This site has limited support for your browser. We recommend switching to Edge, Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

The office will be closed from 6th until 11th August 2026 due to staff holidays.

New customers save 10% with code GET10

It has become uneconomic to ship printed scripts to customers outside of the UK. Choose our pdf E-Scripts and Copying Licences instead.

Thank you for purchasing with Stagescripts

Shopping basket 0

Sorry, looks like we don't have enough of this product.

Products

Need help? Contact our team here

Pair with
Subtotal Free
Shipping, taxes, and discount codes are calculated at checkout
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Diners Club
  • Discover
  • Google Pay
  • Maestro
  • Mastercard
  • Shop Pay
  • Union Pay
  • Visa

The Lady Vanishes

Derek Webb

Genre: Comedic Drama

Cast size: 17

Duration:

Derek Webb | Comedic Drama | Full-Length | 6m, 9f, 2m/f

Short synopsis

On a train headed for England are a mixed a group of travellers, one of which, young Iris, befriends elderly Miss Froy. Iris falls asleep after luncheon, and wakes to find the old woman has disappeared. The other passengers ominously deny Miss Froy ever existed, so Iris begins to investigate with another traveller, and, as the pair try to find answers to the mysterious disappearance, romantic sparks fly. The play is based on the original book, but aficionados of the 1938 Hitchcock film will find this play version just as gripping.

On a train headed for England are a mixed a group of travellers, one of which, young Iris, befriends elderly Miss Froy. Iris falls asleep after luncheon, and wakes to find the old woman has disappeared. The other passengers ominously deny Miss Froy ever existed, so Iris begins to investigate with another traveller, and, as the pair try to find answers to the mysterious disappearance, romantic sparks fly. The play is based on the original book, but aficionados of the 1938 Hitchcock film will find this play version just as gripping.

6m, 9f, 2m/f : doubling possible
Principals (4m, 7f)

  • Iris Carr : 20s-30s, wealthy, headstrong, but very likeable and sociable
  • Miss Froy : 50s-60s, warm hearted, gregarious and generous
  • Max Hare : 20s-30s, cheerful, very capable
  • Todhunter : 40s-50s, blustering, domineering, actually Lord Brown incognito
  • ‘Mrs Todhunter’ : 40s-50s, actually Mrs Parmiter, having an affair with Lord Brown
  • Miss Evelyn Flood-Porter : 50s-60s, very opinionated, rather overbearing
  • Miss Rose Flood-Porter : 40s-50s, her sister, less overbearing but just as opinionated
  • Mrs Barnes : 30s-40s, his wife, she wears the trousers, a definite chatterbox
  • The Baroness : 50s-60s, austere, dominant, a character you don’t want to mess with
  • The Doctor : 40s-50s, Eastern European ‘doctor’, rather creepy, bearded
  • The Professor : 30s-60s, slightly pompous, but warm, doesn’t like to be proved wrong

Support (2m, 2f, 2m/f)

  • Reverend Kenneth Barnes : 30s-50s, amiable, but rather ineffectual and sickly
  • Frau Kummer : 30s-50s, stern Eastern European, hardly a barrel of laughs
  • Waiter : 30s-50s, friendly, tries to be helpful, but probably quite lazy
  • Nun : 30s-50s, slightly mysterious and anonymous character
  • Border Official : 30s-50s, small part in one scene (m/f)
  • Porter : 40s-50s, small part in last scene (m/f, non-speaking)

Doubling Arrangements

  • Waiter, Border Official and Rev Barnes
  • Frau Kummer and the Nun
  • Todhunter and the Porter

Scroll down to see Customer Reviews

Free

Applying for and paying royalties

To apply for royalties, please complete the form on our apply for royalties page.

To pay for fixed fee royalties having received your Quotation from us, please go to this payment form.

[{"variant_id":"55232775094658" , "metafield_value":""},{"variant_id":"55232775160194" , "metafield_value":""},{"variant_id":"55232775192962" , "metafield_value":""},{"variant_id":"56512332267906" , "metafield_value":""},{"variant_id":"55232775258498" , "metafield_value":""}]

The Lady Vanishes

Free
More information

Customers in Australia and New Zealand should contact David Spicer Productions

If you require any additional information regarding this script, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.

Frequently asked questions

Can we try before we buy?

Of course! All our plays and pantomimes have a free Preview Script available for download as an A4 pdf file that contains 60-75% of the full script. If you like what you read then you can buy an inexpensive e-script of the entire play (typically less than half the cost of a traditional printed script) which is licensed to you for your personal use. Purchasing a script copying licence allows you to make just enough copies to support rehearsals and performances.

All our musicals are included in our perusal service. Through this, representatives of producing organisations can request a USB Stick of perusal material  which comprise the script/libretto and piano/vocal score as PDF files; a Cast (or Studio) Recording as MP3 files and (where available) an MP4 file video of either the premiere production or of a subsequent production.

Some titles have the facility to read the entire script online on our website.

Do we need a Licence To Perform?

The simple answer is, yes.

Under the international laws of copyright, you must be in possession of a valid, unexpired licence before performing any piece of theatre unless the owner or managers of the copyright has waived their rights.

Why do you insist on providing a formal royalties quotation?

When you request a quotation, it is logged in our system, it forms part of an orderly queue and protects your place in that queue should multiple licensing requests occur for the same show.

Need help?

Contact us

If you need help with our scripts, please contact our customer service team, we would be more than happy to help.

Established for over 25 years

Unearthing future talent


Stagescripts is a trusted licensing company run by theatre professionals with decades of experience on and off stage. Our curated catalogue includes over 1,000 carefully selected plays, musicals, and pantomimes — from fresh, undiscovered writing to well-loved classics.

We’re passionate about helping theatre-makers at every level discover scripts that inspire, challenge, and connect with audiences. Whether you're staging a village hall production or leading a professional company, our team offers expert advice, flexible support, and a responsive, personal service to help your next performance shine.