Ten Minute plays

Someone recently - a frustrated playwright I guess - asked what was the use of a ten minute play - who would want to watch a ten minute play?
Well, I've been entering a Ten Minute Play competition called Pint Sized Plays in Pembrokeshire for last four years and absolutely loving the challenge of writing a piece that fits into a five to ten minute slot and can be performed with little or no set with a small cast..( I've just submitted my entries for this year.)
Admittedly I have been very lucky and was a finalist over the past three years; with my first play winning the accolade of Pint Mug (ie First Prize) and last year winning third prize. So what? you might ask. No money just kudos. Well, one of my plays was performed in Sydney, Australia this year (Look at a previous blog); and another had a further performance over the New year and I got paid for that.(okay it bought a couple of pints but it's a start!)
But you're right in thinking, I'm never going to make my fortune with them; but it's short sighted to say that they don't have a place in amateur theatre as the collection of my shorts done by Solva Amateur Dramatic Society this last March proved.
But also think of how they can be used to test new directors - quickly over and another one the way if it's a disaster - and for actors a star role every time, as usually these pieces have small casts and therefore need an intense and disciplined form of acting. You haven't got much time to establish your character and its place in the way of things, before the action takes over and you're heading for the dénouement.
And then there are the schools looking for short pieces for their drama clubs and performances in class.
It's a short sighted reaction to say that the Ten Minute Play doesn't have a place in theatre - just as the One Act play was not supposed to be popular and therefore not done - look at the number of plays done for the various One Act Play Festivals up and down the country, before you get too high on your high horse.
No, what we should be doing is looking to have more play festivals like the one in Pembrokeshire - and if you don't believe me look at the Short and Sweet web site in Australia www.shortandsweet.org and be amazed at how popular that is!. These plays have been growing in popularity in America for the past thirty five years we're just a bit slow to catch on.
Oh and look at the whole of the Granny Case before making a judgement: