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FAQs
Performing Rights (General/Plays)
Submitting a Manuscript for Consideration
Is your website secure?
Yes. Our site has a SSL certificate which means it uses the industry standard Secure Socket Layer encryption to ensure that all data passed between the web server and browser remains private and integral, offering the best security for credit/debit card and personal details.
I don’t want to buy online / I would prefer to pay by card or cheque and send an order to you via fax or conventional mail. Is there an order form on the website that I can download and complete?
Yes, if you would like to use our order form it is available in pdf format (you will need Adobe Reader to access it). Please click here to download the form.
Only certain playscripts and theatre books seem to be available to buy online. What if the title I want isn't one of them?
At present we are only selling online plays which we publish and/or handle for amateur performance in the British Isles. However, our Theatre Bookshop in London stocks a comprehensive range of playscripts currently in print in the English language. Similary, the Bookshop also stocks a wide range of books on all aspects of theatre (see Theatre Books Lists), although only a small selection is available to buy online. If the title you want isn't available to purchase online, or you can't find the title you're looking for, please go to our online ordering service where you can send an enquiry and we'll email back to you details of the price and availability.
Do I get a discount on my order?
No, unfortunately we cannot offer discount for orders placed online. If you are a trade customer, or normally qualify for any other form of discount, please use our existing mail order service and place your order by telephone, fax, or post. For more information, please contact trade@samuelfrench-london.co.uk (trade customers) or customerservices@samuelfrench-london.co.uk (non-trade customers).
When will my order be despatched?
Items in stock will normally be despatched within two working days of receipt of your order. We do not send out orders after 4.30pm Monday to Friday, or on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays. We will inform you by mail if goods ordered are temporarily out of stock, in which case they will follow as soon as available (please contact customerservices@samuelfrench-london.co.uk for an estimate of when items are expected back in stock). We will also inform you by mail if goods ordered are out of print or currently unavailable, in which case your order will be cancelled.
When will my order be delivered?
As a general guideline, we ask UK customers to allow seven days from the date of despatch for delivery, and international customers to allow fourteen days. In most cases delivery times will be quicker than this, but the guideline allows for possible postal service delays — particularly in the case of international orders — which are beyond our control.
What do I do if my order does not arrive?
If your order has not been delivered within the normal timeframe, please contact the Customer Services Department with confirmation of your delivery address via customerservices@samuelfrench-london.co.uk or telephone +44 (0) 207 255 4311. Replacement orders will be issued where appropriate.
What are your postage and packaging charges?
Our UK postage and packing rates are charged as a percentage of the order value. For details please go to Shippng / Postage and Packing.
PERFORMING RIGHTS (General/Plays)
What's the difference between an amateur and a professional production?
The actors in a professional production must either be members of Equity or trained and/or recognised professional actors who work in the business. Amateur actors perform as a leisure activity and earn their living by other means.
Are fringe productions licensed as amateur or professional?
It depends upon the status of the actors (see above). A production presented under an amateur licence in a fringe venue must be advertised as being an amateur one.
How long before the production do we have to pay for our licence?
We request that royalties be paid four weeks before the first performance in order to allow time for the processing of the licence.
Can we get a refund of royalties if our production is cancelled?
Yes. We must be advised as soon as you know that all or some of your performances are being cancelled and the licence must be returned to us for cancellation or amendment. Refunds cannot be granted if a period of weeks has elapsed since the scheduled end of the production.
Do we have to pay royalties if we don't charge for admission?
Yes. Legally a production must be licensed if it is witnessed by the general public, regardless of whether or not a charge is being made to them. Also performances before audiences reduce the earning potential of a play for which the author must be compensated in the form of royalty fees.
We are raising money for charity. Can we get a royalty waiver or reduction?
Unfortunately, no. Royalties represent authors' income and it isn't fair to ask them to support other people's fundraising in the form of lost royalties.
Our production is private. Do we still have to pay royalties?
A production is only private if it takes place in a person's home and only before their family and friends. Performances given in clubs, halls etc. are public ones.
