November Production – The Real Inspector Hound : Performances 21-23 November

Dates August 23, 2019

The SBADS November production will be Tom Stoppard’s “The Real Inspector Hound“.

Di Goodey has very kindly agreed to direct.

Auditions will be in the Stansbury Room at the Village Hall on 1 September at 7pm.

About the Play

The Real Inspector Hound is a short, one-act play by Tom Stoppard. The plot follows two theatre critics named Moon and Birdboot who are watching a ludicrous setup of a country house murder mystery, in the style of a whodunit. By chance, they become involved in the action causing a series of events that parallel the play they are watching. The play was written between 1961 and 1962, drawing on Stoppard’s experiences as a Bristol theatre critic.

It was initially named The Stand-ins and later, The Critics. It is a parody of the stereotypical parlour mystery in the style of Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap”, as well as of the critics watching the play, with their personal desires and obsessions interwoven into their bombastic and pompous reviews.

Cast

The cast is 8, formed of two groups:

The theatre critics, who sit at the side of the stage ‘watching the play’ throughout the performance.

MOON – touchy, intellectual, clever, wordy. Younger than Birdboot..
BIRDBOOT – rather pompous, smoothie, middle aged, a flirt/philanderer.

The ‘Murder Mystery’ cast- which takes place in the drawing room of Muldoon Manor

MRS DRUDGE – the home help, melodramatic, could have a ‘country’ accent, middle-aged
SIMON GASCOYNE – suave, sly, a ‘cad’, upper-class 20s/30s/early 40s
FELICITY CUNNINGHAM – upper class, 20s/30s, plays tennis, petulant) emotional
LADY CYNTHIA – lady of the manor, vain, elegant, imperious, 30s/ early forties
MAJOR MAGNUS – Lady Cynthia’s “crippled brother-in-law, in a wheelchair
INSPECTOR HOUND – earnest police inspector, age not important/middle-aged

Some Words from the Director

I’m happy to see people after the 1st September if necessary, in the hope of having an initial get-together on the 8th, though regular rehearsals won’t start until the 29th September. Mid-week rehearsals will be flexible and hopefully we can work round people’s other commitments as far as possible.

Some other important information:

  • The performances will be 21st-23rd November. The weekend before will be technical & dress rehearsals.
  • This is a 75 min one act play.
  • Rehearsals will be on a Sunday evening 7-9:30 pm, plus at least one other rehearsal during an evening in the week.
  • First get together will be on 1st September, another one on the 8th, then a break until regular rehearsals begin on 29th September.

If you are interested in taking part in this production in any capacity please come to the audition on 1 September or as arranged with the director (details above) or – if not for a part – just email us!