Playing Dead
Paul Greenwood
Genre: Drama
Cast size: 11
Duration: Two Act
Paul Greenwood | Drama | Full-length | 6m, 5f
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
Kate has a great idea for a film and she and her director husband, Harry, have been searching for backers to get her film script made. Harry secures funding but the only snag is they want Kate’s ex-husband, Ed Mailer - a mega film star, to play the lead role. The producers won’t budge as he is ‘just perfect for the part’ and will bring in the ‘money’. Not only that but Ed will only do it if his new ‘younger’ wife, Leila Darnley, plays opposite him – which is the part Kate was hoping to play. Kate is not happy about this but accepts that this is how ‘show business’ works. However, just before filming is due to start, Leila has a ‘fall’ making her unable to take part – so Kate gets to play the role after all – although she’s not over the moon about having to play opposite her ex-husband.
Kate and Ed are joined by fellow actors Joy Hitchen and Bill Cole who each have worked with Ed Mailer before and are not great fans. Unknown young actor, Peter Clancy, a big fan of Ed’s having seen all his films, is delighted to land the role of Ed’s son. Filming commences. Harry’s directing style is similar to ‘Mike Leigh’s when actors are free to improvise their scenes around the basic script to produce ‘real’ and ‘raw’ emotions and reactions. To add to the suspense – only the actors playing the murderer and victim, together with a few members of crew, are told who they are – and this is only made known to them on the last day of filming. What happens on this last day changes everyone’s lives forever.
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