Isn't a school production private?
If a play is performed by members of the school before an audience of staff and students it is classified as an educational exercise and no licence is required. However, if any persons from outside the school are admitted (e.g. families and friends) the production becomes a public one.
Why are plays restricted or made unavailable for performance?
A new play will not be released for amateur performance until the professional stage life has been fully exploited. Similarly when an existing play is revived professionally amateur rights are often restricted or withdrawn completely until the professional contract has expired. This is in order to protect the professional production's box office income.
Surely our amateur production won't damage a professional revival?
Whether this is the case or not, it is standard practice for amateur rights to be restricted and often professional producers' contracts guarantee this. We liaise with authors' agents on many such applications and they certainly do not wish to lose amateur royalty income unnecessarily.
If a play is restricted, how long does it take to get an answer on availability?
This depends on a number of factors including whether the agent is based in this country or the U.S.A. and whether the author needs to be consulted personally.
Is there anything else we should be careful of regarding restrictions?
We are required to check all applications for major plays in the London area and in Edinburgh. This is because of the possibility of West End productions and of the Edinburgh Festival respectively. The best advice is always to establish that a play is available for performance before committing to a production.
Can changes be made to scripts when they are being performed?
No changes of any kind may be made without the permission of the author and this is a condition of our licence. This includes changing the sex of characters and cutting out "bad" language. Some authors may agree to changes if a persuasive case is put in support of the request, but this is by no means always so.
If a play is published, why can't we perform it?
Plays may be published before amateur rights have been released or even before the play has been performed professionally in this country. Such scripts are intended, at least initially, to be read rather than performed.
Can we perform plays appearing on your American company's website?
A title that does not also appear on our London website would have to be checked with the author's U.S. agent to establish if you can perform it in this country. We are happy to take this up for you if you apply to us.
Can we video-record our production?
Video-recording is a complex issue. Recording rights may be available in some plays, in others we may need to refer you to the authors' agents and in other cases the rights may be not available at all. You should make no plans to record your production until this question has been fully researched and this should be done well in advance.
When does a play go out of copyright?
In the British Isles and the European Union a play is in copyright until 70 years have elapsed from the death of the author. When a play is performed in other parts of the world different laws may apply.
For what purpose may I hire perusal material?
We operate a perusal service for the full-scale musicals in our catalogue, which is designed specifically to allow amateur groups, schools and colleges to view material for one to three musicals for a short period in order to help them to choose a suitable show for their group to perform. Payment of a small fee for this service is required on return of the materials to us. (For full details please see our Perusal Policy)
Perusal Material may not be hired once a group has a licence to perform a musical, and you may not retain material initially hired for perusal to use for rehearsal purposes. Once you have a licence to perform a show, you must purchase or hire copies of the libretti (scripts) and vocal scores/chorus books as appropriate.
You may not hire perusal material for personal or study use, or for material to use in auditions. Please enquire by telephone (020 7255 4301), email (musicals@samuelfrench-london.co.uk) or letter (Musical Plays, Samuel French Ltd, 52 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 5JR) for further information on availability of material for these purposes. To apply for perusal material online please use our Perusal Application Form.
What information do you require when I apply for an amateur licence to perform a musical?
We will need all of the following information:
- name of your performing group, school, college or university
- proposed performance dates
- number of performances
- name, location and seating capacity of the theatre/hall in which you wish to
- perform
- name, full postal address, email address, and daytime telephone
- number of the applicant, in case we need to check anything with you.
You may apply initially be telephone, though in certain cases we may ask you to then submit a written application. Written requests may be made by email, letter or fax provided that all of the above information is included. If performing rights are available at the time of contact, we will send you a licence application form and full information on charges and materials by post. N.B. Groups or schools based outside the UK must always apply in writing, and must state whether they wish to perform in English or a different language. Please note that even if we hold performing rights for a musical in your country, we will always need to check with the agent for the show first of all, and some shows may be handled by a different agent or may not be available at all.
How far in advance do I need to apply for an amateur performing licence for a musical?
