Poppies

by Jim Spencer Broadbent & Johnjoe Irwin

Winner Best Writing Award 2026

A sharp, funny and politically charged two-hander about friendship, identity, history and the things we inherit without always understanding them.

Jim is English. Johnjoe is Irish. They are best friends. They live together, drink tea together, take the piss out of each other and talk late into the night about everything they have in common — and everything they do not.

Then Jim says he wants to wear a poppy.

What begins as a conversation between two mates quickly spirals into a fast, funny and increasingly surreal exploration of Britishness, Irishness, masculinity, memory, colonialism, grief, pride and the strange emotional weight carried by a small paper flower.

Moving between naturalistic friendship, direct address and heightened theatrical satire, Poppies asks what happens when political symbols become personal, when history enters the living room, and when two people who love each other find themselves on opposite sides of a conversation neither of them can escape.

“Beautiful piece of work”
★★★★ The Peg

“The play engages the audience with debate, humour and thought-provoking writing”
★★★★ Theatre Weekly

“Beautifully rich writing. An acutely observed story of belonging and relevance, told with authenticity and power – unmissable.”
★★★★★ Broadway Baby

“An entertaining triumph that forces the audience to confront their latent biases.”
★★★★ London Fringe Theatre Reviews

Perfect for

• Actors and performers looking for a bold two-hander with pace, humour, emotional range and direct audience engagement.
• Drama schools and students exploring political theatre, devised-style performance, contemporary writing, direct address and shifts between realism and surrealism.
• Theatre companies and fringe producers seeking a small-cast play with minimal staging, big ideas and a strong audience conversation.
• Teachers and lecturers teaching contemporary drama, identity, masculinity, British and Irish history, postcolonial themes, political symbols, satire and friendship on stage.

CAST: 2
DURATION: 75 minutes

The play was originally performed with a minimal set: a sofa, two mannequins, four white boxes, custard creams and flowers.

All Salamander Street plays are available to buy for study or performance, and copies can be ordered in bulk. To enquire about performance rights, educational use, bulk orders or outreach use, please contact Salamander Street.