All Lies: Synopsis
Cast: 1 male / 2 femaleRunning time (approximate): 1hr 50minutes including interval.
Availability: Apply to Casarotto Ramsay.
Acting Edition: All Lies has not been published.
Characters
○ Sebastien Goodfellow (20s, a compulsive liar)○ Posy Capstick (20s, the love of his life)
○ Sonia Goodfellow (30s, his sister)
The play charts the relationship of Sebastien and Posy in correspondence from September 1957 to June 1958 before skipping to 23 November 1958 for the final scene.
The pair accidentally meet at a concert at the Royal Albert Hall and both instantly fall for each other. However, Sebastien, a trouser salesman working on Oxford Street tries to impress the apparently upper class Posy by saying he is a cellist for the Hallé Orchestra.
The story of the developing relationship is told over letters in which - much to his sister's chagrin - Sebastien reveals he is telling ever more outrageous lies to try and impress Posy as well as keeping the previous lies believable.
Both Sebastien and Posy have confidence issues - implied to be from derived from their parents - with both having been in failed previous relationships; Posy apparently haven been left at the altar at least once before.
The relationship continues to grow despite Sonia's warnings and Liza's cynicism about Sebastien. It even survives the stumbling block of Posy unexpectedly taking a trip up to Manchester to see Sebastien playing with the Hallé. He navigates this by creating an even more outrageous lie that he is actually spying for MI5 and is a James Bond like character with a short wave radio hidden in his cello case.
Posy arranges for Sebastien to visit the family home in the country, where an incredibly impressed Sebastien proposes to Posy, which she accepts.
Sebastien writes to his sister, admitting that he must come clean to Posy now before the relationship becomes one based on all lies.
For the first time, we now see Sebastien and Posy together - just prior to the wedding on 23 November 1958 - in a cafe in London. Sebastien admits that practically everything he has told Posy is a lie but that he loves her and hopes she will forgive him. Posy reveals she has known for some time he was lying and admits she too has been lying. Initially about her birthday date and age and then slightly more serious lies. She confesses she isn't really of the gentry and their whole weekend was a fake arranged by her and her family, utilising the lodge where her sister lives as a housekeeper for the Lord and Lady who live in the actual stately home.
The truth revealed, the pair agree to marry. The scene cuts to the church where the vicar can be heard asking if they will be faithful as long as they both shall lie. They say yes, but turn to check on each other as the lights fade.
Synopsis by and copyright of Simon Murgatroyd. Please do not reproduce without permission of the copyright holder.