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Curtain Up on Murder

Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy  /  5w, 3m

Bettine Manktelow

An amateur theatre company is rehearsing in the theatre at the end of the pier. Storms rage overhead and the doors are locked — they are trapped! Then a mysterious, ghostly presence passes across the stage, and when the Assistant Stage Manager falls to certain death through a trapdoor, the remaining…

Curtain Up on Murder

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    5w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Mystery/Thriller
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for all audiences

Details

Summary
An amateur company are rehearsing a play in an end-of-pier theatre when inexplicably they are locked in and one by one begin to die...
History
1998:   First produced by the Guild Players at the Kilshawe Theatre, Deal, Kent.
Keywords
Performing Groups

Linda:  attractive, smart, capable. 20s

Ginny:  earnest and naieve.  18

Sandra: Bright and confident. 20s

Harry:   The caretaker, a garrulous old boy.

Alex:    attractive, conceited, self-interested, the romantic interest.  Late 20s

Sylvia:  glamorous, the leading lady type, in love with Alex but married to Martin. 35

Martin:  self-confident, pompous but charming. 40s

Moppet:  messy, untidy, sweet, likeable.  50s

Ages of Men (35, 40, elderly), Ages of Women (18, 20, 28, 40, 50s)

  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Setting An empty stage with part of a set in the process of being built. 
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Additional Features Not Applicable
  • Duration 90 minutes
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

.."this skilfully written piece of suspence..." East Kent Mercury

‘Curtain up on Murder’ was written by Bettine Manktelow in 1997. Manktelow, who has lived for years in Kent in SE England, has written around 30 crime/comedies. This wonderful production is being presented by the Ellenbrook Theatre Company at the Civic Centre. The play is very well structured, and the playwright’s dialogue superb, just the right amount of humour and a few clues being dropped, along with a shoal of red herrings. This is a well-written, piece of fun and suspense, presented by a friendly team and talented cast. Try to catch it. - Gordon The Optom

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size N/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

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Authors

Bettine Manktelow

Bettine Manktelow
Bettine Manktelow was born Bettine Stratton in Gillingham in Kent, and is the middle daughter of three.She became stage-struck at an early age andworked in a repertory company atChatham Theatre Royalat the age of sixteen as an assistant stage-manager, learning stage craft fro ...
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