About the Play:

Cagebirds is a one-act drama by David Campton. The caged birds are happy living their secluded life that the Mistress has created for them. Then when the Mistress throws in another "bird" called the Wild One who believes in freedom and looks as the cage that they live in as just that something that cages your freedom. Cagebirds can be – and often is – performed as a stand-alone one-act (popular choice for high schools), but has been performed together with Us And Them to create a full evening of entertainment.

Cagebirds is the allegorical story of what happens when routine is shattered and the outside world demands that a decision must be made. In this extraordinary play, a "room" and a "cage" and "people" and "captive birds" all become confused until a dramatic climax in which we suddenly see reality. Six women live in a locked room, each absorbed in her own petty interest and in placating the "Mistress" who takes care of them. Then a "Wild One" is thrust in among them. She talks of breaking out of the room to find freedom. She troubles the others who remain secure in their cage, and they all join against her in the shattering conclusion to this unforgettable play that offers eight actresses an unusual opportunity.

Cagebirds is an absurdist classic that is shamefully not as well-known or acclaimed as it should be. Written in 1971 the original production was considered revolutionary. The play still frequently appears in fringe and high school festivals.

Cast: 8 female

About the Playwright:

David Campton (1924-2006) was a prolific British dramatist who wrote plays for the stage, radio, and cinema for thirty-five years. One of the most prolific playwrights of the late 20th century, he is a rarity in that he best known for his one-act plays. His vast output of over 120 scripts has long been regular features of drama festivals worldwide; indeed some of his titles are still regularly performed in schools today.