Additional information
Author | |
---|---|
Genre | Drama |
Script Style | Full Length Play |
Duration (mins) | 100 |
Male Cast | 11 |
Female Cast | 7 |
Doubling Male | 6 |
Doubling Females | 4 |
Total Cast | 10 |
£10.00 – £20.00
A highwayman, a villain, a game of cards, chance encounters and damsels in distress.
A game of chance condemned John to a life apart from those he loved, but loyalty prevents him from clearing his name. Can the love of a beautiful woman inspire him to rewrite his past and win his future?
Author | |
---|---|
Genre | Drama |
Script Style | Full Length Play |
Duration (mins) | 100 |
Male Cast | 11 |
Female Cast | 7 |
Doubling Male | 6 |
Doubling Females | 4 |
Total Cast | 10 |
Love plays a hand in all the goings on in this delightful dramedy, complete with intrigue and adventure, villainy and heroism, a sprinkling of wit and charm, loyal friendships’ and redemption.
A night of diversion changes the course of John Carstares’ life when he takes the blame for a marked playing card. Shunned by society he has lived the past seven years by dice and highway robbery. When one such encounter goes awry, he finds himself handcuffed and at the mercy of an old friend, who urges him to clear his name and claim his title. Unwilling to jeopardise the happiness of his brother for whom he took the blame, John refuses and returns to his outlaw life.
‘My dear, once a man gets an idea into his head, ‘tis the very devil to get it out of him’
Once again roaming the highroad, John foils the abduction of the lovely Diana Beauleigh, by an old enemy, the devious Duke of Andover. John is injured in the shoulder during the encounter and Diana, very properly, falls in love with her wounded rescuer. Despite being desperately in love, the honourable John will not offer for Diana and she is left distraught when he rides away.
JOHN Why don’t I ask her? Because I will not offer her a smirched name! Because I love her so much that…How can you ask me such a question? For what do you take me?
MILES A chivalrous fool.
Heartbroken but resolute, John thinks that chapter of his life closed until fate takes a hand. Unwilling to be bested, the Duke of Andover plots once again to abduct Diana and is this time successful.
‘We are in terrible trouble and none other can help us.’
Can John save his beloved Diana in time, and in so doing, save his future?
Recreating the feel of the great romantic adventures of the movie matinee shows, this piece can be performed with as little or as much in the way of set, properties or spectacle as you prefer. Suiting traditional staging as well as outdoor performance, this joyous romp through the romantic and chivalrous nineteenth century will leave your audiences laughing and sighing in delight.
CHARACTERS
11M, 7F (or 6M, 4F)
JOHN CARSTARES, EARL OF WYNCHAM – Loyal, gallant and our maligned hero. (also known as Sir Anthony Ferndale, Mr John Carr and The Highwayman)
RICHARD CARSTARES – The younger brother of John. Troubled, serious.
WARBURTON – Longstanding family lawyer. Respectable.
TRACY BELMANOIR, DUKE OF ANDOVER – Devilish, assured
LADY LAVINIA CARSTARES -Wife of Richard, sister of Tracy. Flighty, spendthrift overly emotional.
LADY DEVERAUX – A friend of Lady Lavinia. Gossip, troublemaker
MRS ISABELLA FANSHAWE – Young wealthy widow. Kind, straightforward.
CAPTAIN HAROLD LOVELACE – Rake, flatterer
LADY MOLLY O’HARA- Wife of Miles. Loving, cheeky
SIR MILES O’HARA (OF THURZE HOUSE, MALTBY) – A JP in Sussex. Loyal, practical, big hearted
MISS DIANA BEAULEIGH – Gentle with a sharp wit
MISS BETTY BEAULEIGH – Aunt of Diana. Friendly, prone to exaggeration.
MR BETTISON -Suitor of Diana. Effusive and oblivious
HARPER – Tracy’s groom.
MRS SULLEN – (Offstage) Female voice of actress in ‘The Beaux Strategem’.
To be doubled within the cast
GAOLERS – common, gruff
MASKED RUFFIANS
COACHMAN
Doubling is suggested as follows:
Warburton – Miles O’Hara – Ruffian
Harold Lovelace – Gaoler – Coachman
Mr Bettison – Harper – Gaoler – Ruffian
Molly O’Hara – Lady Fanshawe
Miss Diana Beauleigh – Lady Deveraux
Miss Betty Beauleigh – (Voice of) Mrs Sullen
Copyright Note
An Honourable Gentleman is a derivative work based exclusively on material in the public domain, namely The Black Moth (1923) by Georgette Heyer.
World Premier still available
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