Jean-Pierre Martinez is a French playwright and scriptwriter. Born in 1955 in Auvers-sur-Oise (France). He has written 107 comedies, several of which have been translated in English. Jean-Pierre Martinez first got a taste of stage performance as a drummer in various rock bands, before becoming a semiologist in the field of advertising. Later, he worked as television scriptwriter and returned to the stage as a playwright. Today, he is among the most played contemporary playwrights in France, and several of his plays have already been translated in Spanish and English. He graduated in Spanish and English literature (Sorbonne), linguistics (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales), economics (Institut d’Études Politique de Paris) and scriptwriting (Conservatoire Européen d’Ecriture Audiovisuelle). Jean-Pierre Martinez has chosen to make the scripts of all his plays free to download on his website comediatheque.net
The texts of these plays, sketches and playlets are to free download. However, an authorization is required from the author for any public representation. To get in touch with Jean-Pierre Martinez and ask an authorization to represent one of his works CONTACT FORM
2 CHARACTERS
Running on empty
2 characters (males or females)
A journalist visits a playwright on the down and out for an interview that could launch his comeback. But in the world of theatre, appearances can be deceiving…
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The window across the courtyard
2 characters (1 male and 1 female)
An aging novelist on the brink of suicide is visited by a young woman who claims to have lost her cat. A visit that will change his life…
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New Year’s Eve at the Morgue
2 characters (1 male and 1 female)
On New Year’s Eve, a man is on duty at the Forensic Institute. One hour before midnight, a woman appears in front of him, covered only by a sheet. She doesn’t know who she is or where she comes from. And what was shaping up to be a deadly dull New Year’s Eve at the morgue turns out to be full of surprises… A comedy with multiple twists and turns, absurdly romantic and darkly humorous.
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Is there a pilot in the audience ?
2 characters (males or females)
On a plane, the director of a sensationalist magazine coincidentally meets an embalmer, who claims to have a bombshell news, making her dream of a record-braking circulation. Things get complicated because this encounter takes place on a Paris-Tokyo flight: twelve hours in confinement with no way to communicate with the outside world. Holding a scoop but being unable to publish it… A true Japanese torture!
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Euro Star
2 characters (1 male and 1 female)
A well-known film director and an ambitious actress happen to meet on the Eurostar, seated opposite each other. Both are headed to London for an audition. She is willing to do anything to land the role that will make her a star. He is drawn to her charm but is unsure about taking it further… Suddenly, the train stops in the middle of the Channel Tunnel. The breakdown trick? But in this game of trickery, he is not who she thinks he is. Nor is she who he thought she was…
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Heads or Tails
2 characters (males)
Mark and Peter are actors, who were once friends but haven’t seen each other for years after their friendship turned into a rivalry, both professionally and in their romantic lives. Now one of them has invited the other on the stage of a theatre to rebuild the friendship they lost with their youth. This attempt at a reconciliation will turn into a settling of scores before opening up the possibility of an unexpected collaboration.
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Preliminaries
2 characters (1 male and 1 female)
A man and a woman encounter each other daily at a café, discreetly observing one another from separate tables, filled with curiosity but hesitant to initiate conversation. Will they yield to the longing for a rendezvous, uncertain if reality will match their mutual fantasies? While exploring the potential of deepening their connection, they also face the inevitable narrowing of options. Holding onto the preliminary stage of their interaction means risking missing out on what truly matters.
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Last chance encounter
2 characters (1 male and 1 female)
On the platform of a suburban railway station, a man and a woman who don’t know each other are waiting for the train that will take them to the new destiny they have chosen for themselves. But this 8:30 train, which they used to take in the past, has been canceled. The next one is only three hours later. This presents them with an unlikely encounter that could potentially change the course of their lives…
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The Joker
2 characters (2 males or 2 females)
A screenwriter tackling both a creative block and a computer breakdown gets a surprise visit from a strange repairman. Everyone deserves a wild card to play for a second chance.
