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Many Happy Returns

Jill Woods

Genre: Comedy

Cast size: 10

Duration: Two Act

Jill Woods| Comedy | Full-length | 6m, 4f

Short synopsis

The early 1980’s, and also Grandad’s 80th birthday, planned to within an inch of its life by daughter Brenda, whose aim is a happy family celebration and, almost as importantly, to impress the local Vicar, who fairly soon starts to regret the invitation as things quickly go awry. Brenda’s husband and three sons cause problems in their own individual ways, driving her to the comfort of the cooking sherry, though the birthday boy himself is blissfully oblivious to it all, until he receives the most unexpected of gifts.

It is the early 1980s – a time of emerging entrepreneurs, prawn cocktails, Roger Whittaker songs, and Give Us a Clue on the telly.   

It is also Grandad’s eightieth birthday, but when the Wilcox family gather to celebrate, things don’t exactly run according to plan.

The members of the Wilcox family are more complex than appearances suggest. The girlfriends of two of the brothers bring trouble in their different ways;  father William has something to hide; mother Brenda, under severe stress, mixes migraine pills and cooking sherry, with dire results; sandwiches disappear; the vicar is horrified (and wet), and an attempt to lift the party with a party game fails abysmally.

Grandad, however, is oblivious to everything throughout, until grandson Martin presents him with a birthday present no-one could have expected. 

(6m, 4f)

  • Brenda Wilcox - late 50s
  • William Wilcox - early 60s
  • Geoff - early 20s, their son
  • Howard - late 20s, their son
  • Martin - mid-20s, their son
  • Catherine - early 20s, Geoff’s girlfriend
  • Jilly - early 20s, Martin’s girlfriend
  • Reverend Bailey - 60s
  • Grandad - 80
  • Samantha - teens/20s         
Type
Free

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Many Happy Returns

Free
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