Small Plays About My Day

… tiny true dramas in a Charing Cross Road bookshop

The Ghost

Neil: If you’re there, tap twice. Pause FX: Tap tap Neil: See? Sasha: Did you hear? Emily: That’s weird. Was that you? Sasha: No. Emily: Ask it again, while I’m watching Sasha. Sasha: It wasn’t me! Neil: If you’re a ghost, tap twice. Pause Emily: Maybe it’s annoyed. Sasha: Tap two times if you like [...]

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Short Film

Trendy Italian in Groucho Marx glasses: Excuse me, can I talk to the manager? Emily: Sure, I’m the manager. Trendy Italian: Would be be OK to do some filming in the shop for the short film I’m making? Emily: Possibly – what would be involved? Trendy Italian: Well, it’s a science fiction story, about a [...]

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Oxford Street

Japanese Girl: Oxford Street please? Emily: Up that way, turn left at the tube station. Japanese Girl: You show me on map, yes? Emily: OK, sure. Japanese Girl: (Taking out print-out of a Google map) This Oxford Street, yes? Where are we? Emily: (Looking at map) I don’t … where … This is a very [...]

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Book Burning

Young man in glasses: I wonder if you’d be interested in buying this book. I rescued from my mother it at Christmas. Emily: I’m afraid not, we don’t really buy single books. Young man in glasses: Oh, that’s fine, just thought it would be better than burning it. That’s what pensioners are doing now. Jan: [...]

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Booze Bandits of 1910

Aging Teddy Boy in electric-blue trench coat: Do you have a book called Boozers of 1910 ? Emily: No, I’m afraid not. I’d remember a title like that. Aging Teddy Boy: Be a great book though, wouldn’t it? Emily: Sounds like it. Aging Teddy Boy: Or Booze Bandits of 1910. Even better. Emily: So it’s not [...]

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First People

Man with scar: Do you have anything about the first people? Emily: What’s that, sorry? Man with scar: The first people who came. Emily: I… Man with scar: To England. The first people who came over. Emily: Oh I see. You could have a look downstairs, we have a British prehistory section. Man with scar: [...]

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Sea Stories

Man in Denim Jacket: Ah, hello, yes, you’ve got a book in the window, it’s called, um… it’s … Emily: Which window is it in? Man in Denim Jacket: What was it called now … Emily: It’s easiest if you tell me which window it’s in, then I can get it for you. Man in [...]

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  • "In a town like London there are always plenty of not quite certifiable lunatics walking the streets, and they tend to gravitate towards bookshops, because a bookshop is one of the few places where you can hang about for a long time without spending any money."
    George Orwell

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