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The Costa Mucho Castaways
2 characters (1 male and 1 female)
Peter and Mary were strangers until their cruise ship, the Costa Mucho, was shipwrecked. After washing up on a deserted island, they realise that, as the lone survivors, they must overcome their differences in order to survive. Life is a shipwreck … and the afterlife is an offshore tax haven.
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Him and Her
Interactive Monologue
One or several couples
About the exciting adventure of living together…
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Not even Dead
One or several couples
About the exciting adventure of living together…
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3 CHARACTERS
Friday the 13th
3 characters : 1 male and 2 females
John and Christine have invited two of their friends for dinner in their London home. Natalie arrives without her husband, distraught, having just heard that the plane bringing him home crashed at sea. With the potential widow they wait with baited breath for news confirming whether her husband is among the survivors … and learn that they are the winners of that evening’s super jackpot lottery draw. From then on, the operative words are “controlling emotions”. And that is just the beginning of this eventful evening, with twists, turns and revelations galore.
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An innocent little murder
3 characters : 1 male and 2 females
Involuntary adultery can easily lead to involuntary manslaughter, but getting rid of the body of evidence is a whole different matter…
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Cheaters
3 characters : 1 male and 2 females OR 2 males and 1 female
Since his first novel was published and won the Goncourt Prize, Alexander has enjoyed a reputation as a successful author, and is reaping the benefits. He is expected at the Ministry of Culture to be awarded with the insignia of Knight of Arts and Letters. Then, he receives a visit from a stranger who could jeopardize his success…
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A simple business dinner
3 characters : 2 males and 1 female
A CEO invites a minister to dinner with the aim of getting him to sign a large contract, and hires an escort to help seal the deal. But the escort in question is filling in for a friend who led her to believe it was just a well-paid catering job. She expects to be handing out appetisers, only to find out she’s on the menu.
Naturally, nothing will go according to plan …
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Crash Zone
3 characters (males or females)
They gather at a crash site to pay tribute to their missing brother. But what truly occurred? And who exactly are they?
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Fragile, handle with care
3 characters (2 male and 1 female)
After being dumped once again, Fred swore to his best friend that no girl would sleep over at his place until the end of the year. A few months later, he is on the verge of winning his bet and the hefty cheque that came with it. But on the eve of Christmas, one is never safe from a surprise gift…
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4 CHARACTERS
Casket for two
4 characters : 2 males and 2 females
When two candidates in a local by-election cremate their spouses on election day, conditions are rife for spoiled ballots and stray bullets. Especially when the funeral director’s newly hired temp has a mind of her own…
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Strip Poker
4 characters : 2 males and 2 females
Asking the new neighbours over for dinner to get to know them: a risky move that could end up costing more than it’s worth and a perfect opportunity for a poker comedy where every player must eventually show their hand.
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Quarantine
4 characters (males or females)
Four strangers find themselves forcefully quarantined in what turns out to be an abandoned theater. Seated behind an imaginary two-way mirror, they are observed by another group of people (the audience). The allegedly contaminated strangers consider the situation. What virus are they contaminated with? What will happen to them? How and when will all this end? Little by little, we learn that this huis-clos takes place in a near future where Big Brother reigns supreme, and that the reason for this quarantine may not be entirely medically motivated.
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Lovestruck at Swindlemore Hall
4 characters : 1 male and 3 females
Desperate to regain some of her family’s lost prestige, Baroness Swindlemore von Hustlestein is in search of a rich and easily pleased suitor for her daughter, who isn’t much to look at. She thinks she has found the perfect candidate…
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Four stars
4 characters : 2 males and 2 females
Four passengers who have nothing in common are participating in a tourist trip in space. The cohabitation is going more or less smoothly until the control tower announces to them that due to an oxygen leak, they will have to be evacuated urgently. The problem is: there won’t be enough air for everyone. One of them must sacrifice themselves, otherwise they will all perish. They have one hour to find the one who will show « The Right Stuff ».
