FULL LENGTH PLAYS BY JANE LOCKYER WILLIS

                           COCOA AND CUDDLES -

ABOUT THIS PLAY:

Frank is squeamish by nature, especially when it comes to burying his late, irascible old mother Edith, lying upstairs in the spare room. Urging him to make necessary arrangements, Lorna, Frank's second wife, discovers that he has engaged the help of his sister, Polly.  Val and Reg, members of the local folk dancing club, arrive to pay their respects and disclose that Edith, far from having been difficult and truculent, was a well liked, fun loving club member with a toy boy.  

Edith's presence is felt throughout the play as being symbolic of the fractured relationships and bickering family:  Polly: jealous of Frank and railing against his ineffectual behaviour and angry over his reluctance to face reality; and Carrie, Frank's late daughter who casts a shadow over events.  Frank finds solace in Lucy, a twenty year old mourner who closely identifies with his emotional state.  The play closes with more family disclosures which serve to reconcile Frank and Polly as they rediscover their abiding love for each other.

 Funny and sad, this play deals with love, loss, jealousy and regret.

 'A very enjoyable and page-turning script. Would be a hit with audiences both on stage and radio.'

(Doreen Friend, playwright & journalist)

REVIEW

I had the privilege of attending the premier production of Cocoa and Cuddles written by Jane Lockyer Willis and performed by the Tithe Farm Players in Rayners Lane on 7 July 2016.

The play starts with an encounter between Lorna and Frank, the latter having done nothing for three days to arrange his mother’s funeral apart from get the certificate. During this time, dead mother has been lying on the spare bed upstairs. The story develops as friends of mother Edith come to pay their respects and Frank contacts his sister Polly to take over the funeral arrangements.

Jane’s weaving of the interactions between the seven characters is gently witty and inisghtful, no doubt aided by the wonderful interpretation of the cast and director. Despite the obvious (and, in my opinion, unnecessary promptings by the prompt on four occasions during the performance), the actors made the dialogue ‘real’ – as the programme noted:

The play is multi-layered: the characters laugh, they cry as in everyday life and eventually triumph over adversity.

How they do that, I leave to you to find out…

I discovered Jane, or was it that Jane discovered me (?), through a local writing group connection. Having met over a cup of coffee, we decided to embark on a project to bring her short stories to publication and in addition to last night’s premier of Cocoa and Cuddles, Jane’s book of short stories Tea at the Opalaco and other stories was launched in a low-key fashion.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Jane’s short stories enjoying the gentle twists and humanness of the tales. Despite this, I didn’t quite know what to expect with Cocoa and Cuddles given the description of the play. But I should have realised that the sensitivity and refined quirkiness which characterises Tea at the Opalaco and other stories would feature in Cocoa and Cuddles.

Jane is a lady of many talents (including cover design) and it’s a privilege to count her a partner in literature.
Congratulations, Jane on a play well written, and, performed by the Tithe Farm Players.

(ANNE SAMSON - PUBLISHER OF TSL BOOKS)

TEDDY BEAR'S PICNIC - A TWO ACT DRAMA 

Published by: Playwright's Publishing company

ISBN: 978-1-910028-15-15

                                    playwrights publishing company

                                https://www.playwrightspublishing.com/

Find under full length play index

https://www.playwrightspublishing.com/

Performed as a Rehearsed Reading at Bikeshed Theatre, Exeter.  

Performed at East Lane Theatre Club London, under previous title:

 'The Get Together.'

                          ABOUT TEDDY BEAR'S PICNIC

Jim and Rowena embark on a weekend break with friends, Patrick and Betty. Tensions arise when Rowena discovers that she has picked up Betty’s suitcase by mistake. What does she find in there? And what does Jim discover when rummaging through his wife’s suitcase? The drink flows and the confessions begin. As things go from bad to worse, enter Bruce, the local eccentric, who at night, frequents the hotel corridors. Through their mutual love of churches, Jim finds in Bruce, a friend and ally.

Drama– adult group

3 males, 3 females

single set - bedroom

Time: modern

HERE WE GO ROUND THE ROUNDABOUT  -

 A TWO ACT COMEDY

ISBN: 978-1-910028-001 

    playwrights publishing company

         Rehearsed Reading with Network Theatre

         (Find under Comedy Full Length play index )   

 ABOUT HERE WE GO ROUND THE ROUNDABOUT

Harry, an aspiring out of work young actor, is very behind with the rent for his bed-sitting room.

Desperate for money, he hatches a plot to persuade his stepfather Alban, a retired bank manager, to come to his rescue. Alban arrives only to discover that Harry's attractive landlady is an old flame of his, a woman who still arouses past passions. When they all meet in Heather’s sitting room, together with Harry's pregnant girl-friend, hilarious complications ensue. A Sat Nav, which refuses to switch off and insists on giving advice, adds to the fun.

Comedy – adult group

5 males, 3 females

2 sets: bedroom/sitting room

'Jane's dialogue is very good and her experienced directions are impeccable.'

Bernard Knight CBE - Novelist and scriptwriter

Author of the CROWNER JOHN series of fifteen medieval mysteries

Author of the Dr Richard Pryor series of 1950's forensic tales.

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