The Revengers' Comedies: Synopsis by Alan Ayckbourn
Cast: 7 male / 7 female (this includes the recommended doubling-up of certain roles)Part 1 running time (approximate): 2 hours - not including the interval.
Part 2 running time (approximate): 2 hours 15 minutes - not including the interval.
Availability: The Revengers' Comedies is available for both professional and amateur production.
Acting edition: Published by Samuel French.
The Revengers' Comedies is a multi-location play set in the early 1990s. It is the author's preference the play be set during this period as he believes the majority of his plays are period pieces which reflect the society and time they were written in.
Characters
○ Henry Bell (42)○ Karen Knightly (25)
○ Mrs Bulley (50s, voice only)
○ Winnie (a servant, 60)
○ Norma (a servant, 16)
○ Tracey Willingforth (a secretary, early 20s)
○ Oliver Knightly (Karen's brother, early 20s)
○ Lady Ganton (60)
○ Veronica Webb (Mr Pride's assistant, 48)
○ Colonel Marcus Lipscott (60)
○ Percy Cutting (45)
○ Councillor Daphne Teale (44)
○ Bruce Tick (an executive, 35)
○ Hilary Tick (his wife, 25)
○ Anthony Staxton-Billing (38)
○ Imogen Staxton-Billing (his wife, 37)
○ Lydia Lucas (Mrs Bulley's assistant, late 30s)
○ Graham Seeds (50s, voice only)
○ Jeremy Pride (an executive, 55)
○ Fireman
○ Eugene Chase (an executive, 35)
○ Lorry driver
○ Motor-cyclist
Note: Many of the roles can be doubled. (see bottom of the page for recommended doubling).
As a result of their meeting, they drive to Karen's huge mid Victorian country home in Dorset where they strike a bargain whereby each agrees to exact revenge on behalf of the other.
Henry sort of gets talked into it but never really pursues the idea with much enthusiasm, at least not initially. He quite enjoys living the life of a country squire in Karen's home with just her equally dotty 21 year old brother Oliver for company and two very eccentric female servants.
Complications ensue when Henry falls in love with the object of Karen's revenge, the lovely farmer's wife Imogen Staxton-Billing. Instead of plotting her downfall, Henry starts an affair that is conducted wherever the couple can meet - mostly in cowsheds and piggeries. Despite the presence of Imogen's boorish husband Anthony, things for Henry are pretty idyllic.
But chickens tend to come home to roost. While he has been enjoying the countryside, Karen has been having a ball in the city, doing a sort of one-woman take over bid for Lembridge Tennit, the vast conglomerate for which Henry originally worked. Starting as a humble 'temp' secretary, Karen begins her Machiavellian climb to the top. Two of her bosses meet violent deaths and a third (female) has a nervous breakdown.
Henry meantime finds himself fighting a shotgun duel with Imogen's husband and (by sheer fluke) killing him. He is now free to marry Imogen but, increasingly, he is torn between his love for her and his promise to Karen to wreak (Karen's) revenge on her. Karen, now a top executive, returns and demands her pound of flesh. Thwarted, she burns down the country home, makes vague threats on Imogen's life and has Henry fired from his new job.
A final showdown occurs back on Albert Bridge with Henry and the two women. True love conquers and Henry and Imogen walk off into the sunset. Karen, now completely off her trolley, is left to commit her final act of 'revenge' on the couple as she hurls herself into the Thames.
A note on doubling: The original production of The Revengers' Comedies featured a cast of 14 (7m / 7f) which involved a certain amount of doubling. The recommended doubling for a cast this size is as follows: Mrs Bulley & Winnie; Norma & Tracey; Lady Ganton & Veronica; Councillor Teale & Hilary Tick; Graham & Jeremy; Anthony Staxton-Billing & Eugene Chase; Bruce Tick & Lorry driver & Fireman & Motor-cyclist.
Copyright: Haydonning Ltd. Please do not reproduce without permission of the copyright holder.