Month: January 2023

Our next reading will be Ray Cooney’s hilarious farce

John Smith is a London cab driver with a secret. He has two wives, one in Wimbledon and one in Streatham. Gavin Smith, son of John and Barbara Smith, ends up meeting Vicki Smith, daughter of John and Mary Smith, online. They fall in love, and they discover that their fathers have the same name and occupation. They decide that they have to meet, and their dad, John finds out. He enlists the aid of his pal, the not-so-bright Stanley Gardner, who brings along his father. The result is confusion, lying, and all sorts of craziness.

John Smith – Taxi Driver – Bigamist – 30-50
Gavin Smith – John’s son by Barbara – Teenager
Vicki Smith – John’s daughter by Mary – Teenager
Mary Smith – John’s wife – 30-50
Barbara Smith – John’s other wife – 30-50
Stanley Gardner – John’s friend – 30-50
Mr. Gardner – Stanley’s Father – 60-80

The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn are summoned by a newspaper notice to the house of Letitia Blacklock, anticipating a murder game. But things become too real when someone is shot dead. The Police are baffled and is it up to Miss Marple to solve the mystery.

We will be reading this play as a possible production for the middle of May. The reading will be at The Park Club on Monday 16th January at 7.30pm.

The characters are as follows:-

Miss Marple 50 – 80 Gentle, inquisitive, adorable.
Letitia Blacklock 60 – 80 “Letty” owns the house, very kind to her lodgers and Bunny.
Dora Bunner 60 – 80 “Bunny” School friend of Letty and of her sister Charlotte .
Mrs Swettenham 60 – 80 Lives in the village, mother of Edmund, widow.
Julia Simmons 25 – 35 “Sister” of Patrick, distant cousin of Letty, lodger, student.
Phillipa Haymes 25 – 35 Working in the area as a gardener, lodger, widow, has a child.
Mitzi 25 – 35 Eastern European, cook, very suspicious of police.
Patrick Simmons 25 – 35 “Brother” of Julia, student (after war service), lodger.
Edmund Simmons 25 – 35 Son of Mrs Swettenham lives in village, “left wing” writer.
Rudi Scherz Swiss, Any age 1 speech – could double as policeman.
Inspector Craddock 40 – 70 Warms to Miss Marple during the course of the play.
Sergeant Mellors 20 – 40 Not many lines to learn but a big presence nevertheless