Hiding Straw in Haystacks

by Richard B. Smith

I m too old for all this fighting. They are going to put the allotment rent up no matter what we do. Look at the history? How many times over the years have you won? How many times have you succeeded? You lost against the Supermarket; you lost against the fortnightly bin collections. They took more policemen off the beat. They have never cleaned up that Graffiti you asked them about. There s still litter in the fields. They closed the local school. Nobody listens. It s becoming embarrassing. Bernie! Bernie might be 78 but he is not ready to hang up his banners yet. When Rasputin Cribbs, The Allotment Warden, destroys Mickey s rosebush out of spite, it s Bernie that takes up the fight; even if it means doing it on his own. The Warden s seemingly small act of aggression is the catalyst to a whole string of events that turn the community of Chissington on its head. Why does Joan have Athlete s foot? Why does Bernie steal a cement truck? Why does the Vicar scatter ashes of the Racing Post ? Why does Betty fear June? Why is Silent Harry carrying a pork pie? Why is Bernie dressed as a chicken? And why is Bernie s meeting with the Paper Girl at the war memorial so important? Seen through the eyes of Ron, this is a story about standing up for what you believe in, about doing what is right; even when others won t support you. A story full of metaphor, that doesn t patronise. A story that doesn t necessarily have the happy ending we all hoped it might. Hiding straw in Haystacks is a Comedy with a conscience ; the type of play young people should be performing in schools, a play in which young people get to play characters that are not just themselves. For a Cast of 23 young people +.

36 pages, Paperback

Published April 19, 2008