NELL'S BELLES The swinging 16 sixties show Musical in 2 Acts by Kjartan Poskitt SYNOPSIS The 1660s was an amazing time to be alive. As well as the plague and the great fire of London, there was the opening of Drury Lane Theatre where a bunch of hopeful girls hoped to find an escape from life in the nearby bawdy house. Find out how their outrageous antics lead to the love story of Charles II and his girlfriend Nell Gwyn - and how they went on to re-shape history. ( Obviously it all had to be hushed up at the time for national security reasons, but at last the real truth can be told! And if you don't believe it - you know what they say about the sixties: if you claim to know exactly what went on, you can't have been there.) The show was especially written to give lots of good roles for women, and it includes plenty of comedy and lively rock songs. CASTING: Over 35 speaking parts including Charles, Nell, Nell's drunk mother, her pickpocket sister, the telepathic twins, the fortune teller, Charles' "official" mistresses, his scheming brother James and loads more including a whole army of charladies. Lots of chorus work. Many doubles/triples possible. (Minimum cast about 12). Age range: Suitable for any large varied group although a few small edits may be appropriate if under 10s are involved. • Nell Gwyn (the actress) • Rose Gwyn (Nell’s pickpocketing sister) • Violet (Nell’s scary friend) • Mercy (Nell’s fortune-telling friend) • Agatha (Nell’s dotty friend) • Annie } (Nell’s telepathic twin friends) • Bess } • Helena Gwyn (Nell’s drunken mother) • Charles Hart (a grand actor) • Robert Duncan (manager of Drury Lane Theatre) • King Charles II) • Queen Catherine (Charles’ Portuguese wife) • Barbara Villiers (an English mistress) • Louise (a French mistress) • Hortense (an Italian mistress) • James (Charles’ tiresome brother) • Mr Chiffinch (page of the bedchamber) • Mrs Chiffinch (keeper of the privy) • Irene } • Rita } (Charles’ charladies) • Elsie } • Tom Farrinor (the creepy baker) • Titus Oates (the revolutionary) • Duke Of Buckingham • Father Huddlestone • Doctor • Nurse • Soldier 1 • Soldier 2 • Barmaid • Newspaper Seller 1 • Newspaper Seller 2 • Newspaper Seller 3 • Newspaper Seller 4 • Vera } • Pauline } • Ivy } (extra charladies) • Brenda } • Dot } • Connie } • The Grim Reaper
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