We always recommend that you enquire as far in advance as possible in order to avoid disappointment if any unexpected restrictions may apply to the show that you wish to perform, or if anything special needs to be checked. A quick initial telephone call (020 7255 4301) or email (musicals@samuelfrench-london.co.uk) well in advance is always a good idea.
What restrictions might apply to a musical?
The most common restriction occurs when a musical is partially or totally withdrawn from amateur performance, usually because of a major professional production of the show in London's West End or on tour. We are given instructions to withdraw or restrict musicals in such cases by the principal agents for the musicals, and we are obliged to comply fully with their instructions. If a show is only partially restricted, we may need to refer your individual application to the agents for the show, in which case you need to allow plenty of time to obtain an answer.
We also try to avoid clashes of amateur bookings of the same musical in close geographical proximity at around the same date, which would probably result in a loss of audience and ticket sales to both groups. However, it must be noted that this is entirely at our discretion, and usually only applies to productions of very high-profile musicals in large theatres, and not at all to school or college productions.
May I start rehearsing once I've received a licence application form?
No. Although we will have checked that performing rights are available in principle in your area before we send out your licence application form, you do not have permission to start rehearsing or any work at all on the show until you have returned your completed form (with advance deposit if applicable) and we have then drawn up your official contract or licensing agreement.
Once I have a contract to perform a show, may I choose whether I buy or hire scripts and scores for my production?
No. All our material is either on sale or on hire. Many (though not all) of our libretti (scripts) are published, and therefore for purchase only. Many vocal scores and chorus books (and all band parts) are for hire only. When scores are for hire only, we usually offer a hire package designed to be appropriate for the particular show. Occasionally scores are on hire individually, and it is almost always possible to make a special request to hire more or less copies, subject to availability. There are a few musicals where the vocal scores are still published and for purchase, and in these cases we only sell the copies and cannot provide them on hire.
We always give full information on all the materials available for a show when you apply for a performing licence, and we're happy to answer individual questions on materials by telephone (020 7255 4301) or email (musicals@samuelfrench-london.co.uk).
May I adapt or shorten a musical, or cut out some of the songs, to suit my group provided that I pay the agreed royalty fees?
No. All the shows in our catalogue are copyright works, and it is their authors' and composers' right to have their works performed exactly as they were written. This includes performance of all the songs contained in the show as these are an integral part of the whole work. All our contracts for musicals contain clauses on this point. (However, a very small number of authors may occasionally consider requests to make small specific alterations in very special circumstances, but this is quite rare, and the performing group must send a detailed written application well in advance in order to allow ample time for the authors to be consulted.)
May I pay a reduced royalty fee if my group is giving the proceeds of their ticket sales to charity?
No. Royalty fees form part of the authors' livelihood, and they are entitled to their full fees regardless of whether they personally would wish to support your chosen charity. It is your decision if you wish to make a donation from your ticket sales to a charity.
Do I have to pay a royalty fee if only parents of the performers attend the performances and they are paying no admission charge?
Yes. It is important to note that even a small number of parents attending a representation of a musical constitute a public audience, and therefore a Contract must be issued as usual and the agreed Royalty Fee paid. Royalty fees constitute a part of the authors' livelihood, and they are entitled to these fees for any representation of their work in front of an audience. If you choose not to charge for your tickets, it is necessary for you to pay a set minimum royalty fee per performance for all of the full-scale musicals in our catalogue.
I've been looking at Samuel French Inc.'s catalogue on their website and have seen a musical that I like. Would I be able to put on a production here in the UK?
Possibly, but not necessarily. It is always possible for us to make a special application to our American principals, Samuel French Inc., for a British group to mount an amateur production of a musical in their catalogue. However, this procedure sometimes takes quite a long time, as it is often necessary for our American principals to consult other agents in the U.S., and there is no guarantee that your application would be approved. Although we receive permission to license some productions, we are also sometimes given refusals. In order to check availability of a Samuel French Inc. musical, we would need to receive a written request from you first of all, giving the name of your performing group, the proposed dates and number of performances, and the name, location and seating capacity of the theatre/hall in which you wish to perform. We would then refer the details to Samuel French Inc. and contact you again as soon as we receive an answer to the request from them.
