A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Murder at Cafe Noir

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  3w, 4m

by David Landau
Music and Lyrics by Nikki Stern

In this comic tribute to the Bogart era set on the fictional island of Mustique, the audience votes to determine the actions of hard-boiled detective Rick Archer.

Murder at Cafe Noir

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 4m
  • Duration
    Duration
    75 Minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Mystery/Thriller, Period, Parody/Spoof
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences

Details

Summary

This 1940s detective story come to life features Rick Archer, P.I., out to find a curvaceous runaway on the forgotten island of Mustique, a place stuck in a black-and-white era. The owner of the Cafe Noir has washed ashore, murdered, and Rick’s quarry was the last person seen with him. Rick employs his hard-boiled talents to find the killer. Was it the French madame and club manager, the voodoo priestess, the shyster British attorney, the black marketeer, or the femme fatale? The audience votes twice on what they want Rick to do next, and these decisions change the flow of this comic tribute to the Bogart era.

The production packet includes PDFs of the following:
Police Reports
Newspaper
Deed
Music Lead Sheets
Business Cards

Keywords
Performing Groups

RICK ARCHER – A private eye who's always wanted to be Bogart or Mitchum in one of those 40s film noir movies, and has not gotten his chance.
MADAM TOREAU – A lady who's seen it all while managing the Cafe Noir – where everything is for sale.
SHEILA WONDERLY – Her real name is Sheilda Schickelmeier. Once a spoiled rich girl, she took a job at Cafe Noir and learned about life the hardest way of all, becoming hardened in the process.
ANTHONY CAIRO – A dealer in the black market working Cafe Noir to avoid the St. Vincent police. He has two scars, one on either side of his face.
MARIE LARUE – The Creole illegitimate daughter of a Voodoo priestess and a St. Vincent's political figure. She sells spells and fortunes at Cafe Noir.
SIMON GUTTERMAN – A British barrister who lost his standing when he became implicated in a scandal of having affairs with wealthy female clients. He now caters to the clientele of Cafe Noir. Simon is always looking for a quick way to make it to the top.
THURSBY – A two-bit gun runner.
VANGILDER – A Dutch blackmailer.
RIGFIELD – A British cop from St. Vincent.

THURSBY, VANGILDER and RIGFIELD are all played by the same actor.

THURSBY, VANGILDER and RIGFIELD are all played by the same actor.

  • Time Period Present Day, 1940s/WWII
  • Setting The Cafe Noir, a seedy supper club on the docks of the island Mustique. 1940s.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Additional Features Audience Participation/Interactive, Play with Music
  • Duration 75 Minutes
  • Cautions
    • Gun Shots

Media

“Fast and funny satire.” – The Los Angeles Times

“Mystery theatre at its finest.” – Sun Times, Portland

“Aptly tongue in cheek [with] clever punchlines and occasional song interludes.” – Washington Times

“This whodunit is darn good... it’s the kind of show that lingers on your mind, like a dame’s perfume.” – Maryland Journal

“A feast for connoisseurs of mystery.” – Orange County Daily Pilot

“Riveting.” – Daily Pennsylvanian

“It's as close as you'll ever get to stepping into Bogey’s shoes at the Blue Parrot.” – Boston Herald

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

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Authors

David Landau

David Landau

David Landau is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Mystery Writers of America. An award-winning and published playwright, he has also won a few screenwriting awards and written a number of scripts for video and film. He received the Blackburn Award for Excellence in Pla ...

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Author

Nikki Stern

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