List of Plays by Robert (Bob) Wallbank

Chronological list of plays by Robert Wallbank

Play Date Description Company Venue
Fortuna 1987 A companion piece to a performance of Carmina Burana. Luck and low living set in a casino Newtown High School Newtown High School
Judgement of Fred 1987 The Seven Deadly Sins in an Office. Fred must choose a winner from the seven, helped by an angel and a devil Pontdolgoch Young Farmer's Club Theatr Hafren
Reynard 1988 The adventures of a modern trickster, based on the medieval tales of Reynard the Fox Hafren Youth Theatre Theatr Hafren
Olympus PLC 1988 The Trojan War as a publicity exercise, devised by the gods to boost their worship ratings. Hafren Youth Theatre Theatr Hafren
London Bridge 1989/90 Old tales tell of burying a child in the foundations of bridges, as a sacrifice to the river gods. Woven round the nursery rhyme, the play looks at how we are prepared to sacrifice and alienate young people. See Stage review Hafren Youth Theatre Edinburgh Fringe, Theatr Hafren, Theatr Mwldan
Beowulf 1989 Music Theatre with music by Ian Morgan-Williams. Beowulf as an adventure game, with Grendel as a manipulating drug pusher. Hafren Youth Theatre Theatr Hafren
Pulcinella's Revenge 1990 Commedia del' Arte characters set loose in the world of big business where amoral rogues are the order of the day. But it does have a happy ending, for the Inamorata and Inamorato do get together! Hafren Youth Theatre Edinburgh Fringe, Theatr Hafren
Scenes from Faust 1990 Written for a production of Marlowe's Dr Faustus, this recreated some lost scenes of Faustus' foolery that were expurgated from the version that has come down to us Hafren Youth Theatre Theatr Hafren
What's the Score Boys? 1991 A cabaret piece with music by Ian Morgan Williams. Written in the wake of the first Gulf War. What turns people into terrorists? How smart are smart bombs? Hafren Youth Theatre Theatr Hafren
Jack the Giant Killer 1992 A community play with music by Ian Morgan Williams, commissioned by Theatr Hafren. Written for a large cast of all ages. Hafren Community Theatre Theatr Hafren
Life Cycle 1993/4 The story of Llew Llaw Gyffes from the Mabinogion, linked into the continuum of religious ideas invented by the human mind through the ages Hafren Youth Theatre Theatr Hafren
Beauty and the Beast 1993 A community play with music by Ian Morgan Williams, commissioned by Theatr Hafren. Written for a large cast of all ages. Although it had some pantomime elements, this is very much Music Theatre Hafren Community Theatre Theatr Hafren
The Quest 1994 The story of Parsifal, the grail, and the Fisher King unwrapping all the baggage of 2000 years of Christianity to expose the ancient gods Unperformed
Hansel and Gretel 1995 Written in the shadow of Dunblane, this is a music theatre piece for a large community cast, with music by Ian Morgan Williams commissioned by Theatr Hafren. Hafren Community Theatre Theatr Hafren
Tir Na n'Og 1996 Tir Na n’Og is based on the Irish story of Bran and Nechtan's trip to the Isles of Youth. This island is a strange cabaret where anything goes but where nothing ever changes. But no amount of debauchery can counter the excruciating boredom of living for ever. With music by Ian Morgan-Williams. Hafren Community Theatre Theatr Hafren, and 5 performances on Welsh Tour
Belle 1997 An episode in the life of George Borrow and his Romany contemporaries, when he fell in love with a workhouse girl whom he rescued from a violent tinker. Unperformed
Wild Man 2002 Wild Man is a version of the medieval Irish Romance, Suibne Geilt or Wild Sweeney. Sweeney, a successful executive, is ousted in a boardroom coup and flies wild away from modern society into a timeless natural world. When finally tamed, there is nothing left to do but die. Scratch Theatre Aberystwyth Arts centre, Newtown May Festival and 6 further venues around Mid Wales and the Borders
Something that Happened Just South of Solitude 2003/4 This is a study of the writing of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. An unruly teenager, Ceri, forced to study the book meets Steinbeck whilst he is writing it. The characters pour from his imagination, and the Girl is drawn into the drama, finally taking on the part of Curley's Wife. Theatr Powys Duke's theatre, Lancaster and 15+ performances on tour of Welsh secondary schools
