Longer Dramas

"THE BRASS MEDALLION" - older teenagers; four acts, 80 mins; 7m., 3f.; four simple sets.

A modern teenage tragedy. Markus, a tough but intelligent teenager, struggles against his alienation from the "decent" world around him and against the bitter and brutal Carver. Markus's hope lies in Sally, the girl who comes to love him and the tragic Billy who idolises him. But the violent world he inhabits seems to conspire against Markus and lead him on to disaster.

"CAIN'S HAND" - teenagers; two acts, 75 mins.; 4m., 3f.; two simple sets.

This play won a National Playwriting Competition run by the Victorian Arts Council and the Goethe Institute. It was produced in Melbourne and Adelaide and at The Nimrod Theatre, Sydney.

Matty finds at home an old service revolver and brings it to show his friends. But it is rusted and they can't find out if it is loaded. The teenagers begin to act out the fantasies lifted from television but it is only when Matty's enemy, Alec appears that the situation becomes dangerous - and then tragic. A play of great power and challenge.

"THE BOY ON THE ROOF" - older teenagers; one act, 50 mins.; 3m., 1f.; simple set.

This play was produced at The Stables Theatre, Sydney, and at The Dispensary, Newtown.

Mickey, 18, has barricaded himself on the roof of a tall shopping complex, with a high-powered rifle. Around him, the police watch from windows and a helicopter. To him comes Dean, a mate from school, in an attempt to talk him down. Dean learns the depth of Mickey's despair, his sense of failure and worthlessness - and the loss of his love. The end is almost overwhelming.

"POOR NAKED WRETCHES" - older teenagers; multiple scenes within one act, 75 mins.; 4m., 8f.; one simple set.

This play won the Playwriting Competition conducted by The Illawarra AIDS Taskforce and Healthy Cities Illawarra and was produced at The Illawarra performing Arts Centre.

It is a play about AIDS. It tells the story of Delia, her struggle to come to terms with her disease and the repercussions it causes among her friends, and those with narrow minds who seek to lay blame on the vulnerable. It is also the story of love and courage.

"A DANIEL COME TO JUDGEMENT" - older teenagers; multiple scenes within one act, 75mins.; 4m., 2f.; one set.

This play was staged by The Australian Theatre for Young People. Philip, a university student, is out bushwalking when a storm drives him to an abandoned farmhouse where he encounters an appalling scene: a group of teenagers are putting on trial another teenager for the crime of murder. At first disbelieving, he becomes convinced of their seriousness and fights to prevent the tragedy.

"INHERITANCE" - older teenagers; 3 acts, 90 mins; 5m., 5f.; one set.

The writing and production of this play at The Harbour Theatre, Wollongong, was with the assistance of a grant from the NSW Arts Council. Its subject is teenage crime and drug-taking and is on the "edge" of modern theatre.

To an abandoned factory come a gang of tough and worldly streetkids, running from the police. They have committed murder during a botched burglary and one of their group, the youngest has been wounded by a police bullet. In the next hours, they struggle against their own hopelessness and are torn apart by squabbles. In a room above, another teenager watches them. He has a rifle and looks for one shred of goodness to save himself.