Program Farndale Final

Director’s Notes
the way home!
Best wishes
Sue Mooney
Good evening everyone.
This will be the second time in 15 years that I have directed
this play.
This type of play is becoming very popular in the world of
professional theatre and has certainly stood the test of time.
We hope you enjoy the fun and frolics of the Farndale Avenue
Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s
production of a Murder Mystery.
Nothing is what it seems in the world of Farndale. Things can,
do and will go wrong so sit back and be prepared to laugh all
The Farndale plays.
Murder at Checkmate Manor is one of ten plays written in the Farndale series by David Mcgillivray
and Walter Zerlin Jnr. They focus on the disastrous efforts of the ladies (and the occasional man) of
the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society to put on productions
including works by Shaksepeare, Dickens and Gilbert and Sullivan.
In real life Zerlin was a barrister in the West Midlands. During this time he defended John Cleese
over a parking offence and the actor later recommended him to help Marlon Brando in a court scene
for the film A Dry White Season.
Born in Guilford the son of a refugee he was called to the bar in 1974 and a year later he went on to
form “Entertainment Machine” and created the Farndale characters together with David Mcgillivray
whose background is in the film industry as a script writer and actor. He has also written scrips for
Julian Clary.
The Townswomen’s Guild is a British women’s organisation. There are
approximately 30,000 members in 706 branches and 77 Federations
throughout England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man
and the Isle of Wight.
The movement was formed in 1929 at the instigation of Margery Corbett
Ashby and Eva Hubback, when women first won the right to vote with the
aim of educating women about good citizenship. Since then, T.G. has
lobbied on national and local issues. Townswomen are encouraged to
have ideas and views, develop new skills, campaign on various issues,
support each other, make new friends and have fun.
The Townswomen’s Guild produces “Townswomen” a magazine published quarterly and delivered
directly to its members. The nearest guild in this area is in Poynton which meets in the Poynton Civic
Centre on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 10:00.
For more information checkout their Facebook page.