widget-drama
DRAMATIC WORKS
From his teenage years until late in his life, Causley wrote plays, libretti and other kinds of drama. All those that have been published are listed here. Some of them have been performed, on-stage or on radio. Others have also been performed, but are not published. A number of the unpublished and/or unperformed works are deposited in the Causley Archive, held at the University of Exeter in the U.K. -- those also appear below.
Title
Publisher
Year
Comment
Runaway
Curwen
1936
One-act play.
The Conquering Hero
Curwen
1937
One-act play.
Benedict
Frederick Muller
1938
One-act Play. Broadcast 27 April 1939 on BBC Western Region. Cast: Michael Holloway, Sylvia Parker, Dennis Anderson, Phyllis Smale, and Hedley Goodall. No recording of this now exists.
Family Ballet
Unpublished. Held in the Causley Archive at Exeter, only.
Sometime during the 1930s.
One-act play.
Arms and the Maid
Unpublished: held in the Causley Archive at Exeter, only.
Sometime during the 1930s.
One-act play.
The Journey of the Magi: a Nativity Play in Three Acts
Francis Boutle Ltd
Written c1939-1940; published 2013, in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent)
Verse drama. Written for St. Stephen's Church in Launceston, and performed there in January 1940.
How Pleasant to Know Mrs Lear
Frederick Muller
1948
One-act play.
The Three Kings' Story
Francis Boutle Ltd
Written 1979; published 2013, in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent.
The Doctor and the Devils
Francis Boutle Ltd (in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent)
An adaptation by Causley of Dylan Thomas' (then-unproduced) screenplay, with music by Stephen McNeff, and premiered by Contact Theatre in Manchester. Later also produced at the Banff Centre School of Performing Arts, Canada, in 1984.
The Ballad of Aucassin and Nicolette
Kestrel
Begun c.1974; published in 1981.
Three-act play. Illustrated by Yvonne Gilbert; music by Stephen McNeff. Premiered by South West Music Theatre, Northcott Theatre, 1978. Broadcast by BBC Radio in 1980.
The Doctor and the Devils
Francis Boutle Ltd
Written c.1980; published 2013, in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent.
The Doctor and the Devils
Francis Boutle Ltd (in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent)
An adaptation by Causley of Dylan Thomas' (then-unproduced) screenplay, with music by Stephen McNeff, and premiered by Contact Theatre in Manchester. Later also produced at the Banff Centre School of Performing Arts, Canada, in 1984.
The Burning Boy: a Miracle Play for Music Theatre
Francis Boutle Ltd
Written c. early 1980s; published 2013, in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent.
One-act oratorio, with music by Stephen McNeff. World premiere in Launceston, 2017, by a Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra ensemble. Also performed at St Ives, 2017, and at the 2019 Three Choirs Festival.
The Gift of a Lamb: A Shepherds' Tale of the First Christmas Told as a Verse-Play for Children
Robson Books
1985
Illustrated by Shirley Phelps; music by Vera Grey. Paperback edition issued in 1980.
Jonah: a Musical Morality
Francis Boutle Ltd
Written c. late 1980s; published 2013, in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent.
Written in seven scenes, with music by William Matthias. Performed at Guildford School, July 1988.
The Emperor's New Clothes
Francis Boutle Ltd
Written c. late 1980s-1990; published 2013 (in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent).
A play in seven scenes.
The Tinderbox
Francis Boutle Ltd
Written c. late 1980s-1990, published 2013, in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent.
A play in fifteen scenes; written for and performed by Kneehigh Theatre Company.
St Jerome and the Lion: a Church Opera
Francis Boutle Ltd
Written c. early 1990s; published 2013, in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent.
Written in one scene.
Aesop: a New Opera
Francis Boutle Ltd
Written 1991; published 2013, in 'Charles Causley: Theatre Works', ed. Kent.
Opera: libretto/'book' by Causley (adapted from LeStrange's 1692 translations) , with music by Stephen McNeff. Premiered by the National Youth Music Theatre, London; also performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 1991 (Fringe First Award).