The Ballad of Maria Marten by Beth Flintoff
Cast: 10f 2m (can be performed by 6f doubling)
Synopsis: Summer, 1827. In a red barn in Suffolk, Maria Marten awaits her lover. A year later, hidden in a grain sack under the floor of the barn, Maria's body is found, barely identifiable – and the manhunt begins.
Why it's great: Beth Flintoff's thrilling play – based on true events – rediscovers Maria Marten's lost story, restoring its dignity and bringing it back to vivid, urgent life. Originally performed by an all-female cast, it is an empowered historical play which urges change for the present and future.
Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann
Cast: 4f 2m doubling (large cast possible)
Synopsis: Amber is trapped by her family's rules and expectations, and by her own fears. But on the running track she feels free. As her body speeds up, the world slows down. And the tangled, mixed-up words in her head start to make sense… It's time to start a revolution: for her mother, for her sister, for herself. Run, Amber. Run.
Why it's great: Based on the multi-award-winning verse novel about a young woman beginning to take control of her life, this fast-paced, mesmerising story was adapted for the stage by the original author. This edition also contains a range of teaching materials and resources designed to help educators bring the play to life for their students.
Wendy & Peter Pan adapted by Ella Hickson
Cast: 4f 17m doubling (up to 6f 22m); version for smaller cast also available
Synopsis: Winter 1908. Snow is falling across London. Wendy Darling and her brothers sleep peacefully in their bedroom, as their parents bicker downstairs. In a sudden flurry of snow their window blows open, and into their lives tumbles a mischievous boy called Peter, followed by a fractious fairy called Tink. With the aid of a little fairy dust, Wendy agrees to fly with Peter to Neverland, seeing not only the promise of an awfully big adventure, but also the chance to rediscover the key to her parents' lost happiness.
Why it's great: Originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company – and regularly performed by schools and youth theatres ever since – this magical adaptation of the much-loved story puts the character of Wendy firmly centre stage, in a version that is refreshingly modern but never loses the charm of the original.
Leave Taking by Winsome Pinnock
Cast: 4f 1m
Synopsis: Set in 1980s London, this landmark play charts the relationships between a British-Caribbean mother and her teenage daughters as they negotiate the intergenerational frictions between countries and cultures.
Why it's great: Written by the ‘godmother of Black British playwrights’ (The Guardian), this play provides an important, relatable insight into the lives of the Windrush generation and explores experiences of discrimination in the UK. It is now a set text for GCSE English Literature.
Heavy Weather by Lizzie Nunnery
Cast: 5f 3f/m plus ensemble
Synopsis: Mona is a young woman on the edge. All she sees is the Earth falling apart, but no one really seems to care. Amid the chaos of competing and contradictory voices, she sets off on a kaleidoscopic journey to find solutions for the planet – and the truth about her family – in the hope that everything might start to make sense again.
Why it's great: This powerful, timely play, featuring original songs, grapples with multiple timely, relevant issues including the climate emergency, family tensions, social media and the pressures faced by teenagers today. It is part of Platform, an award-winning series of plays for young people featuring predominantly female casts (see more Platform plays at nickhernbooks.co.uk/platform-plays).
To apply to perform these plays, visit http://nickhernbooks.co.uk/plays-to-perform