Synopsis

Cast of Characters

Production History

Unnecessary Farce is a contemporary American farce, in the tradition of Lend Me A Tenor (but contemporary) and Noises Off (but American).

It’s a two-act play with a single set and seven characters — four men, and three women.

SYNOPSIS

The setting is two adjoining rooms in an economy motel.  It is early morning.  Two inexperienced police officers, Eric Sheridan and Billie Dwyer, have been sent to videotape a meeting between the local Mayor and the town’s accountant, with the aim of uncovering an embezzlement scheme.  But the day is not starting off well.

Billie has been spotted by the Mayor in the motel lobby.  And Eric and the accountant, Karen Brown, have just spent the night together, a fact they’re trying to keep secret.  But when they start going at it again in Karen’s room, just as Billie – in the other room – accidentally begins videotaping them, things begin to unravel.

Billie attempts to erase the tape, but, flummoxed by the remote control, she only manages to start it playing again just as the Mayor walks in – thereby establishing His Honor’s uncanny knack for entering the room the moment anything sexually suggestive is happening.

The Mayor is accompanied by Agent Frank – the head of Town Hall security – an impressively nervous man who warns the officers that anyone who dares to try to find the missing money will incur the wrath of a local mafia called the Scottish Clan.  Agent Frank speaks with particular fear of a man named Todd – “the Highland hit man” – a formidable villain, who always dons a kilt and plays the bagpipes before making a kill.

When Billie, momentarily alone, discovers a plaid duffel bag in the room – with a kilt inside – this straightforward investigation suddenly turns dangerous.  Too frightened to answer Todd’s questions, Billie makes the Scotsman angry.  And as he gets angrier, his accent gets thicker, until it’s impossible to understand a word he’s saying.

Meanwhile, the Mayor’s wife has arrived.  Is she merely concerned for her husband, or could she somehow be involved in the criminal plot?

Will the embezzled money be recovered?  Can Billie be saved before Todd plays the bagpipes?  Will Eric and Karen get to have sex?  And can the cops manage to capture the crooks without resorting to… Unnecessary Farce?

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CAST OF CHARACTERS

Officer ERIC SHERIDAN (male, thirties): a bookish, even-keeled guy who finds himself completely out of his element when called upon to express his feelings for a woman, lie to his boss, disguise himself as someone else, and stand up to an armed mobster — while not wearing any pants.

Officer BILLIE DWYER (female, twenties/thirties): Eric’s partner on this case. Excitable and entirely unthreatening, she seemingly lacks every skill necessary for police work, but is as eager to succeed as she seems destined to fail.

KAREN BROWN (female, thirties): an accountant, who has always taken pride in her accountant-like, professional demeanor — until this morning, when she finds herself filled with a sexual hunger, and unable to keep things in control.

MAYOR MEEKLY (male, mid-forties to seventies): an Innocent, with a capital i. An affable, gentle fellow. Not too quick on the pick-up, but a sweet, sweet soul.

AGENT FRANK (male): the head of Security at Town Hall, and, frankly, the wrong man for the job. Though he presents a gruff exterior — borrowed from some film noir detective, perhaps — he is frequently — and, at moments of crisis, invariably — a man frightened by his own shadow.

TODD (male, speaks with a Scottish accent): a professional hitman. Cool, quiet, and perceptive when at his best, but more frequently an angry Scotsman — and the angrier he becomes, the thicker his accent gets, until he is entirely indecipherable.

MARY MEEKLY (female, mid-forties to seventies): the Mayor’s wife. Small in stature and unfailingly sweet, she seems, in every way, the perfect match for her husband.

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PRODUCTION HISTORY

Paul Slade Smith began writing Unnecessary Farce in Appleton, Wisconsin as a company member of the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera. As is only fitting — both for the play, and the life of a touring actor - the play was first read aloud in a hotel room in Minneapolis, Minnesota by members of the Phantom cast.

Subsequent readings were held in hotels in Tampa, Florida — again with the Phantom cast — and Houston, Texas, with members of the first national tour of Wicked, including Carol Kane, David Garrison, Stephanie Block and Timothy Britain Parker.

Unnecessary Farce received a staged reading at the VICTORY GARDENS THEATRE in Chicago. The reading was directed by Michael Weber, and featured Sean Fortunato, Erin Noel Grennan, Karen Janes Woditsch, Mark McCarthy, John Lister, John Kuether, Lolly Trauscht, and David Lively reading stage directions.

On October 25, 2006, Unnecessary Farce had its world-premiere at the BOARSHEAD THEATER in Lansing, Michigan, in a production directed by Artistic Director Kristine Thatcher. The design team included Shelley Barish (Scenic Design), Jeffrey Shepherd (lighting & sound), and Holly Speers (costumes). The cast for the world-premiere was Doug MacKechnie, Erin Noel Grennan, Kate Berry, Jim Wisniewski, David Girolmo, Len Kluge and Carmen Decker.

The cast, crew and creative team of Unnecessary Farce at the BoarsHead Theater. And Charlie the dog.

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