Set: The 'Country Produce' marquee at a village fête.
Synopsis: Actor Ray Martin is opening the village fete, playing on his fame as TV's Inspector Brady. Little does he know that ambition, infidelity and marrow envy will lead to
murder, and he'll be left to solve it - without a script!
Running time: Around 95 minutes (Caution! This is very dependent on your production.)
Notes: 'A comedy of village life, 'A Fête Worse Than Death' was inspired by a real event which happened during an annual holiday with friends in Norfolk. As part of the
entertainment, we decided to host a village fete in the grounds of our large holiday home. As chance would have it, actor Roy Marsden (famous for playing tv's Inspector
Dalgliesh) lived nearby, and it was decided that we should approach him to open our fête. Which set me thinking...
How would an actor, noted for playing a famous tv detective, cope if confronted with a real murder? Luckily for Ray Martin in 'A Fête Worse Than Death', the redoubtable Miss
Parmenter is on hand to help.'
Published: 2011
First produced: Avonside Players, 2012
Latest production: Penola Players, Australia, 2012
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SAMPLE SCENE
Ray: Don’t be ridiculous. What do you expect me to say?
Miss Parmenter: Think, Inspector Brady. What would you normally say?
Ray: I’m not Inspector Brady!
Miss Parmenter: Of course you are.
(A pause.)
Ray: I suppose I’d say -
Miss Parmenter: Yes dear?
Ray: I’d say -
Nigel: Oh, get on with it.
Ray: I’d say - (With more confidence) Someone in this tent -
(He pauses for effect, then continues with conviction.)
Ray: Someone in this tent is a murderer.
Synopsis: Actor Ray Martin is opening the village fete, playing on his fame as TV's Inspector Brady. Little does he know that ambition, infidelity and marrow envy will lead to
murder, and he'll be left to solve it - without a script!
Running time: Around 95 minutes (Caution! This is very dependent on your production.)
Notes: 'A comedy of village life, 'A Fête Worse Than Death' was inspired by a real event which happened during an annual holiday with friends in Norfolk. As part of the
entertainment, we decided to host a village fete in the grounds of our large holiday home. As chance would have it, actor Roy Marsden (famous for playing tv's Inspector
Dalgliesh) lived nearby, and it was decided that we should approach him to open our fête. Which set me thinking...
How would an actor, noted for playing a famous tv detective, cope if confronted with a real murder? Luckily for Ray Martin in 'A Fête Worse Than Death', the redoubtable Miss
Parmenter is on hand to help.'
Published: 2011
First produced: Avonside Players, 2012
Latest production: Penola Players, Australia, 2012
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
SAMPLE SCENE
Ray: Don’t be ridiculous. What do you expect me to say?
Miss Parmenter: Think, Inspector Brady. What would you normally say?
Ray: I’m not Inspector Brady!
Miss Parmenter: Of course you are.
(A pause.)
Ray: I suppose I’d say -
Miss Parmenter: Yes dear?
Ray: I’d say -
Nigel: Oh, get on with it.
Ray: I’d say - (With more confidence) Someone in this tent -
(He pauses for effect, then continues with conviction.)
Ray: Someone in this tent is a murderer.
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A FETE WORSE THAN DEATH
(Click the title to read the whole script online at Lazy Bee Scripts)
'A play that proved a hit with both cast and audiences' Huntingdon Drama Club (Noda review here)
'The audiences were some of the largest the group have seen and they were in fits of laughter throughout' Avonside
Players
Cast: 4m, 3f
MALCOLM, 40s or 50s. English eccentric, contender for Thornton's Biggest Marrow and new chairman of the village fete
committee.
NIGEL, 30s. Historical re-enacter. Spends the play in full Viking regalia.
FATHER MIKE, 40s. 'Trendy' vicar. A bit of a scoundrel.
RAY MARTIN, 40s or 50s. Actor, famous for playing TV's 'Inspector Brady'.
BUNNY, 40s or 50s. Malcolm's wife. A little fed up with taking second place to a marrow.
TRISH, 40s. Officious fete organiser, upset at being passed over for committee chairman.
MISS PARMENTER, 60s. 'Miss Marple' type character with a fondness for TV detectives.
(Click the title to read the whole script online at Lazy Bee Scripts)
'A play that proved a hit with both cast and audiences' Huntingdon Drama Club (Noda review here)
'The audiences were some of the largest the group have seen and they were in fits of laughter throughout' Avonside
Players
Cast: 4m, 3f
MALCOLM, 40s or 50s. English eccentric, contender for Thornton's Biggest Marrow and new chairman of the village fete
committee.
NIGEL, 30s. Historical re-enacter. Spends the play in full Viking regalia.
FATHER MIKE, 40s. 'Trendy' vicar. A bit of a scoundrel.
RAY MARTIN, 40s or 50s. Actor, famous for playing TV's 'Inspector Brady'.
BUNNY, 40s or 50s. Malcolm's wife. A little fed up with taking second place to a marrow.
TRISH, 40s. Officious fete organiser, upset at being passed over for committee chairman.
MISS PARMENTER, 60s. 'Miss Marple' type character with a fondness for TV detectives.
Richard James / Actor & Playwright
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| A Fete Worse Than Death in performance... |
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