Dead Guilty
Last Update 07-Mar-2008
From Monday 11 September 2000
To Saturday 16 September 2000
Author - Richard Harris
Description
When John Hadrell dies of a heart attack at the wheel of his car, the woman at his side is not his wife Margaret, but his lover Julia. A first meeting of Margaret with Julia develops into an intriguing and powerful thriller from the writer of Outside Edge, Stepping Out, Local Affairs, and The Maintenance Man.
This is a study in revenge and psychological disorientation which should challenge the cast and take the punters' breath away.
Press Release
Kidderminster theatre group The Nonentities are starting the new season with the psychological thriller Dead Guilty, written by Richard Harris, author of Stepping out and Outside Edge. Director Liz Cole described the play, which will be staged at the Rose theatre from September 11 to 16 as well written and sharply-paced. (Express and Star)
Directors Notes
"Dead Guilty" was first performed under the title "Murder Once Done" at the Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke in 1994. Subsequently it was presented by Bill Kenwright at the Theatre Royal, Windsor and then the Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead. The first performance in the West End was at the Apollo Theatre in July 1995 with Jenny Seagrove playing Julia and Hayley Mills playing Margaret.
Richard Hams was born in London in 1934. He has written extensively for television since 1959 with his credits including The Sweeney, Hazel and Shoestring. His theatre work provides a valuable repertoire for both professional and amateur companies. Plays such as "Local Affairs", "Keeping Mum" and "The Maintenance Man" are rarely out of production. In 1979 he was awarded the Evening Standard Award for the Most Promising Playwright for "Outside Edge" (it was actually his tenth play!) and this was followed in 1984 by the Standard Drama Award for Comedy for "Stepping Out". In drawing together the media in which he works, he developed his television adaptation of "Outside Edge" into a successful series starring Peter Bowles and Timothy Spall. The film of "Stepping Out" saw the location moved to the States and Liza Minelli take the role of the tap dance instructor.
Previous productions
The Nonentities first performed a play by Richard Harris in May 1984 when "Outside Edge" provided the final play of the season. "Local Affairs" was performed in the same slot in 1986 and a studio production of "The Maintenance Man" was presented in November 1989 The cast of "Stepping Out" had to dig out and polish the old tap shoes and desperately try to recall how to perform a time step for the production in November 1990. "Party Piece" followed in September 1993 and the most recent production of a Richard Harris play was a second run through "Outside Edge" in January 1995. Having only recently become available for amateur performance, "Dead Guilty" is being performed for the first time this week.