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Frank is doing a bit of gardening work on the side but is reported to the DHSS for moonlighting.  The ikmage for the poster should show Frank working in the garden on the rosebeds and a benefits officer peeking over the wall looking to see whatg is going on.  A comic style is good for this image.

A Bit On The Side

Tony Edwards

Genre: Comedy

Cast size: 6

Duration: 40 - 50 mins approx

Tony Edwards | Comedy | One Act | 3m, 3f

Short synopsis

A play in the 'Frank And Aggie' series
Frank being out of work isn’t helping the family budget, so Aggie threatens to cut back on spending, so Frank does some gardening for his mate, Alf. But the man from DHSS arrives with information that Frank is moonlighting. There doesn’t look any way out of a certain prosecution, until Monica arrives home early and reveals some information of her own which changes the whole situation!

Frank being out of work isn’t helping the family budget, but he still thinks that Aggie will fund his nights out at the pub with his mate Alf. But enough is enough, and Aggie puts her foot down. Aggie threatens to cut back on spending, including Frank’s beer money, unless he gets a job. Frank complains bitterly that he’s too old, and anyway, no one would employ him with all his ‘ailments’. 

Then Alf comes up with a suggestion. His garden needs weeding and the lawn cutting, so he suggests Frank helps out – for his beer money. It seems a good compromise, but they have forgotten that daughter-from-Hell Monica has been upsetting the neighbours, especially Mrs Clegghorn, by coming home drunk every night and creating a racket. 

So, it’s only after a few days working in Alf’s garden that the man from DHSS Benefit Fraud Squad Division arrives to say that he has been informed that Frank is moonlighting. Frank doesn’t even know what moonlighting means, and angrily denies any wrong doing. When finally, the truth of his precarious position dawns on him, he resorts to trying bribery on the official. This only makes matters worse, and there doesn’t look to be any way out of a certain prosecution. 

Things are about to come to a head when Monica arrives home. When she sees what’s going on she reveals some information of her own which changes the whole situation!

3m, 3f

  • Frank               
  • Aggie                
  • Monica   
  • Alf           
  • Mrs Clegghorn         
  • Mr Fosdyke 
Free

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A Bit On The Side

Free
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