The Meta Plays - Paperback

by Andrew Biss (Author)

A collection of short comedic plays that take theatrical conventions on a metaphysical joyride

This unique compilation of wittily inventive short comedies can be performed by as few as 4 actors or as many as 18, all with minimal set and prop requirements. Many of these plays have gone on to receive highly successful productions around the world, garnering glowing reviews along the way.

The plays included in the collection are:

The Craft

1M/1F Approx. 10 minutes

It's Act 2, Scene 3 in another night's performance of a less-than-riveting romantic drama. As the two young leads navigate their turgid love scene, employing all their dramatic skills in an attempt to breathe life into their two-dimensional characters, another, far more gripping story is unfolding just beneath the surface. Despite a mutual loathing of each other, a devotion to the craft ensures that the show will go on; but the inner dialogues that play out inside each of them reveal a far different narrative than the one being played out on the stage.

A Flawed Character

2 Any Age/Race/Gender Combination Approx. 10 minutes

The playwright creates the first character of his new play, but soon after the entire process grinds to a halt. As time marches on and the play continues to stagnate, the character's patience begins to wear thin. As frustration turns into animosity and antagonism, the playwright begins to realize that perhaps this is one relationship that was never meant to be. But what's a writer to do?

The Skewed Picture

1M/1F Approx. 10 minutes

Bob and Betty have settled in for a quiet night at home. That is, until Bob makes a startling discovery that has the potential to reshape their entire existence...or at least their living room.

Filler

1M/1F Approx. 10 minutes

Two characters come to realize that the extended scene written for them in the middle of the play has no intrinsic value, does nothing to propel the story forward, and to all intents and purposes is completely extraneous. Their raison d' tre pulled from under them, can they still maintain their credibility and sanity through several pages of what's little more than filler?

The Curious Art of Critique

2M/1F Approx. 15 minutes

When reaction to his work on a new drama appears tepid at best, the director decides he must tackle the problem head-on and root out whatever it is that's leaving the audience unmoved. One way or another, the evening seems destined to end in tears.

What's the Meta?

2 Any Age/Race/Gender Combination Approx. 10 minutes

Two written parts wait to be brought to life on a stage. One of them, however, is found to be mired in a crisis of self-worth due to the size and quality of their role. The larger, more developed part must then attempt to convince its smaller counterpart of just how necessary they both are to the production that is soon to begin, and of the true and indisputable collaborative nature of theatre.

A Rebel Among the Wretched

1M/2F Approx. 10 minutes

A celebrated, multi-award winning dysfunctional family drama continues to enthrall audiences night after night. But what happens when one of the characters finally decides they've had enough doom and despair and resolves to leave the play to join...a musical?

Tacked-on Ending

2M Approx. 10 minutes

It's the end of the evening and two actors pack up their belongings and prepare to leave the theatre. While one of them felt the show went great, the other is left with the uneasy feeling that the final scene didn't quite deliver. Was his performance to blame, or was it the play's deus ex machina, which is not only highly implausible but also oddly familiar?

Author Biography

From the Royal Court Theatre in London to the Playhouse Theatre in Tasmania, the works of award-winning playwright Andrew Biss have been performed across the globe, spanning four continents. His plays have won awards on both coasts of the U.S., critical acclaim in the U.K., and quickly became a perennial sight on Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway stages. His plays and monologues are published in numerous anthologies from trade publishers Bedford/St. Martin's, Smith & Kraus, Inc., Pioneer Drama Service, and Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. Andrew is a graduate of the University of the Arts London, and a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc. For more information please visit his website at: www.andrewbiss.com