FLAT OUT
INTRODUCTION
‘Flat Out’ is a high-energy comedy that entertains through exaggerated and improbable situations. It is set in a central London block of flats overrun with mice. Throw into the mix – scheming property developers with the intention of turning the building into smart apartments for wealthy investors, a cross-dressing old school City banker, a pair of afternoon lovebirds and an over zealous cleaner – to create the perfect scenario for a modern day farce of mistaken identities.
Written by Jennifer Selway
Commissioned, devised and originally directed by John Plews
Cast comprises 4 male & 4 female roles.
Act 1: 55 mins / Act 2: 45 mins (plus an interval)
SETTING
The setting is the South Kensington flat of Hugh & Claire Carmichael.
The action takes place over two hours and must be played in real time – 12noon to 2pm on a rainy March day in the current year.
STORYLINE
Hugh Carmichael is looking to sub-let the flat to raise a little extra finance and at the same time his wife Claire, is lending the flat to her friend Angela, who needs a location for a romantic assignation. Marina the Cleaner pops in at every inconvenient moment, witnessing all the comings and goings. The downstairs neighbour, Phil, returns from his second home in Florida but suspiciously without his long-term partner Trudi.
The property developers’ representative, it turns out is having an affair with Hugh Carmichael’s prospective tenant, who is also the daughter of Angela’s would-be lover.
All is resolved after much mistaken identity, cross-dressing, perfectly timed entrances and exits and an infestation of mice.
FLAT OUT - CAST BREAKDOWN
(all ages are approximate playing ages)
Claire Carmichael: (South Kensington ‘lady who lunches’)
Playing age: 45 – 55
Hugh Carmichael: (Old-School City Banker)
Playing age: 50 – 60
Angela Crabbe: (Widow, friend of Claire)
Playing age: 35 – 45
Giles Fletcher: (Top flight Barrister – Beau of Angela)
Playing age: 40 – 50
Sandrine Fletcher: (Girlfriend of Tim, Daughter of Giles)
Playing age: 22 – 25
Tim Forrester: (Ambitious Property Company Employee)
Playing age: 25 – 30
Phil Gibson: (Shady Downstairs Neighbour)
Playing age: 30 – 40
Marina the Cleaner: (Crazy lady from Croatia)
Playing age: 25 – 65
FLAT OUT - STAGE SET
The single stage set needs to reflect the living room of a South Kensington flat with a three seater sofa and various tables and chairs. There should be four doors – one to the hallway/one to the bedroom/one to a walk-in cupboard/one to the kitchen. There should also be a double window that allows access to the scaffolding which can be seen as if it were attached to the outside of the building and the audience can imagine that the scaffolding connects the living room to the bedroom.
WORDING FOR THE PROGRAMME
The action takes place in a flat in South Kensington
Act I: 12 Noon – 12.55pm – current year
Interval
(this can be altered to reflect the theatre’s usual interval time but the first lines of Act 2 must be altered accordingly).
Act 2: 1.15pm – 2pm
RECORDED MUSIC
As the lights go up and Angela turns the radio on there should be a BBC Radio London traffic report to establish the location which mixes into the music track ‘Forever Young’ by Mari Wilson.
BOWS and WALK OUT: Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens (Louis Jordan)
SOUND FX
1) A Door Bell – in the original production this was operated by the actors, however it can be an SFX.
2) Mobile phone beep and a voice via the hands free option (which the audience can hear)
3) Rain (light & heavy & thunder)
4) Toilet Flush
RIGHTS
“Flat Out” is available for both professional and amateur companies in the UK and the rest of the world.
If you would like to produce “Flat Out” please contact John at Ovation’s London office on: 44 (0) 7973 502 189 email: john@ovationproductions.com