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The perfect son-in-law
4 characters : 2 males and 2 females
When you abandoned your fiancée a year ago, just days before the wedding, leaving only a post-it note on the refrigerator as an explanation, you better never come back…
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A cuckoo’s nest
4 characters : 2 males and 2 females
On the eve of Christmas, the unexpected return of a grandfather thought to be dead disrupts the routine of an ostensibly ordinary family. A zany and dark comedy about family ties. Go straight to hell… or draw a lucky card.
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Bed and Breakfast
4 characters : 2 males and 2 females
Seeking to escape the stress of Parisian life, Adam and Eve moved to an old farmhouse where they set up a bed and breakfast, to break the isolation and make ends meet. But their first couple of guests arrive, and they will soon discover that in this little corner of paradise, hell is other people…
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One marriage out of two
4 characters : 2 males and 2 females
One marriage out of two ends in divorce… That night, Steven has to tell his in-laws, who idealize him, that he is getting divorced from their daughter, whom he cheated on. It is at that moment that Mabel’s parents announce to the couple that they are giving them their house in Kensington to raise their future children. How to reignite the flame without appearing simply interested in real estate?
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Just a moment before the end of the world
4 characters (males or females)
Three people who do not know each other are summoned to participate in a jury. At least, that’s what they were told. But the place where they have been gathered is not a courtroom. They learn that they are there to decide together how to manage the consequences of an inevitable catastrophe that will strike the world in the very near future. Opinions diverge, and numerous twists and turns keep the debate alive. Throughout this immersive performance, the audience will also be called upon to express their opinions to guide them in their choices, so that they can make the best possible decision to face the worst imaginable situation.
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The smell of money
4 characters : 2 males and 2 females
Can money buy happiness? Out of self-respect, Michael, a broke painter, refuses the dirty money left to him by his father upon his disappearance in an airplane crash. But as Michael proudly rejects this inheritance from a father who abandoned him when he was five years old, his decision puts him at odds with his partner and his sister. The two women are less bothered about the origin of this unexpected fortune and both have very good reasons not to let it slip away. But who exactly is this man offering them ten million in exchange for a simple signature, and where does the money really come from? To each their own truth…
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Is there an author in the audience?
4 characters (males or females)
It’s been seven years since a health crisis caused the closure of all theatres. Three individuals, presumed to be actors, step on a stage for an audition. Unless it’s a public reading. Or it might even be the show’s opening … The problem is that they don’t have the script. The author hasn’t written it yet. They’re going to have to improvise…
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Surviving Mankind
4 characters (2 males and 2 females)
On a Planet Earth ravaged by climate change and rendered uninhabitable, mankind is living out its final hours. Two men and two women are set to take off in a spaceship for an unknown planet that might be their only chance for survival. The mission of these four « chosen ones » is to give humanity one last chance to save itself and carry on its evolution. But does mankind deserve a second chance if self-destructive madness caused its extermination? The passengers cannot agree…
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Crisis and Punishment
4, 5, 6 or 7 characters (males and/or females)
An actor ‘in between jobs’ finds work with a bank on the verge of bankruptcy, only to discover he is to be an actual scapegoat. But the nightmare is only beginning…
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Family Tree
4 characters (2 males and 2 females)
Khalid meets his fiancee Diana’s parents for the first time. Irritated by his future in-laws’ condescending attitude and their obnoxious pride for their pure-blood French ancestry they claim goes back to the Middle Ages, Khalid playfully challenges Diana to prove the authenticity of her heritage with a DNA test. They could never have foreseen the chain reaction triggered by the surprising outcome of this test …
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Is there a critic in the audience?
4 characters (males or females)
Fred and Sam have always dreamed of participating in the Avignon Festival, and finally, that dream has come true. But in Avignon, dreams can easily turn into nightmares. Right after the first performance, a harsh review discourages the audience from attending this already troubled show. Facing impending disaster, these two endearing underdogs make a daring choice – one that involves great risk. This play is a tribute to all those actors who toil in obscurity, yearning for a glimpse of the limelight, while also celebrating the remarkable power of passion that can elevate even the most profound failures into something extraordinary.
