Stage Plays by Ian Hornby

Late of This Address
Farce - single set - 2m 3f

Synopsis
Newlyweds Rick and Vicky Maddocks have bought the run-down house for a song. Okay, so it needs some work doing, but for the price they paid you expect that sort of thing.

What they didn't expect, however, was to find the house already occupied by the lovely Jessica. Even worse, it turns out that only Rick can see her - it seems she died mysteriously twenty years previously. Rick finds Jessica very attractive, much to the annoyance of his bride, who, on finding a book left by a visiting psychic, attempts an exorcism, only to rematerialise Jessica's equally ghostly husband. Except, of course, that only Vicky can see him.

After the four have sorted out their relationships with one another, and the ensuing jealousies and rivalries they set about trying to solve the murders.  

Author's notes
"Late of This Address" is, I hope, another good "play on words" title and was the first in a trilogy of ghost comedies, the second being "Wait Until the Ghost Is Clear" and the third never having materialised. (Yet - it will!)

The idea of ghosts in comedies isn't unusual, but having a couple of them, when only the opposite-sex person of the other couple can see or hear them, leads to three-way conversational mayhem, the climax being a séance scene. 

Since the 1960s were my formative years I wanted to set the ghostly couple back then, giving the actors scope for highlighting the differences between the outrageous and gaudy clothing of the period and "present day" when the play is set. Even that is having to be adjusted now, since the age differences would be too great, but groups can play at timelines and fashions how they wish.

I guess I just miss miniskirts!

The Community Theatre of Terre Haute (Indiana, USA) staged "Late of This Address" in 2009.  Ashley Wolfe, who played Jessica, won the season's "Best Actress" award. (see right)