29 January 2026

The Dialogues event was held at The Goat and Tricycle in Bournemouth from 19:00 to 22:00

Selected works

Martha Brown

By James Pope

IIn old age, Thomas Hardy thinks about Martha, a woman he saw hang in Dorchester in 1856. Trying to work, but drifting in and out of sleep, he has a vision of Martha, who tells him the story he has so badly wanted to understand throughout his life.

Nellie and the Bear behind

By Mary Collingwood Hurst

More quirky, slapstick fun with the ladies of leisure, Nellie and Sybil, as they navigate social calamities in a department store changing room.

Another Midsummer Nights Dream

By Ben Batten

A lighthearted comedy where Will and Anne, a married couple, find themselves speaking in blank verse but are unable to stop. Things only get worse when the plumber arrives.

Against the Tide

By Valerie French

A short, evocative narrative about a young girl who seeks solace and control by talking to the sea after a difficult morning at home.

Reforming the Family

By Michael Bratchford

A family drama set in Dorset, focusing on Claude, his girlfriend Rose, and his parents. The play explores generational and cultural tensions around national identity, belonging, and political change.

Mr Idaho

By Tom Ron Stone

Fun, rhyming madness with Barry - the friendly squirrel who calls himself Idaho

Sunny

By Roger Goldsmith

A poignant, character-driven drama that uses everyday domesticity to reveal deeper emotional truths about family, memory, and the complexities of love and protection.