Toil and Trouble by Lauren Gunderson

(5)
Productions (17)
Black Comedy
|
80 - 90 minutes
1 W, 2 M, 
Content Notes: Some adult language.
Set: One room, a scooter, blood.

Underemployed friends Adam, Matt and Beth are desperate to beat the recession any way they can--like combining forces to take over a small island in South America. But when a fortune cookie tells Matt that he will rule and Beth gets a little too handy with a dagger, plans go awry. This hilarious adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth pits friend against friend, ambition against fate, pet-sitting against miniature vicuna mogul-dom.

Pricing Information

Min. Performance Fee* $85
Standard Edition $13.99
eScript Digital Edition $17.5
Stage Manager Edition $24.99
Archival Video License $150

*The per performance fee begins at $85. Your per performance fee will be provided during the ordering process.

eScript Digital editions when purchased as a retail item cannot be printed or downloaded. They are for reading on personal computer, or tablet devices (phones, iPads, Kobo, Sony, etc.). It can viewed on up to 5 individual devices. When an escript is purchased as part of a license, please email [email protected] to receive your printable PDF.


Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

Play Details

Underemployed friends Adam, Matt and Beth are desperate to beat the recession any way they can--like combining forces to take over a small island in South America. But when a fortune cookie tells Matt that he will rule and Beth gets a little too handy with a dagger, plans go awry. This hilarious adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth pits friend against friend, ambition against fate, pet-sitting against miniature vicuna mogul-dom.

NOTE: This is the 2nd play in the Shakespeare Cycle, a series of contemporary comedies based on Shakespeare's plays. See Exit, Pursued by a Bear and The Taming for the other plays in this series.

  • Black Comedy
  • |
  • 80 - 90 minutes
  • 1 W, 2 M, 
  • Content Notes: Some adult language.
  • Set: One room, a scooter, blood.
  • Standard Edition ISBN: 978-1-62384-218-5

Published Reviews

"An uproarious, modern-day comedy."

Natalie Reyes, The Daily Californian

"Toil and Trouble is laugh-out-loud weird."

The Daily Californian

"Gunderson makes a strong case that hubris, greed, lust for power, and just plain lust never go out of style."

Jackie Demaline, Cincinnati Enquirer

"Local playwright Lauren Gunderson has a knack for making the problems of flibbertigibbets look both loathsomely silly and cosmically weighty."

Lily Janiak, San Francisco Weekly

Production History

FEB 02, 2024 - MAR 03, 2024
Yellow Tree Theatre
Osseo, MN United States
Yellow Tree Theatre Osseo, MN United States
SEP 15, 2023 - OCT 01, 2023
Theatre of Dare
Kitty Hawk, NC United States
Theatre of Dare Kitty Hawk, NC United States
APR 07, 2023 - APR 09, 2023
Blue Ridge Community College
Weyers Cave, VA United States
Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave, VA United States
NOV 17, 2022 - NOV 19, 2022
Columbia Basin College
Pasco, WA United States
Columbia Basin College Pasco, WA United States
OCT 21, 2022 - OCT 22, 2022
NA
Helena, MT United States
NA Helena, MT United States
SEP 23, 2021 - OCT 02, 2021
Mad Rogues
Milwaukee, WI United States
Mad Rogues Milwaukee, WI United States
FEB 27, 2021 - FEB 27, 2021
Valley Center Stage
North Bend, WA United States
Valley Center Stage North Bend, WA United States
NOV 07, 2019 - NOV 08, 2019
Blinn College - Bryan Campus
Bryan, TX United States
Blinn College - Bryan Campus Bryan, TX United States
OCT 16, 2019 - OCT 17, 2019
Blinn College - Bryan Campus
Bryan, TX United States
Blinn College - Bryan Campus Bryan, TX United States
OCT 07, 2019 - OCT 07, 2019
Southwest Shakespeare Company
Mesa, AZ United States
Southwest Shakespeare Company Mesa, AZ United States
APR 26, 2019 - APR 28, 2019
Town & Gown Players
Athens, GA United States
Town & Gown Players Athens, GA United States
OCT 09, 2017 - OCT 15, 2017
UW-Whitewater Theatre/Dance Dept.
Whitewater, WI United States
UW-Whitewater Theatre/Dance Dept. Whitewater, WI United States
AUG 22, 2015 - AUG 29, 2015
Substitute Theatre
Seattle, WA United States
Substitute Theatre Seattle, WA United States
MAY 14, 2015 - MAY 30, 2015
M&D Productions
North Conway, NH United States
M&D Productions North Conway, NH United States
MAR 28, 2014 - MAR 30, 2014
Bentley School
Lafayette, CA United States
Bentley School Lafayette, CA United States
JUL 26, 2013 - AUG 24, 2013
Know Theatre of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH United States
Know Theatre of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH United States
NOV 01, 2012 - DEC 08, 2012
Impact Theatre
Berkeley, CA United States
Impact Theatre Berkeley, CA United States
No upcoming productions.
FEB 02, 2024 - MAR 03, 2024
Yellow Tree Theatre
Osseo, MN United States
Yellow Tree Theatre Osseo, MN United States
JUL 26, 2013 - AUG 24, 2013
Know Theatre of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH United States
Know Theatre of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH United States
NOV 01, 2012 - DEC 08, 2012
Impact Theatre
Berkeley, CA United States
Impact Theatre Berkeley, CA United States

Archival Video License

Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License to add to your order for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

This allows you to record one of your live performances for your internal archives only. This cannot be streamed.

For more information, please reach out to [email protected]

eScript Details

eScript Digital Editions cannot be printed or downloaded. They are for reading on personal computer or tablet devices (phones, iPads, Kobo, Sony, etc.) It can viewed on up to 5 individual devices.

You do not need to download any additional program to view your eScript. They will become available in your account on Playscripts.com after payment has been made. For more information on eScripts, please visit our Help page.