John Mabey - Bump In The Night

SHORT PLAY
Comedy

There's never a good time for a couple-fight, especially during a home invasion.

And you're the invaders.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

Sarah - Female, 30s/40s, any race/ethnicity

Ben - Male, 30s/40s, any race/ethnicity

Voice (off-stage) - Any gender, any age, any race/ethnicity

THEMES

troubled marriage, burglary, second chances

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

SEMIFINALIST
Off-Broad Street Short Play Festival - 2024

OFFICIAL SELECTION - top 10 out of 430 scripts
(The Hive Collaborative, UT - 2022)

Finalist
(The Crowbait Club, ME - 2020)

Finalist
(Lake Placid Center For The Arts, NY - 2020)

REVIEWS & RECOMMENDATIONS

“BUMP IN THE NIGHT is a short-but-very-sweet play by John Mabey. As always, Mabey's writing is engaging, funny, and an absolute delight!”
(David Lipschutz)

“This is such a fun short play about getting into a marital spat at the worst possible time. Mabey’s dialogue is both realistic and absurd, taking the idea of the “little white lies” we tell when we’re first dating someone and taking them to the extreme. Easy to produce online or in a socially distanced setting, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!”
(John Bavoso)

“Crime can put stress on a relationship, especially when the lovebirds in question are the ones committing the crime. Mabey’s married couple experiences a relationship crisis mid-robbery, creating moments of rich humor and surprising depth. Laughs! Love! Larceny! This criminally comical romantic short will steal your heart.”
(Ken Preuss)

“A comedic romp with a fun twist at the end that elevates the piece from clever to hilarious. Ben and Sarah feel real in a way where I just am dying to see them brought to life on a stage.”
(NB Nightingale)

“Mabey has an excellent sense of rhythm. His crisp, clever dialogue with well-timed punchlines had me chuckling out loud numerous times. This is a charming play about the lengths we'll go to find and preserve love, and it wins bonus points for its insightful comedy. So much fun!”
(Ben Rosenblatt)

“This piece is full of unexpected, hilarious twists, right down to the final moments. Charming!”
(Elisabeth Giffin Speckman)

“A clever piece of writing with the perfect twist! Fast-paced and lots of fun! A perfect tiny play for a shorts festival!”
(Vivian Lermond)

"Run you fools. You beautiful fools" has got to be one of my favorite short play moments in a while. This play is great. The dialogue is zips back and forth in a fun way. The heroes stole my heart at once. John Mabey really knocked it out of the park with this one.”
(John Medlin)

“JOHN MABEY has created a charming moment of truth between a complicated couple. Has their whole relationship been a lie? Is there hope for a future not filled with crime? What a surprising 10 minutes.”
(Debra A. Cole)

“This had me laughing all the way through. If criminals can be adorable, Ben and Sarah are "supes adorbs!" This will be a favorite show in a festival and two actors with great chemistry will really love performing this together! ”
(Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn)

“A wickedly clever scenario, a dynamic, well-crafted couple with deep, emotionally laden secrets, and a delightful twist at the end! What's not to like in this caper comedy by John Mabey? Steal a few minutes and read it for yourself!”
(Arthur M Jolly)

“What a wonderful premise and what sublimely funny execution! This twisted romcom gives us two characters who seem to share a novel career choice, but who discover a dishonesty at the core of their working relationship. Will love conquer all? Will one or both of them change career? Will they stay out of prison? Read Bump in the Night to have these questions wittily answered.”
(Paul Donnelly)

READINGS & WORKSHOPS

Turn Point Theatre, United Kingdom - 2020

Drama WF - San Francisco, CA - 2024

PRODUCTIONS

Cone Man Running Productions, TX - 2021

Hey Playwright V-Minute Valentines festival, CA - 2021

The Hive Collaborative, UT - 2022

Lionheart Theatre Festival, Live Arts Theatre, GA - 2023

Main Street Players, FL - 2023

The Orange Players, CT - 2024

IMAGES

Hey Playwright

Turn Point Theatre

The Hive Collaborative

Live Arts Theatre

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