"Craig has come along to a local hardware shop to buy a key. A simple, unassuming, functional door key. Nothing but a key. Or so he thinks.
For Craig may have bought a key before, but not from Harvey and Maurice, who in their unassuming little hardware shop do not sell JUST keys. They sell a way of life, an aspiration. Keys which mark out their owner as a person to be admired, respected, loved, even worshipped by their family and friends. Their keys make a statement about the person who owns them.
In their own unique and bygone world, every sale includes a little piece of themselves, their character, their story and their humour.
But being the epitome of those shopkeepers of yesterday, expect to enter for one thing, but leave with much, much more!
And for Craig who went in with one thing in mind, he will leave with so much more than a key. After all, according to Craig, a key is just a key, isn’t it?
Not when you’re buying it from Harvey and Maurice."
Cast
3 males.
Craig, Harvey and Maurice.
Craig is seen as a younger player and Harvey and Maurice who are brothers, clearly older as can be seen from the nature of the dialogue
It could be adapted for any gender but in the writers’ mind, it would take away from the charm and the humour of the piece.
Running time
Approx. 15 minutes
Staging
Very little, assuming this may be performed in a range of settings which may not be on a stage/in a theatre. A table as a counter would suffice with the addition of three stools or chairs. There are minimal props which are indicated in the script.
Costume is as a matter of taste/choice. Setting is present day.
There are no specific requirements for lighting and no lighting or sound effects. It could be introduced/closed with an appropriate choice of music, but this is not essential.
Use
Anything really. As part of an evening of sketches/monologues or as a standalone piece but it will probably not be long enough for a Festival. Would be at home combined with ‘The front of house manager, ‘Eulogy’ and ‘Changing #3’ to make an evening.
The piece is included in the writer's second volume of works 'The Next Ten Plays.'