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THE: Resources for Acting: Play suggestions

Some plays that have useful scenes for two actors

The following are some suggestions for plays to look at with scenes for two actors. This list is taken from/inspired by the list in More Duologues For All Accents And Ages, and it skews a little British, but you can find similar lists in any of the books on the previous pages. This list is meant to be a starting point. Also, your instructor may have suggestions for scenes or monologues which are different than the ones listed here.

We've organized them according to the genders of the actors. We have copies of many of these plays as separate texts. Also, many of these can be found in the collections of scenes or duologues which the library owns. Look them up in the I-Share catalog, and ask at the Reference Desk if you need help!

Scenes for two men

  • Antigone, by Sophocles
  • Borderline, by Hanif Kureishi
  • Design for Living, by Noel Coward
  • The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde
  • The Jollies, by Alan Ayckbourn
  • A Laughing Matter, by April De Angelis
  • Long Day's Journey Into Night, by Eugene O'Neill
  • Mindgame, by Anthony Horowitz
  • Murmuring Judges by David Hare
  • Noises Off by Michael Frayn
  • Oroonoko by Aphra Behn
  • The Recruiting Officer by George Farquhar
  • Summerfolk by Maxim Gorky
  • The Talented Mr Ripley by Phyllis Nagy
  • Trainspotting by John Hodge

Scenes for two Women

  • Antigone by Sophocles
  • Battle Royal by Nick Stafford
  • Bondagers by Sue Glover
  • The Clink by Stephen Jeffries
  • Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean by Ed Graczyk
  • Damsels in Distress: GamePlan by Alan Ayckbourn
  • Have You Seen Zandile? by Gcina Mhlophe
  • Like a Virgin by Gordon Steel
  • Love on the Dole by Ronald Gow and Walter Greenwood
  • A Lovely Day Tomorrow by Ellen Dryden
  • The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Jay Presson Allen
  • Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
  • A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
  • Summerfolk by Maxim Gorky (Nick Dear version)

Scenes for one Man and one Woman

  • Afterplay by Brian Friel
  • Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward
  • The Country Wife by William Wycherley
  • Damsels in Distress: FlatSpin by Alan Ayckbourn
  • Haunting Dora by Jean Marlow and Eamonn Jones
  • The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
  • A Laughing Matter by April De Angelis
  • Mother Clap’s Molly House by Mark Ravenhill
  • Oroonoko by Aphra Behn
  • A Prayer for Wings by Sean Mathias
  • The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Jay Presson Allen
  • The School for Wives by Moliere
  • A Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney
  • Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
  • What the Night is For by Michael Weller