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Thicker Than Water (Tildesley)

Rebecca Gardner Tildesley

Genre: Drama

Cast size: 7

Duration: 30 - 35 mins approx

Rebecca Gardner Tildesley | Drama | One Act | 2m, 4f, 1m/f

Short synopsis

Five siblings from a dysfunctional family meet in a hospital waiting room to visit their mother during her final hours. As the evening progresses, old family disputes come to the surface, secrets are revealed and after a chance encounter, they finally realise that blood really is thicker than water.

Five siblings from a dysfunctional family meet in a hospital waiting room to visit their mother during her final hours, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

Yvonne, who has looked after her mother since her diagnosis, confides in her brother Charlie of her struggles to cope with the demands of her role as a carer and her guilt at not being able to spend ‘quality time’ with her mother during her final months. They are soon joined by Maggie, the eldest sibling, the teenaged Christine, Charlie’s twin sister, and Sandra, who immediately tries to take charge of the situation.

As the evening progresses, the tensions between Sandra, who appears distant from her siblings, and the rest of the family are revealed. However, after a chance encounter with the hospital chaplain, secrets are revealed and the siblings finally realise that blood really is thicker than water.

(2m, 4f, 1m/f)

  • Maggie - 40, mousey and motherly, ditzy but well meaning
  • Sandra - twin sister to Charlie, business driven, blunt
  • Charlie  - twin brother to Sandra, should bear very little family resemblance to Sandra
  • Yvonne - sibling, cares for her mother and younger sister
  • Christine - 19, youngest sister to the others, punk/goth student
  • Dr Carlisle - their mother’s doctor (m/f)
  • Rev - the hospital chaplain

Winner - Best Original Play, AETF 2016 Bfame, Birmingham

Free

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Thicker Than Water (Tildesley)

Free
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