Thirty Minute Theatre

I've recently been enjoying very much the series of short plays that have been appearing around the TV schedules.


I've recently been enjoying very much the series of short plays that have been appearing around the TV schedules.

Sky Arts Playhouse Presents and the BBC's True Love have been a delight to watch.

Playhouse Presents has had no specific theme, and the stories have ranged from David Tennant's monologue on friends and family, to Richard Nixon's infamous Oval Office taped discussions with Henry Kissinger.


True Love is different in that all five plays are based in the same town and feature overlapping, powerful love stories.... and are not scripted. All dialogue is improvised.

The actors have to improvise their lines and it's making the stories all the more fascinating for knowing that. The scenes between Billie Piper and Kaya Scodelario were soooooo touching. The row between Ashley Walters and Lacey Turner so real. Who needs scripts when quality actors can improvise so well..?

I hope we see more of these short plays. More quality drama, centred around credible storylines, and fewer monotonous, routine soaps that attempt to replace real drama with unbelievable, poorly written shock themes in the hope that we won't notice.


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