Synopsis

Frank is squeamish by nature, especially when it comes to burying his late irascible old mother Edith, now lying upstairs in the spare room. While urging him to make necessary arrangements, Lorna, Frank’s second wife, discovers to her annoyance that he has engaged the help of his sister Polly.

Val and Reg, members of the local folk dancing club, arrive to pay their respects. They disclose that Edith, far from having been difficult, was a well-liked fun loving club member with a toy-boy called Ted. Edith’s presence is felt throughout the play as being symbolic of the fractured relationships and bickering family: Polly, jealous of Frank and railing against his ineffectualness; Lorna, angry over his reluctance to face reality; and Carrie, Frank’s late daughter who casts a further shadow over events.

Characters

(3m, 4f)

• Frank - 50s/60s
• Lorna - 50s/60s, his wife
• Polly - 50s, Frank’s sister
• Val - 50s/60s, a member of the folk dancing club
• Reg - 50s/60s, a member of the folk dancing club
• Lucy - 20s, a member of the folk dancing club
• Ted - 40s, a member of the folk dancing club