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A SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. TITLE
Full-Length Play, Comedy / 4w, 8m, 1boy(s), 3gnc (adult)
Charlie Josephine
In a sleepy town in the Wild West, the women drift through their days like tumbleweed. Their husbands, swept up in the gold rush, have been missing for almost a year and show no sign of returning. In fact, the town is almost cut off from outsiders entirely, with only one drunken sheriff for protection.
That is until handsome bandit Jack Cannon swaggers up to the town’s saloon, looking for a place to hide from the bounty hunters on his tail. Armed with whiskey and a wink, and a gun by their side for good measure, Jack’s explosive arrival inspires a gender revolution, and starts a fire under the petticoat of every one of the town’s repressed inhabitants.
The production originally premiered at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
JACK – a nonbinary trans masc cowboy (they/he) MISS LILLIAN – a white woman, who’s husband owns the saloon (she/her) SALLY ANN – a god-fearing white cis woman, who’s husband is a miner (she/her) MARY – a Black woman, a widow, mother of Kid, a farmer (she/her) KID – a young boy with a touch of magic (he/him) JAYNE – a school teacher, who’s fiancé is a miner (she/her) LUCY / LOU – a Black farmer, AFAB nonbinary trans masc (she/her, then later they/he) SHERIFF ROGER JONES – a cis man, an alcoholic, a good gun (he/him) FRANK – a white cis man, Lillian’s husband, the saloon owner (he/him) JOHN – a white cis man, a miner, Sally Ann’s husband (he/him) JAMES – a Latinx or Black cis man, a miner, Jayne’s fiancé (he/him) GEORGE – a Black cis man, a farmer, Lucy’s husband (he/him) CHARLEY PARKHURST – a nonbinary person, a famous bandit and gun fighter (they/them) TOMMY – a cis man, a bandit (he/him) TOMMY’S TOOTHLESS BOYS – a gang of bandits (he/him)
If the character is trans, the actor must be. If the character is queer, the actor must be. Unless their race is specifically stated in the description above the actor does not need to be white, and probably shouldn’t be. Actors are encouraged to perform this play in their own accents, despite the 1880s American vocabulary and iconography.
“Rootin' tootin' good fun and celebration.” — The Times
“Wild sexy queer western that shoots straight to your heart.” — Birmingham Live
“A brilliant twist on a classic Hollywood Western.” — Broadway World
“Brilliantly entertaining.” — City A.M.
“A delight.” — Evening Standard
“Truly beautiful.” — Stratford Herald
“Fabulously queer extravaganza.” — The Arts Desk
“A whole new frontier.” — The Guardian
“Sexy, silly, surreal cabaret swaggers through the queer side of cowboy culture.” — The Independent
“Charlie Josephine's raucous new play sends up Western tropes and gender norms to exhilarating effect.” — The Telegraph
“Playful” — The Times
“A rootin’ tootin’ good time.” — Time Out
“Sensationally good... The script zings and sparks.” — Warwickshire World
“Swagger, humour, and plenty of good old-fashioned gunslinging action.” — WhatsOnStage
“An absolute treat.” — West End Best Friend
Charlie Josephine is acclaimed actor, writer and director. Currently under commission at Headlong Theatre, Fuel Theatre and Leeds Playhouse. Charlie is also preparing to co-direct As You Like It, and play Orlando, at the Globe this summer. Their latest play, Pinocchio, enjoye ...
by Charlie Josephine