Goose 2003 A Goose takes with her on migration a Cost Benefit Analyst and his wife from middle England, and a Goose Biologist who has shamanic tendencies. The Cost Benefit Analyst is proposing the building of a new airport on Thames mudflats, and he remains set in his ways, despite flying across northern Europe and man's destruction of it since the ice ages. Scratch Theatre Newtown May Festival, Ludlow Assembly rooms and 6 further venues around Mid Wales and the Borders
Hide or Seek 2003 Another working of the Parsifal story. A girl lives innocently in the forest with her mother. Finding a dead bird leads her on a quest for meaning into the wild world with a dancing Wanderer, a Knight, and a Man-of-the-World. She finds the grail at her second attempt in a birds egg - the answer to death. Unperformed
Animal 2005 Two women are waiting for the last train ever, accompanied by a station announcer who reads Walt Whitman over the tannoy. One prefers life as a rabbit to life as a human, and the other prefers to control. They are both too busy destroying each other to notice that the last train ever has left and there is no future for humanity Scratch Theatre Newtown May Festival (many performances)
Grey Seal Cut Stone 2005/6 This is set off the West Coast of Ireland towards the end of the potato famine. A jetty is to be built on a remote island to provide famine relief work, and an engineer and his son arrive, bringing with them the scientific ideals of the Industrial Revolution to an island where myth and reality are simply part of the continuum of everyday life. Theatr Powys Theatr Hafren, Llanover Hall, Carad, Rhader and 20 other venues around Wales
The Jetty 2007 A version of Grey Seal Cut Stone that concentrates more on the characters of the engineer's son and a local girl. Written for radio Unperformed
Hare 2008 A short play for pub venues concerning a hare that hops in off the hill and is mistaken by the publican for his wife Scratch Theatre Great Oak Cafe, Llanidloes

HOME PAGE

Play	Date	Description	Company	Venue
*Fortuna*	1987	A companion piece to a performance of Carmina Burana. Luck and low living set in a casino	Newtown High School	Newtown High School
*Judgement of Fred*	1987	The Seven Deadly Sins in an Office. Fred must choose a winner from the seven, helped by an angel and a devil	Pontdolgoch Young Farmer's Club	Theatr Hafren
*Reynard*	1988	The adventures of a modern trickster, based on the medieval tales of Reynard the Fox	Hafren Youth Theatre	Theatr Hafren
*Olympus PLC*	1988	The Trojan War as a publicity exercise, devised by the gods to boost their worship ratings.	Hafren Youth Theatre	Theatr Hafren
*London Bridge*	1989/90	Old tales tell of burying a child in the foundations of bridges, as a sacrifice to the river gods. Woven round the nursery rhyme, the play looks at how we are prepared to sacrifice and alienate young people. See Stage review	Hafren Youth Theatre	Edinburgh Fringe, Theatr Hafren, Theatr Mwldan
*Beowulf*	1989	Music Theatre with music by Ian Morgan-Williams. Beowulf as an adventure game, with Grendel as a manipulating drug pusher.	Hafren Youth Theatre	Theatr Hafren
*Pulcinella's Revenge*	1990	Commedia del' Arte characters set loose in the world of big business where amoral rogues are the order of the day. But it does have a happy ending, for the Inamorata and Inamorato do get together!	Hafren Youth Theatre	Edinburgh Fringe, Theatr Hafren
*Scenes from Faust*	1990	Written for a production of Marlowe's Dr Faustus, this recreated some lost scenes of Faustus' foolery that were expurgated from the version that has come down to us	Hafren Youth Theatre	Theatr Hafren
*What's the Score Boys?*	1991	A cabaret piece with music by Ian Morgan Williams. Written in the wake of the first Gulf War. What turns people into terrorists? How smart are smart bombs?	Hafren Youth Theatre	Theatr Hafren
*Jack the Giant Killer*	1992	A community play with music by Ian Morgan Williams, commissioned by Theatr Hafren. Written for a large cast of all ages.	Hafren Community Theatre	Theatr Hafren
