TWO MANY WITNESSES – A COURTROOM DRAMA SCRIPT IN ONE ACT
In this courtroom drama script, Bernard Wells is dissatisfied with his life as Bistro owner, especially when a school friend of his, Alex Pole, decides to expand his café across the road into a restaurant. Wells asks if he could be his partner in this venture, but Pole tells him he has Frank Horner, a beverage supplier and a friend of his as a partner.
Wells decides to get rid of the opposition. He discovers his cousin’s (Arthur Wells) passport in his flat, where Arthur had mislaid it on his last visit. After witnessing a drunken argument between Horner and Pole, where Horner threatens Pole, Wells sees his chance.
Disguised as his cousin, he pays Alex Pole a visit and kills him; he arranges beforehand that Frank Horner is away at this time, delivering goods to a fictitious customer.
At the enquiry in this courtroom drama script, Bernard disguises himself as his cousin Arthur. He bears false witness saying he saw Frank Horner leave the scene of the crime carrying the murder weapon. As Bernard Wells, he tells the court of enquiry that he saw Pole and Horner arguing inside Pole’s shop shortly before Pole was killed, therefore giving himself an alibi.
When Horner is arrested for the murder, he protests his innocence. To all intents and purposes, the case against him seems watertight, until a surprise witness appears…
Author: T. J. Edison
Genre: Drama
Type: One act play
Length: 1 hour
Number of actors: 17 actors, 12 M, 5 F
Ages of actors: Adult – twenties to fifties
Suitable for: All ages
Set: Simple – two rooms – the main play takes place in the courtroom where there is a typical courtroom laid out with a judge at a table as well as tables for the defendants and prosecutors and chairs for the witnesses and spectators. The second room is an ante room that can be anything from a simple passage to a room with a table and 2 chairs.
Level of difficulty: 6/10 – the play has a fairly steady pace throughout so maintaining audience focus is the main challenge.
This courtoom drama script is written as a full length one act play, but can easily be converted into a short two act play with an interval.
Read a sample of the script
Cost is $6 for the digital script
Contact Off The Wall Plays with any queries about Two Many Witnesses
Read other plays by T.J. Edison
Copyright November 2012 T.J. Edison and Off The Wall Play Publishers
