Stage Plays by Ian Hornby

Whose Line Was It Anyway?
Comedy - single set - 3m 3f

Synopsis
Authoritative director Grace is trying to pull the play into shape despite the goings on around her, which include collapsing scenery, forgotten lines, a televised football match, the playwright's amorous intentions on one of the leading ladies and frequent interruptions from just about anyone. Originally conceived as an episode of a television sitcom, staging is kept simple. The play avoids amdram "in jokes" in favour of genuinely funny characters and situations which some of the audience and all of the actors are likely to recognise.

Originally written as a pilot episode for a TV sitcom along with the framework for 5 other episodes - still available if any TV execs are reading this!!! 

Author's notes
I originally intended this for a BBC competition for a television sitcom, as ever, they didn't bite. The review said that it was funny, but (and I remember these words exactly) "none of the lines gave (me) a belly-laugh". I defy even the best comedies to give anyone a belly laugh based on a black and white script devoid (at the BBC's behest) of any directions. It's about an amateur dramatic society, but it's not full of in-jokes and, I believe, is genuinely funny. The BBC wanted 6 episodes for their competition, with one episode fleshed out to be a full half hour. This play is that episode, suitably changed to avoid changes of set. In order to get the timing correct, I asked a local drama group, of which I was a member at the time, to walk through it for me. They didn't know that among their number exist all the stereotypes of an ADS, and I was worried they'd recognise themselves and take offence. They didn't prompting me to wonder if I could move up a dimension and do something about people playing themselves without ever realising it.

If you're a member of an ADS, beware! This play probably has you in it!