I'll Get My Man - performed January 1984

By Philip King

Performed with the kind permission of Samuel French

Director - Dennis Murfitt

Cast

(in order of appearance)

The Rev Arthur Humphrey Ron Colbourne

Mrs Carter Carol Shakespeare

Harriette Humphrey Pat Hargreaves

Winifred Barrington-Locke Val Taylor

Peter (Venture man) Graham Michael Caven

Photographer David Turrell

Josephine de Brissac Viv Wheatley

Pixie (I'll get my man) Potter Tess Caven

The Bishop of Lax Herbert Yeates

Production Team

Peter Westbrook, Judy Hussey, Jenny Rollings, Bruce Emeny, Maurice Barber, Greg Garrod, Geoffrey Taylor, Val Taylor, Gill Baxter, Kevin Brown, Derek Cobbold, Ian Tucker, Patience Ling, Viv Wheatley, and other volunteers not mentioned.

The Play

Peter Graham, T.V. series hero, seeks refuge at the country rectory with his mild clerical Uncle Humphrey from all the females who continually chase after him, and in particular from Pixie Potter. Humphrey, horrified by the threatened loss of his housekeeper who has been dismissed by his formidable sister, advertises for a wife but absentmindedly omits the important word "marriage." These two occurrences resoundingly shatter the peace of the village. Answers to the ad pour in. The arrival of the dignified Bishop of Lax adds to the confusion. Peter finds the vicarage no refuge from Pixie Potter and even more hectic than the outside world.

Reviews

I’ll Get My Man by Philip King - Manifest Theatre Group, Old British Legion Hall, Manningtree, until Saturday. A TV star escapes from his amorous female fans to his uncle’s country vicarage – only to find himself in the middle of a match-making mix-up. So the playwright set the scene, and what follows is a real belly-laugh. Even if you’re not a fan of farce, this comedy is clever enough to crease the coldest face. Produced and directed by Dennis Murfitt I’ll Get My Man is the illustration of excellent casting. Ron Colbourne as the timid vicar, and Val Taylor as the bumptious man-seeking neighbour, have the audience laughing at every pause for breath. The housekeeper is admirably played by Carol Shakespeare, and the fussy, bossy sister – a difficult role in such a light-hearted sketch – is presented perfectly by Pat Hargreaves. As for the TV start himself, Michael Craven isn’t quite your 007, but handles the demanding role well – taking swooning women in his stride! Back up characters played by Viv Wheatley, Tess Caven, Herbert Yeates and David Turrell, decorate the action and keep the audience on their toes – especially in the final scene when keeping track of who thinks who is who can be wearing I’ll Get My Man – and of course, there’s a happy ending – is another sell-out for the Manifest.
SW

Photo Shoot

Back row - Herbert, Dave, Tess, Ron, Michael
Front row - Carol, Pat, Val, Viv

(click on an image below to view a larger photo - arrow keys navigate through the set)

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