Eureka!: Seven One-Act Plays for Secondary Schools

David E. Kemp is a professor of drama at Queen’s University and the
author of The Pleasures and Treasures of the United Kingdom.

This is an excellent anthology for secondary schools, with selections
that offer great variety in terms of cast size and staging. The wide
range of themes and styles gives opportunity for discussion, reflection,
and follow-up writing activity.

Among the single-author plays are Dreamkeep, a series of dream
sequences in which the characters explore the present and future worlds
of aboriginal peoples in Canada; The Park, in which a principled
individual stands up to the “establishment” in an attempt to
preserve a home and a local park; and Men and Angels, in which the heir
to a fortune and a cleaning woman examine the possibility of not
pursuing one’s dreams. The anthology’s collaborative efforts include
Switching Places, a look at teenage sex, pregnancy, and parenthood; Me
’n Alfred, a portrait of a homeless man who has lost his family and
job through drinking; Wheels of Justice, an ironic depiction of
Christopher Columbus on trial for discovering America; and No Means No!,
a dramatic and emotional account of the effects of date rape on the
lives of teenagers.

For high-school drama teachers who have been frustrated by a lack of
suitable material, this anthology is a godsend. Relevant, meaningful,
challenging, and provocative, it will inspire teachers and audiences
alike. Highly recommended.