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A Death Of Convenience

Ron Hutson

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Cast size: 11

Duration: Two Act

Ron Hutson | Thriller/Mystery | Full-length | 5m, 4f, 2m/f

Short synopsis

At 'Elmdale', the country seat of Lord And Lady Chestle, one of the family is found dead. Since no one liked her very much, murder is suspected. But, if she was murdered, then how was she murdered? That is the problem that exercises the police. The play has a satisfying sting in the tail that nicely rounds off the script.

This is a full length murder mystery thriller which takes place at Elmdale, the country estate of Lord and Lady Chestle. Time is the present. There is a family gathering and their son Geoffrey is coming to visit with his wife Lydia. They are also bringing Geoffrey`s business partner Derek Fisher and his wife Yvonne. They have a lot of business to discuss. At the house is the housekeeper Ruth and a gardener Barry. Unknown to Geoffrey, Barry is his son by Ruth but nobody but Ruth knows. Geoffrey`s wife Lydia hates the country and rather fancies Barry and hopes to liaise romantically with him. In the course of one evening she sneaks out to the lodge where Barry lives but is tragically electrocuted whilst passing through the conservatory.

Enter both the doctor and Inspector to work out whether this is an unfortunate accident or something else. Suspicion falls on Barry who had fixed a faulty plug in the conservatory that same day. But had he deliberately set to kill Lydia or is he totally innocent of any wrong doing? It is up to the Inspector to solve the mystery.

5m, 4f, 2m/f

  • Lady Chestle : about 60
  • Lord Chestle : 60-65
  • Ruth Denton : housekeeper, an attractive woman of 36
  • Barry Davis : 18-20, a young man, good looking
  • Geoffrey Chestle : 40s, a handsome man, totally at home at the Chestle’s estate
  • Lydia Chestle : 32, Geoffrey’s wife, superficially attractive but doesn't make much attempt to conform to visiting etiquette she'd rather be elsewhere
  • Derek Fisher : 45ish, slightly balding and a few pounds overweight, but otherwise an attractive man
  • Yvonne Fisher : Derek’s wife, a pleasant, shy woman who generally agrees with her husband
  • Dr Sullivan : (m/f)
  • Inspector David Cooper
  • Constable : (m/f)
Free

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A Death Of Convenience

Free
More information

Customers in Australia and New Zealand should contact David Spicer Productions

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