Jill Elrod throws a surprise birthday party for her husband, Jack – but the only people she invites are the women he’s had affairs with.
Act One/Scene One opens with Jack’s legs sticking out from beneath the hedge. He's dead as a doornail. The ladies party on while waiting for the first responders to arrive. Once Sgt. Hazel starts to question them individually, the scenes change from ‘present time’ to ‘recent past’ as each woman recalls their conversation with Jack just before his body was discovered. Their chats with him reveal details of their past relationship, how each woman reacted when that relationship ended, and how it impacted their life.
As Act One closes, the coroner, Dr. Biels, arrives, only to discover that the victim is her ex-fiancé.
The beginning of Act Two reveals that Jill and Dr. Biels, though they’d never met, were aware that each had been involved with the philandering Jack. Biels is clearly bitter that Jill had stolen her man, but at the same time grateful that she had “dodged a bullet.”
Based on the evidence that the man had been stabbed, lynched, poisoned, choked, gutted and more, Dr. Biels and Sgt. Hazel debate the ‘whodunnit’ and the coroner finally declares it a 'death by misadventure’.
Once the body is removed and the first responders leave, the women are left to reflect on Jack’s finer qualities and mourn his loss. They discuss the reasons why married men cheat, the differences in men and women when it comes to sex, but most importantly – did one of them actually kill Jack? Was there a conspiracy? Or did Jack actually die from an unfortunate series of klutzy events? In the end, the lawyer in the group, Amanda, says that although their innermost wishes for Jack to suffer appear to have manifested themselves, there is no 'mens rea' and the women are free to go.
As Act Two closes, Jill – who is alone on stage – is startled by the reappearance of Dr. Biels. Biels is sure that Jill did the evil deed, and had abetted in the cover-up as a final ‘get even’ with Jack. The audience is left to wonder who, if anyone, actually committed murder.
Keywords: infidelity
Produced by Theatre Ancaster Classics Company (seniors 55+ group programme), 2025
Genre: Comedy
Acts: 2
Run time: 80 minutes
Content notes: Involves murder, infidelity and discussions involving sex.
Cast size: 12 actors
Male roles: 2
Female roles: 10
Casting notes: The party guest women are 55+, including the coroner. The butler can be female or male, or non-gender-conforming, but in the same age group. The police sergeant, Hazel, is retirement age, but officer Randy, can be much younger. Their genders are not important to the story.
Cover design by Sara Barron for Theatre Ancaster.