Legacy
5F / 4M + 2 Offstage Voices
Approximate Playing time: 90 Minutes
Dramatized from the papers of Frederick Joseph Manning of Octon Cottage, Torquay, England, 1879 – 1950, this engaging and thoughtful story follows the hopes and shattered aspirations of a servant during the changing tides of classicism. Robert Noble Acutt, a retired gentleman and widower, has just died leaving his household of servants in shock trying to come to terms with an uncertain future. Acutt’s solicitor arrives and reveals that long-standing servants, Mrs. Draper, and head gardener, Thomas Manning, have been left valuable legacies. Their greatest fears are realized when they learn that the house will indeed be sold and all the servants will be looking for work. The suave and persuasive Leonard Saint John Courtney, in business as an ‘Annuity Consultant’, turns up and beguiles Thomas Manning with the prospect of turning his legacy into a greater fortune. Manning moves his family to a temporary rented house and purchases a plot of land on which to build a Bungalow. His wife, Fanny, and daughter, Olive, are unaware of the extent of St. John Courtney’s influence, busy planning Olive’s wedding as anxieties about the possibility of war with Germany surface. Facing a potential financial crisis, Manning pleads with Courtney through his letters for a pay out from the investment but no money is forthcoming. With the bungalow to pay for and his wife demanding a date for Olive’s wedding, he is desperate to rescue at least some of his investment. Is Saint John Courtney’s business genuine but subject to unavoidable delays, or is he a ruthless conman? How will Manning tell his family and what are the implications for their future?
$60.00 Royalty per Performance
$20.00 Single-Use Copyright Fees