The Play of Ursula

Haworth Hodgkinson

Following the challenge of Trolleys, Haworth Hodgkinson went on to write a second play for the collaborative team of Open Door Theatre Company and Ormiston Junior Theatre. They gave the first performance at the Caird Hall, Dundee, in 1998.

The Play of Ursula continues the writer's interest in creating challenging roles for adults and children working together on equal terms. It also continues his interest in presenting challenges in the areas of casting and staging. There are 16 named roles, plus a choir, and 11,000 extras, although the stage directions give instructions on how to deal with the anticipated shortage of extras.

Following the Dundee production, the piece was revised and expanded, and this version was given a rehearsed reading at the Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, in 2003. Additional scenes involving tourist guides and slideshows have been planned, but remain to be written.