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Murder on West Moon Street

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  4w, 4m

Rob Urbinati

This brisk and witty comedy, adapted from Oscar Wilde's short story Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, concerns a naive young gentleman who, after learning from a palmreader that his future involves murder, feels obliged to commit the deed before his pending nuptials.

Murder on West Moon Street

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 4m
  • Duration
    Duration
    105 Minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Farce, Mystery/Thriller
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for all audiences

Details

Summary
Young Lord Arthur is deliriously happy – just down from Oxford and engaged to be married – when a mysterious palm reader predicts that he will commit a murder. A proper English gentleman, Arthur believes it is his duty to get this killing business over with before he marries. But his education has not provided him with the required skills, and a hilarious series of mishaps ensues as he sets about finding a victim.
History
Murder on West Moon Street was originally produced by Prospect Theater Company at the Hudson Guild Theatre in New York City on April 21, 2007. Directed by Davis McCallum, the production featured Judith Hawking, Michael Crane, Avi Glickstein, Jocelyn Greene, Melissa Miller, Glenn Peters, Alex Webb and David Ruffin.
Keywords
Performing Groups

LORD ARTHUR SAVILE – A gentleman. Naive.
LADY WINDERMERE – His confidante. Grand.
SYBIL MERTON – His betrothed. Clever.
CHARLES – His valet. Devoted.
LADY CLEM – His elderly aunt. Irritable.
JANE PERCY – His cousin. Enthusiastic.
MR. PODGERS – The cheiromantist. Mysterious.
HERR WINCKELKOPF – An anarchist. Artistic.

Note: The role of Lady Clem can be played by a man.

The role of Lady Clem can be played by a man.

  • Time Period 1900-1910
  • Setting Various locations in London, England in 1900.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Additional Features Physical Comedy, Drag Performance
  • Duration 105 Minutes
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

“A briskly paced comedy of manners true to its author's greater spirit. A complete delight!” – The New York Times

“Urbinati's adaptation is deft, using the source material to its fullest and beautifully fleshing out several minor characters only alluded to in the original story.” – Backstage

“Oscar Wilde's short story Lord Arthur Savile's Crime is a clever mystery, written to indict the fate industry with whom late 19th-century aristocrats seemed so enthralled. The writer Rob Urbinati has molded the story into a briskly paced comedy of manners true to its author's greater spirit. A complete delight!” – The New York Times

“Rob Urbinati has done a truly marvelous thing: He's turned an infrequently read Oscar Wilde short story into a play that improves on the original. A Wilde ride indeed!” – The New York Blade

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size N/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $110 per performance

Scripts

Available Formats:
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Authors

Rob Urbinati

Rob Urbinati
Rob Urbinati is a freelance playwright, screenwriter, book author and theater director based in New York City. He is also director of new play development at Queens Theatre.

Rob was born in Framingham, Massachusetts and currently resides in New York City. He received a BA from ...

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