Why do we have to buy copies of the playscripts for stage management and each member of the cast?
Copyright exists in all published works to protect the author's work and to ensure a livelihood for the author. Reproducing a copyrighted work by any means without prior permission is illegal and results in a loss of livelihood for the author.
The play's out of print so it must be OK for me to make copies of it?
No, not without permission. Although a play may be out of print in a particular edition it doesn't mean the work is out of copyright. In the UK and the European Union copyright exists until the end of the 70th year after the death of the author (and in the case of co-authors the end of the 70th year after the death of the last remaining author). In addition there is typographical copyright which exists for 25 years from the end of the year in which the edition was published. We are happy to advise on Samuel French London publications.
Although the play's out of print I've managed to get a library copy and we want to perform it. Can we make additional copies?
Please contact us as it is necessary to obtain written permission. In the vast majority of cases the play will still be in copyright and so a performing fee is still payable.
May I make an enlarged photocopy of the play for the stage manager?
Providing that it is a Samuel French London publication and that a copy of the play has been purchased by or for the stage manager you may make an enlarged copy for stage management purposes. You must not use the copy for any other purpose and the enlarged copy should be destroyed after the play has finished unless you make further reference to Samuel French Ltd. We regret we cannot give permission for playscripts published by other publishers.
One of the actors in our group is partially sighted. May we make an enlarged copy of the playscript?
Providing that it is a Samuel French London publication and that an original copy of the play has been legally acquired by or for the actor concerned, you may make an enlarged photocopy. You must not use the copy for any other purpose without further reference to Samuel French Ltd. We cannot give permission for playscripts published by other publishers.
Can you provide/can I make a Braille transcription of a Samuel French London playscript/vocal score?
We regret we are unable to supply Braille transcriptions of Samuel French London publications. However, you are quite free to make a Braille transcription of our publications provided that an original copy of the play has been legally acquired by or for the person concerned. The RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) is the leading UK charity offering practical support and information to anyone with a sight problem and it has a Braille transcription service. Telephone: 0845 766 9999 / 020 7388 2525. Website: www.rnib.org.uk
I'm a teacher/student and I want to copy a portion of the play for classroom/study/research purposes. Can I photocopy part of the playscript?
It is permissable to copy up to a maximum of four per cent of the total of a published work (for example, if a playscript comprised 40 pages it would be permissible to copy less than 2 pages) but the library of your school or college must be signatories to the Copyright Licensing Agency. The Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd licenses the photocopying of extracts from books, journals and magazines. CLA Ltd, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London, EC1N 8TS. Telephone: 020 7400 3100. Email: info@cla.co.uk Website: www.cla.co.uk
How do I go about reproducing an extract from a Samuel French London publication?
Anyone wishing to reproduce, reprint or copy in any way all or part of a Samuel French London publication in another publication will need permission to do so. Although the work in question may be published by Samuel French it doesn't necessarily mean we are the copyright holders for the rights required. Please contact us in the first instance. If we don't hold the rights you require we can usually advise you who to contact. Almost always, a permission fee will be payable to compensate authors for any additional use of their work.
SUBMITTING A MANUSCRIPT FOR CONSIDERATION
How do I submit a play/musical for publication?
We can only consider full-length plays for publication when they have been produced in the professional theatre as most amateur groups expect full-length scripts to have this sort of background. However, we will read one-act plays on the basis of successful amateur productions. Scripts must be sent through the post and not by email and should be accompanied by details of any productions they have been given. If you wish the script returned to you, please enclose a stamped and self-addressed envelope. If the play is accompanied by music we require the music as a CD rather than as a manuscript score. Whilst we take every care to ensure the safety of manuscripts submitted to us we regret we cannot be responsible for any loss or damage and manuscripts are submitted entirely at the owners risk.
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