All-Age Sketches for the Christian Year

Peter Shaw

From: The Church Times 7 March 2008

 All-Age Sketches for the Christian Year are written by Peter Shaw. The book contains 20 short dramas, each associated with a Christian festival, or an event in church life such as Christian Aid week. None of the dramas need more than four performers; and a brief introduction to each gives the biblical background, sermon ideas, and staging hints.

From: The Methodist Recorder, 20 September 2007

There are many occasions when a quick sketch or piece of thoughtful drama can prove highly effective and memorable when trying to get across a serious point. For those churches with a decent drama group and searching for good material, All-Age Sketches for the Christian Year will prove a real find.

It contains 20 ten-minute amusing, fast and thought-provoking drama sketches (with permission to photocopy) designed to throw fresh light on popular celebrations and delight audiences of young and old. In addition to all the major Christian festivals, there are sketches for Father’s Day and New Year, Christian Aid week and the week of prayer for Christian unity. There is a brief introduction to each sketch, a Bible reference and background information together with sermon ideas and performance tips. This is a useful resource providing an excellent and imaginative way to dramatise the Christian year.

From: Richard Burge, Children and Youth Coordinator, Diocese of Wakefield

This will be one of those books people look in first for inspiration at all times of the year. Twenty sketches, all with achievable cast lists, each one with good scripts, fun and humour. Epiphany camels called Humphrey and Quasimodo give a flavour of the groans that will be generated when these sketches are acted out.

From: The Good Bookstall - March 2007

Looking for a sketch for Candlemas Sunday? Mothering Sunday? The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity? How about something to launch a mission week, or to mark harvest festival? Look no further: this book is for you! Entertaining and thought provoking, these sketches will make you laugh, wince and think! They're easy to perform, don't require a cast of thousands, and each one comes complete with a Bible backdrop, sermon prompt and directions on staging and props. 'Candles in the Bin,' 'Fathers Anonymous' and 'Be the Centre' were highlights for me!

Reviewed by Samantha Luscombe

From: Tricia Elson, Youth & Children’s Administrator, Diocese of Norwich

All-age Sketches for the Christian Year by Peter Shaw will be welcomed by anyone searching for a pertinent but amusing sketch for key times in the Christian calendar. The 20 sketches are for an all-age audience but not for a very young cast; most need only a few characters but they need to be good readers. Some excellent scripts and well worth a look.

From: Diocese of St Albans newsletter - Summer 2007

The examples contained in the sketch about the Trinity were simple. Using everyday familiar items (a three-legged stool, a musical triangle and an ordinary Jaffa cake), the essence of this deep theological conundrum was de-mystified. There was humour in the contrast between the two protagonists – the somewhat bumbling apparent ignoramus stumbling across the correct answers and thus bursting the bubble of pride and conceit of the allegedly superior character searching for theological truths.

Reviewed by Eileen Bigg, Schools Secretary

From: The Wey, newsletter of the Diocese of Guildford - March 2007
Fresh ideas for portrayal of familiar scenes
Sketches including How clean is your mind? (for Ash Wednesday) and Who’s been sleeping in my manger? (for Christmas) are published in a new book produced for congregations by a Christian Surrey playwright.

In All-Age Sketches for the Christian Year, Peter Shaw, who lives in Walton-on-Thames and worships at Molesey Community Church, provides 20 easy-to-perform sketches for major festivals and popular celebrations.

The book presents a quirky slant and fresh look at familiar festivals. Each sketch comes with a brief introduction and Bible reference to set the scene and takes less than ten minutes to perform. Tips for simple props are also provided for the sketches which are designed to entertain but stimulate thought.

Education officer for the Riding Lights Theatre Company, Paul Birch, writes in the foreword: “This book has a wealth of short, accessible but challenging pieces for the whole year…audiences will enjoy the wit and imagination of these 20 mini-dramas but will also have some food for thought.”

Peter is currently employed as a writer for the YMCA. He has an extensive background in drama both in and outside the church and has a Master’s degree in playwriting.

Click on the cover of the book to see further information or to purchase.