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5 CHARACTERS
All’s well that starts badly
5 characters (males or females)
Alice and Luke have been waiting for years to adopt a baby. Finally, the big day has arrived. The social worker from the Child Welfare agency is expected any minute for a final visit to assess the stability of their relationship, their motivation to adopt, and the child’s future living conditions. But disaster strikes as Alex isn’t home which risks jeopardising everything. Fred must find a way to handle this delicate situation, made worse by a sudden plumbing emergency. Unless the arrival of the plumber provides part of the solution …
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In lieu of flowers…
5 characters (males or females)
Stanley’s cremation is scheduled for 3:35 PM precisely. Only a handful of close relatives are attending the ceremony since the dearly departed left few cherished memories. But, as they say, authors live on through their work. And this funeral may just turn out to be Stanley’s greatest comedy …
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Crisis and Punishment
4, 5, 6 or 7 characters (males and/or females)
An actor ‘in between jobs’ finds work with a bank on the verge of bankruptcy, only to discover he is to be an actual scapegoat. But the nightmare is only beginning…
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King of fools
5 characters : 4M/1W, 3M/2W, 2M/3W, 1M/4W
As the presidential election approaches, a party plummeting in the polls selects a designated fool to represent them, taking on the responsibility for the impending disaster. Simultaneously, they secretly promote an outsider candidate for their supporters to rally behind after their victory. However, the fool turns out to be unpredictable… and so do the voters.
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6 CHARACTERS
Critical but Stable
6 characters (males or females)
Raymond is in a deep coma following an accident on a Boris Bike. His long lost relatives are called to his bedside to decide what to do and avoid prolonged therapeutic interventions. But this collective decision becomes even more difficult when the patient turns out not to be who everyone thought he was. And is the keeper of a secret that could make everyone very rich…
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Crisis and Punishment
4, 5, 6 or 7 actors (males and/or females)
An actor ‘in between jobs’ finds work with a bank on the verge of bankruptcy, only to discover he is to be an actual scapegoat. But the nightmare is only beginning…
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King of fools
6 characters : 5M/1W, 4M/2W, 3M/3W, 2M/4W, 1M/5W
As the presidential election approaches, a party plummeting in the polls selects a designated fool to represent them, taking on the responsibility for the impending disaster. Simultaneously, they secretly promote an outsider candidate for their supporters to rally behind after their victory. However, the fool turns out to be unpredictable… and so do the voters.
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7 CHARACTERS
Crisis and Punishment
4, 5, 6 or 7 actors (males and/or females)
An actor ‘in between jobs’ finds work with a bank on the verge of bankruptcy, only to discover he is to be an actual scapegoat. But the nightmare is only beginning…
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The Jackpot
7, 8, 9 or 10 actors (males and/or females)
Following a hearse accident, the arrival in a typical French café of a coffin, which turns out to contain a winning lottery ticket, provides the pretext for a highly spirited comedy.
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Save Our Savings
7 actors (males and/or females)
Six mysterious characters are stranded on an island due to a ferry strike. They all have a good reason to want to return to the mainland as soon as possible. They board a fishing boat operated by an improvised smuggler. But the price to pay for this crossing will be higher than expected… A humorous fable about the flaws of our society.
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8 CHARACTERS
Welcome aboard
8 characters (males or females)
« Age doesn’t matter, unless you are a cheese » said Kim Kardashian quoting Luis Buñuel. Life is like a cruise on the Titanic: whether you’re nibbling canapes on the top deck or slurping soup in the hold, at the end of the day we’re all destined to feed the fishes. So, as we wait for the inevitable iceberg, those of us who still can, might as well sit back, enjoy the orchestra and the sound of ice clinking in our glasses. A comedy laced with black humour throughout. The first metaphysical sitcom where the action takes place in an assisted living facility.
