Plays for Young People (12-18 years)
This section lists plays that are especially suited to young people aged 12 and above, for reading, study or performance. Please note that some of the plays included here contain adult language and/or tackle challenging issues. We're always happy to advise on the suitability of any of our plays: send us an email at info@nickhernbooks.co.uk, or call us on 020 8749 4953.
See also Plays for children (under 12 years)
Peter Pan (stage version)
An enchanting adaptation of J.M. Barrie's children's classic, with songs by Vikki Stone. Premiered at Rose Theatre, Kingston.
Philip Pullman's Grimm Tales (stage version)
Adapted by Philip Wilson Original author Philip Pullmanfirst set: 4f 4m, doubling; second set 8f 8m doubling (entire script offers roles for 42f and 100m)A deliciously dark version of the Grimm Tales, from master storyteller Philip Pullman.
Picnic at Hanging Rock (stage version)
By Joan Lindsay Adapted by Tom Wright5fA chilling adaptation of Joan Lindsay's classic novel about the disappearance of three Australian schoolgirls in the summer of 1900.
Pig Heart Boy (stage version)
By Malorie Blackman Adapted by Winsome Pinnock3f 3m doubling (up to 17 roles)Malorie Blackman's celebrated novel about a boy in need of a heart transplant, adapted for the stage by Winsome Pinnock. First performed in 2025 at the Unicorn Theatre, London, before touring the UK.
The Playhouse Apprentice
Flexible, mixed cast (minimum 5f 5m, very large cast possible)An exhilarating and hilarious historical drama set in Elizabethan London, about theatre, bravery and how a little voice can make a big difference. Part of the Nick Hern Books Multiplay Drama series featuring large-cast plays specifically written to be performed by young people.
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)
By Isobel McArthur Original author Jane Austen5f with specified doublingA loving and irreverent all-female adaptation of Jane Austen's unrivalled literary classic, winner of the Best Entertainment or Comedy Play at the Olivier Awards.
Princess & The Hustler
4f 3mA play about a cheeky 10-year-old with a plan to win the Weston-super-Mare Beauty Contest, against the backdrop of Black British Civil Rights marches in 1960s Bristol.
Pronoun
By Evan Placey5f 4m, 5 f or mA love story about transition, testosterone, and James Dean - commissioned as part of the 2014 National Theatre Connections Festival and premiered by youth theatres across the UK.
The Railway Children (stage version)
By E. Nesbit Adapted by Mike Kenny5f 6m, doubling (6f 9m possible)An imaginative stage adaptation of E. Nesbit's much-loved children's classic.
The Real Estate
18-21f 14-18mA sharply observed, epic play combining elements of social realism and satire, which asks: who do our homes really belong to, and who gets to tell our stories? In the Multiplay Drama series.
Rebellious Women
7-8f 5-6m plus extrasAn impassioned, unsentimental and sharp-witted play about the Suffragette cause, with rich opportunities for schools, youth theatres and drama societies who want to tell the story of a group of extraordinary women who changed the world.
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Amateur Productions
On Now & Coming SoonBill Bryson, Adapted by Tim WhitnallFin KennedyAmanda WhittingtonAlexandra Wood, Adapted from Kate SummerscaleAmanda WhittingtonHenrik Ibson, Adapted by Richard EyreTom WellsJeremy Sams, Original authors John Esmonde and Bob Larbey