by Derek Benfield, 1950

About

Chester Dreadnought bluffs his way into the crumbling stately home of an impecunious aristocratic family, and even a trigger-happy Earl Elrood suffering from hallucinations cannot keep at bay the enterprising pair of jewel thieves who are pursuing their loot - not to mention Chester - round the castle. Suits of armour and secret doors, mistaken identities and dotty servants all help to provide the variety of fare that goes to the making of this wild goose chase.

Synopsis

This is set in the baronial hall of Elrood Castle during 1950s

Act 1 – Morning on a day in the summer.
Act 2 – Afternoon of the same day
Act 3 – Evening the same day

Character Synopsis

Ada – is the new house maid for the Elroods.  This is her first day and she is shy, gauche and awestruck. She is short sighted with a cockney accent.

Lord Elrood – He is a bristling warhorse of a man who is living in an imaginary world where he thinks that the postman is a spy trying to breach the battlements.  He has an imaginary Captain of the Guard called Marcellus but there is no Marcellus and no guard. 

Lady Elrood – is easy going and well dressed with a dry sense of humour.   She is has a slightly vague air.

Patricia – She is the Elrood’s daughter.  She is beautiful and serene, very aware what is going on around her.

Chester Dreadnought – is a photographer on the run from two gangsters.  He is hiding at Elrood Castle after a case of mistaken identity.

Jenny Stewart – is the Elrood’s cousin from Scotland.  She came to stay for a week and stayed because she is madly in love with the local policeman, Hilary Pond.  She is supposed to be 17 but could be any age.

Miss Partridge – is from the Archaeology Society who is writing a book about the life at the time of the Norman conquest. She has come to inspect the house and it’s Norman remains.  She is absolutely obsessed. She could be any age.

Capone – is the head gangster. Very sinister and could be played by a man or a woman.   They are supposed to be German but could have any accent.

Wedgewood – doesn’t say anything but follows Capone with a dog like loyalty. Could be a man or a woman.

Hilary Pond – is the local policeman.  He is very pleased with his track record of zero arrests and is trying to maintain this.  Is the object of Jenny’s infatuation.


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The Magdalene Players

The Magdalene Players are an Amateur Drama Group based in Wandsworth, London, England. We have been performing at the St Mary Magdalene Church Hall in London, SW17 7HP since 1980.

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