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Check to the kings
8 characters (males and/or females)
Politics often resembles a ruthless game of chess, devoid of moral considerations. Whether playing as the white or black pieces, the ultimate goal for each side is to conquer and eliminate the other, leaving only a solitary king on the board. This absurd game concludes with the opponent’s defeat, bringing the entire game to an end, only to set the stage for a potential rematch. Such is the theme explored in this dark comedy, where the king, queen, and their conniving contenders spare no pawns in their quest for victory. It serves as a tragicomic portrayal of the excesses that those infected with the political virus can indulge in…
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The performance is not cancelled
8 characters (males and/or females)
The performers of a failing theatre company are minutes away from taking the stage to perform a play about Molière’s last hours. But nothing is ready and more problems keep coming. And then the box office takings disappear … Should they cancel the performance, putting the final nail in the coffin of their theatre company already on the brink of bankruptcy? Or should they carry on with the play, no matter what?
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The Jackpot
7, 8, 9 or 10 actors (males and/or females)
Following a hearse accident, the arrival in a typical French café of a coffin, which turns out to contain a winning lottery ticket, provides the pretext for a highly spirited comedy.
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False Exit
8, 9 or 10 actors (males and/or females)
Jack has organised a small gathering to honour the ashes of his recently departed grandfather. However, due to a mistake by the Funeral Services, his own name appears on the obituary…
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Stories and Prehistories
8 actors (4 males and 4 females)
Set during prehistoric times that might well be yet to come, Newanderthals and Bohosapiens live together in perfect harmony. But two human species… isn’t that at least one too many?
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9 CHARACTERS
The Jackpot
7, 8, 9 or 10 actors (males and/or females)
Following a hearse accident, the arrival in a typical French café of a coffin, which turns out to contain a winning lottery ticket, provides the pretext for a highly spirited comedy.
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False Exit
8, 9 or 10 actors (males and/or females)
Jack has organised a small gathering to honour the ashes of his recently departed grandfather. However, due to a mistake by the Funeral Services, his own name appears on the obituary…
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10 CHARACTERS
The worst village in England
10 characters (males or females)
The last survivors of a dying village, forsaken by God and bypassed by the motorway, decide to take matters into their own hands and create an event that will drive traffic to their village. But it’s not easy to turn the worst village in England into the next must-see tourist attraction…
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False Exit
8, 9 or 10 actors (males and/or females)
Jack has organised a small gathering to honour the ashes of his recently departed grandfather. However, due to a mistake by the Funeral Services, his own name appears on the obituary…
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White Coats, Dark Humour
10, 11, 12 or 13 actors (males and/or females)
The hospital was almost perfect… The crime too. A darkly humorous detective comedy.
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11 to 14 CHARACTERS
Miracle at Saint Mary Juana Abbey
11 to 14 characters (males and/or females)
The abbey’s gift shop, which funds the nuns’ charity work, is seeing a decline in sales: the abbey’s famous Saint Mary Juana’s Holy Elixir, a concoction claiming to cure all ailments, is no longer a best seller. That is, until an enterprising nun decides to improve the recipe with a mysterious plant. The potion’s renewed success is incredible. Could it be Saint Mary Juana’s latest miracle?
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White Coats, Dark Humour
10, 11, 12 or 13 actors (males and/or females)
The hospital was almost perfect… The crime too. A darkly humorous detective comedy.
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SKETCH COMEDY
Him and Her
Interactive Monologue
One or several couples
About the exciting adventure of living together…
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Open Hearts
Many different characters (males or females)
In a café across the street from a hospital, a decidedly odd landlord serves and observes the fate of his customers looking for hearts to steal … for a transplant or even a relationship.
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Stories To Die For
Many different characters (males or females)
Sketches… to die of laughter
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SHORT STORIES
17 short stories
The art of making a long story short…
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