Voices In The Rubble
Darren Donohue
Genre: Absurd
Cast size: 4
Duration: 50 mins approx
Darren Donohue | Absurd | One Act | 3m, 1f
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
- Awards
‘Voices In The Rubble’ is a wonderfully original play, a wild absurdist comedy following a couple who have been abandoned by traditional values and find themselves set adrift in a world obsessed with progress (a society evolving to the point of unravelling).
Tony and Avril have not found the meaning of life, and don’t. In that sense it’s depressing, but the situation fires the audience’s intellect, and sometimes shocks. They can only cling to each other in the hope of finding a constant, something concrete within each other to keep them from being entirely swept away - in this case their love. But unfortunately these soft souls inhabit a world rapidly shifting beyond their ability to adapt.
Tony comes home from work to tell his wife that he’s been fired for being caught ‘in flagrante delicto’ with his secretary, and Avril thinks she just killed the postman; but then again it could be a case of mistaken identity. What unfolds is the story of a cheating husband, a want-to-be-away wife, love affairs, dreams of travel, dead bodies in a fridge, and more. Here we have forty years of marriage neatly compressed into 45 minutes.
The play contains some great fast moving comedy, played on many levels, and, like a piece of music, it moves, repeating themes and developing them until finally some narrative tries to bring the piece to a close, but doesn’t quite, but you’ll never notice the time going by as the laughter takes over..
Says Darren Donohue: “It’s about the highs and lows, the agony and the ecstasy, all that happens when you tie – or chain – your life to somebody else’s. It’s an opportunity to look into a couple’s secret life, which we all have, with its own rules and regulations and its own language”.
Applying for and paying royalties
To apply for royalties, please complete the form on our apply for royalties page.
To pay for fixed fee royalties having received your Quotation from us, please go to this payment form.
More information
If you require any additional information regarding this script, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.
Frequently asked questions
Can we try before we buy?
Of course! All our plays and pantomimes have a free Preview Script available for download as an A4 pdf file that contains 60-75% of the full script. If you like what you read then you can buy an inexpensive e-script of the entire play (typically less than half the cost of a traditional printed script) which is licensed to you for your personal use. Purchasing a script copying licence allows you to make just enough copies to support rehearsals and performances.
All our musicals are included in our perusal service. Through this, representatives of producing organisations can request a USB Stick of perusal material which comprise the script/libretto and piano/vocal score as PDF files; a Cast (or Studio) Recording as MP3 files and (where available) an MP4 file video of either the premiere production or of a subsequent production.
Some titles have the facility to read the entire script online on our website.
Do we need a Licence To Perform?
The simple answer is, yes.
Under the international laws of copyright, you must be in possession of a valid, unexpired licence before performing any piece of theatre unless the owner or managers of the copyright has waived their rights.
Why do you insist on providing a formal royalties quotation?
When you request a quotation, it is logged in our system, it forms part of an orderly queue and protects your place in that queue should multiple licensing requests occur for the same show.
Need help?
Contact us
If you need help with our scripts, please contact our customer service team, we would be more than happy to help.
Established for over 25 years
Unearthing future talent
Stagescripts is a trusted licensing company run by theatre professionals with decades of experience on and off stage. Our curated catalogue includes over 1,000 carefully selected plays, musicals, and pantomimes — from fresh, undiscovered writing to well-loved classics.
We’re passionate about helping theatre-makers at every level discover scripts that inspire, challenge, and connect with audiences. Whether you're staging a village hall production or leading a professional company, our team offers expert advice, flexible support, and a responsive, personal service to help your next performance shine.
