This site has limited support for your browser. We recommend switching to Edge, Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

Not sure where to start? Discover all our scripts

Talk to one of our experts here

Thank you for purchasing with Stagescripts

Shopping basket 0

Sorry, looks like we don't have enough of this product.

Products

Need help? Contact our team here

Pair with
Subtotal Free
Shipping, taxes, and discount codes are calculated at checkout
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Diners Club
  • Discover
  • Google Pay
  • Maestro
  • Mastercard
  • Shop Pay
  • Union Pay
  • Visa

An Assortment Box of Shorts (Volume 2)

Philip Ayckbourn

Genre: Comedy

Cast size: 2-4

Duration: Various (average 15-20 mins)

Philip Ayckbourn | Collections | Shorts | 3m, 1f, 1m/f

Short synopsis

Seven stand-alone 15/20-minute comedy playlets. Can be performed as individual pieces or mixed and matched to comprise a complete evening’s entertainment… or two.

  • Love To Hate
    Jack and Louise sit on a park bench bonding over all the things they hate in life. When the subject gets a little too personal their relationship finds itself on very shaky ground. They realise they’ve taken a bad road and need to backtrack fast. 
  • Madness In The Method
    During a break from the rehearsals, William Shakespeare gives Richard Burbage his newly penned ‘To be or not to be’ soliloquy. Unfortunately, the soliloquy comes accompanied with a myriad of stage directions that Shakespeare insists on immediately demonstrating. 
  • The Waiter
    When a modern family arrives at an Italian restaurant glued to their social media devices, the Italian waiter sets about educating them in the appreciation of food, wine and traditional Italian values.
  • Literally Minded
    A playwright visits a literary agent in the hope of having his new play accepted. The agent takes a deep dive into the play and finds obscure metaphorical and symbolic meanings the playwright never considered.
  • Actors Reminisce
    Two older and permanently resting actors reminisce over a pint or two about their lives in the theatre and the outlandish antics of their fellow actors. Their reminiscing whets their appetites to return to the stage… after a few more pints perhaps.
  • Happily Married
    Two sixteenth centaury young ladies entertain each other with the elaborate tales of their respective infidelities. All is not what it seems however as they reach the improbable denouements in their yarns. 
  • The Battle of The Sexes
    When Lenny and Melanie’s paths cross while sitting at adjacent restaurant tables with their respective (imagined) children, sparks begin to fly as the two embittered divorcees vent their grievances about the opposite sex. But sparks of hatred soon change to sparks of attraction as they realise they’ve both met their match.

Love To Hate (1m, 1f)

  • Jack – age flexible.
  • Louise – age flexible.

Madness in the Method (2m)

  • William – middle-aged man.
  • Richard – middle-aged man.

    The Waiter (3m, 1f)
  • Dennis – middle-aged man. Yorkshire accent.
  • Irene – middle-aged woman. Yorkshire accent.
  • Kevin – early teens. Yorkshire accent.
  • Franco – middle-aged man. Italian accent.

Literally Minded (1m, 1f)

  • Helena – age flexible.
  • Tim – age flexible.

Actors Reminisce (1m, 1f, 1m/f)

  • Peter – older man.
  • Richard – older man.
  • V.O. Bar Staff – age flexible.

Happily Married (2f)

  • Elisabetta – younger woman.
  • Gabriella – younger woman.

The Battle Of The Sexes (1m, 1f, 1m/f)

  • Lenny – middle-aged man. Yorkshire accent.
  • Melanie – middle-aged woman. Yorkshire accent.
  • Waiter – age flexible. (Can be real or imagined)

There is also 'An Assortment Box of Shorts' Volume 1

Fringe Review: "Exciting Work"

Type
Free

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.

[{"variant_id":"55688253342082" , "metafield_value":""}]

An Assortment Box of Shorts (Volume 2)

Free
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.

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)

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.