*Life Cycle*	1993/4	The story of Llew Llaw Gyffes from the Mabinogion, linked into the continuum of religious ideas invented by the human mind through the ages	Hafren Youth Theatre	Theatr Hafren
*Beauty and the Beast*	1993	A community play with music by Ian Morgan Williams, commissioned by Theatr Hafren. Written for a large cast of all ages. Although it had some pantomime elements, this is very much Music Theatre	Hafren Community Theatre	Theatr Hafren
*The Quest*	1994	The story of Parsifal, the grail, and the Fisher King unwrapping all the baggage of 2000 years of Christianity to expose the ancient gods	Unperformed
*Hansel and Gretel*	1995	Written in the shadow of Dunblane, this is a music theatre piece for a large community cast, with music by Ian Morgan Williams commissioned by Theatr Hafren.	Hafren Community Theatre	Theatr Hafren
*Tir Na n'Og*	1996	Tir Na n’Og is based on the Irish story of Bran and Nechtan's trip to the Isles of Youth. This island is a strange cabaret where anything goes but where nothing ever changes. But no amount of debauchery can counter the excruciating boredom of living for ever. With music by Ian Morgan-Williams.	Hafren Community Theatre	Theatr Hafren, and 5 performances on Welsh Tour
*Belle*	1997	An episode in the life of George Borrow and his Romany contemporaries, when he fell in love with a workhouse girl whom he rescued from a violent tinker.	Unperformed
*Wild Man*	2002	Wild Man is a version of the medieval Irish Romance, Suibne Geilt or Wild Sweeney. Sweeney, a successful executive, is ousted in a boardroom coup and flies wild away from modern society into a timeless natural world. When finally tamed, there is nothing left to do but die.	Scratch Theatre	Aberystwyth Arts centre, Newtown May Festival and 6 further venues around Mid Wales and the Borders
*Something that Happened Just South of Solitude*	2003/4	This is a study of the writing of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. An unruly teenager, Ceri, forced to study the book meets Steinbeck whilst he is writing it. The characters pour from his imagination, and the Girl is drawn into the drama, finally taking on the part of Curley's Wife.	Theatr Powys	Duke's theatre, Lancaster and 15+ performances on tour of Welsh secondary schools
*Goose*	2003	A Goose takes with her on migration a Cost Benefit Analyst and his wife from middle England, and a Goose Biologist who has shamanic tendencies. The Cost Benefit Analyst is proposing the building of a new airport on Thames mudflats, and he remains set in his ways, despite flying across northern Europe and man's destruction of it since the ice ages.	Scratch Theatre	Newtown May Festival, Ludlow Assembly rooms and 6 further venues around Mid Wales and the Borders
*Hide or Seek*	2003	Another working of the Parsifal story. A girl lives innocently in the forest with her mother. Finding a dead bird leads her on a quest for meaning into the wild world with a dancing Wanderer, a Knight, and a Man-of-the-World. She finds the grail at her second attempt in a birds egg - the answer to death.	Unperformed
*Animal*	2005	Two women are waiting for the last train ever, accompanied by a station announcer who reads Walt Whitman over the tannoy. One prefers life as a rabbit to life as a human, and the other prefers to control. They are both too busy destroying each other to notice that the last train ever has left and there is no future for humanity	Scratch Theatre	Newtown May Festival (many performances)
*Grey Seal Cut Stone*	2005/6	This is set off the West Coast of Ireland towards the end of the potato famine. A jetty is to be built on a remote island to provide famine relief work, and an engineer and his son arrive, bringing with them the scientific ideals of the Industrial Revolution to an island where myth and reality are simply part of the continuum of everyday life.	Theatr Powys	Theatr Hafren, Llanover Hall, Carad, Rhader and 20 other venues around Wales
*The Jetty*	2007	A version of Grey Seal Cut Stone that concentrates more on the characters of the engineer's son and a local girl. Written for radio	Unperformed
*Hare*	2008	A short play for pub venues concerning a hare that hops in off the hill and is mistaken by the publican for his wife	Scratch Theatre	Great Oak Cafe, Llanidloes