devious world she once controlled, the other prowling around his prey. This no-hero playlet will reward a spry director and cast with its uncomfortable but always enthralling twists and turns.

Billed as comedy, this is more coming-of-age, sensitive, witty comedy drama, both in content and structure, a kind of ‘The Wonder Years’ from a gay perspective. Fleet-footed and seemingly light, it is in fact a deeply thought-out, dramatic discussion of masculinity, queer and straight, merging in adoration of sport and cultivation of the male body for sport. Character-driven with family, the father-son relationship, high school friendship and a responsible, experienced educator at its heart, this unique three-hander conjures up a 1980s’ homely landscape with economic artistry, using direct address to audience, but could work also as a short film.

A fable for our age, Endangered Species deals with computerisation, the job market and painful human obsolescence with wit, warmth, irony and concern. Set in an existential landscape where a group wait and watch while their livings seep away, this is a gentle piece that nevertheless cuts deep. With concise dialogue, carefully measured stage direction and a seam of subtext to mine, this is an intelligent and caring addition to the playwriting canon with plenty for actors, director and audience.

Carnes with a sure hand displays delicate precision in the real life tragedy of two brothers who served and protected a congregation in a brutal shooting. Heartbreakingly constructed with the two actors in character first guiding the audience to their seats, in their real life synagogue usher roles, to a final cutting off, this brief piece brings out the individual personalities of each man, while showing their equal devotion to their work and each other. A play which tenderly conveys gratitude and love towards two heroic men.

Four ordinary ‘Joes’ from around the nation brought together before combat in World War 2. This five-hander, held together by a chameleon narrator, is a lesser known war story of conscripts on basic training, based on a true story. The straightforward structure allows the audience to grow attached to each character as the men grow to know each other and bond. The playwright skilfully builds telling details with the ring of truth, laced with humour, incident and soldier banter leading to both tragedy and stoic resolve in the preparation for the theatre of war.

In just one page, Lam nails red carpet superficiality and a skewed white saviour worldview introducing character, plot and a laugh-out-loud killer final line summing up an actor’s life and, at the service of commerce, his or her ascent up the celebrity greasy pole. Clever, biting and exciting.

A tender and feisty play about friendship, endurance and sheer pluck with two gutsy roles for older women. Having climbed many mountains in life together, a pair of seniors have resolved to scale a real one, testing their relationships to the limit. The writer uses the vicissitudes and traps of mountain climbing with humour and compassion to chart the lives of these inseparable but competitive women. Needing only simple staging, this is nevertheless an inspired play with its twists and turns, rewarding precise direction and performance and guaranteed to keep any audience on the edge of their seats.