Dennis Mathis

Plays of Yore Dennis Mathis

Plays of Yore is a collection of three one act plays: A Comedy of Pregnant Women, Mayfair and The New Play Everyman. The plays are romps through medieval England, ribald, full of puns, fun to watch and even more fun to perform. This book now makes available, free of charge, these original plays to all community, non-profit theater groups. Easy to stage, utilizing minimal sets and small casts, the plays are perfect for black box theater venues or other small stage events. A Comedy of Pregnant Women, written in blank verse ala Shakespeare, follows the twisting tale of three pregnant women as they scheme to ensnare the man who impregnated them. In true Elizabethan style, the jokes are raunchy and the plot is ridiculously complicated, but the spirit is always in fun and the ending is happy. In Mayfair, we see a similar tale, but turned on its head. Three men love one woman, but in vastly different ways. The play is written in rhyming couplets and much of the fun is in the language, though the story contains a powerful moral about what love really means. Again, this tale is intended for mature audiences. The New Play Everyman is rendered in prose and modern language. But the story is a classic tale from the middle ages. This updated version of the medieval play, Everyman, has a more somber tone, but has many fine, comedic moments. This play is suitable for all ages, and, indeed, has been performed by a high school group. All three plays are uplifting comedies, reaffirming the innate compassion of human beings tossed about in a universe of folly and foibles. The world of Plays of Yore is a world of energy, engagement and, ultimately, smiles.