Our most popular plays for amateur performance, based on the number of licenses issued in 2023.
The 40 titles listed below were our most popular titles licensed for performance by amateur groups worldwide.
Read more about the Top Ten most performed plays of 2023, over on our Blog>>
Philip Pullman's Grimm Tales (stage version)
A deliciously dark version of the Grimm Tales, from master storyteller Philip Pullman.
The Incident Room
By Olivia Hirst and David ByrneA play about the manhunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, going behind the scenes to investigate the case that nearly broke the British police force.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (stage version)
By Mary Shelley and Rona MunroA brilliant adaptation of Mary Shelley's Gothic masterpiece that places the writer herself amongst the action as she wrestles with her creation and with the stark realities facing revolutionary young women, then and now.
Bleak Expectations
By Mark EvansA hilarious, chaotic, Dickensian caper for the stage, based on the award-winning BBC Radio 4 series.
The Hound of the Baskervilles (stage version)
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most celebrated Sherlock Holmes story gets a gloriously funny makeover.
The Wind in the Willows (stage version)
By Kenneth Grahame Adapted by Mike KennyA delightful stage adaptation that combines all the joy and mystery of Kenneth Grahame's much-loved classic with the lightness of touch and playful theatricality that award-winning playwright Mike Kenny is known for.
Jeeves & Wooster in 'Perfect Nonsense'
By The Goodale Brothers Original author P.G. WodehouseAn inventive, fast-paced comedy based featuring P.G. Wodehouse’s iconic double act.
Emilia
A riotous, witty reclaiming of the life of Emilia Bassano, poet, mistress, mother, and exceptional woman – widely considered the 'Dark Lady' of Shakespeare's sonnets.
Ladies' Day
Work, love and life are just one long, hard slog for the fish-filleting foursome Pearl, Jan, Shelley and Linda. But their fortunes are set to change when Linda finds tickets to Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot the year it relocated to York.
The River
A bewitching story from the author of global smash hit Jerusalem.
Blue Stockings
A moving, comical and eye-opening story of four young women fighting for education and self-determination against the larger backdrop of women’s suffrage.
The Good Life
A witty reimagining of a television classic for the stage, with a wellyful of laughs that's sure to delight audiences everywhere.
The Ballad of Maria Marten
A thrilling play based on the nineteenth-century Red Barn Murder in Suffolk, rediscovering the lost story of the murder victim, Maria Marten.
Nell Gwynn
Jessica Swale's play Nell Gwynn charts the rise of an unlikely heroine, from her roots in Coal Yard Alley to her success as Britain’s most celebrated actress, and her hard-won place in the heart of the king.
Around the World in 80 Days (stage version)
By Laura Eason Original author Jules VerneLaura Eason's celebrated adaptation of Jules Verne's classic novel, a dazzling escapade that packs in more than fifty unforgettable characters.
After Life
By Jack Thorne Original author Hirokazu Kore-edaA surreal and powerfully human look at the way we view our lives, and a haunting meditation on what it is to live – and to die.
The Railway Children (stage version)
By E. Nesbit Adapted by Mike KennyAn imaginative stage adaptation of E. Nesbit's much-loved children's classic.
Machinal
A powerful expressionist drama from the 1920s about the dependent status of women in an increasingly mechanised society, based on the true story of Ruth Snyder.
The Welkin
Lucy Kirkwood's play about a woman sentenced to hang for murder in 18th-century rural Suffolk.
Di and Viv and Rose
A warm and funny play about female friendship, crackling with wit and poignant observation.
Consent
By Nina RaineA powerful, painful, funny play about the meaning of justice and consent when two friends take opposing briefs in a rape case.
Things I Know To Be True
A complex and intense portrait of the mechanics of a family – and a marriage – through the eyes of four siblings struggling to define themselves beyond their parents' love and expectations.
Chaos
By Laura LomasA symphony of characters searching for meaning in a complicated and unstable world. Part of the 2019 National Theatre Connections Festival.
Brainstorm: The Original Playscript
And a Blueprint for Creating Your Own Production
A unique theatrical investigation into how teenagers' brains work, and why they’re designed by evolution to be the way they are.
Wendy & Peter Pan
By Ella Hickson Original author J.M. BarrieA refreshingly modern version of J.M. Barrie's much-loved story that puts the character of Wendy firmly centre stage.
The Thrill of Love
A gripping drama about Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain.
Rules for Living
By Sam HolcroftA theatrically playful, dark comedy about the unwritten rules we follow in our lives.
The IT
A darkly comic state-of-the-nation play exploring adolescent mental health and the rage within. Winner of the Best Play for Young Audiences Award at the Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards 2023.
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Amateur Productions
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