SHORT PLAY
Comedy
Comedy
There's never a good time for a couple-fight, especially during a home invasion.
And you're the invaders.
CHARACTER INFORMATION
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)
(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!”(David Lipschutz)
(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 Medlin)
READINGS & WORKSHOPS
Turn Point Theatre, United Kingdom - 2020
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
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
IMAGES
Hey Playwright
Hey Playwright
Hey Playwright
Hey Playwright
Hey Playwright
Turn Point Theatre
Turn Point Theatre
The Hive Collaborative
The Hive Collaborative
Live Arts Theatre
Live Arts Theatre
