Performances
Performances were at the
Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre
5636 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles
CA 90038
More info about the cast and creative at:
"Old Frenemies" by Wendy Meredith Bain
“This is a comedy of secrets and marital problems. It’s a modern farce. As an American comedy and theatre lover who grew up laughing at shows like Noises Off! and “Little Britain,” I immediately fell in love with OLD FRENEMIES. You don’t need to be British to find it downright hysterical.”
Cast & Creativies
A cast of LA-imported British & Australian talent including Craig Robert Young (The Vortex –Best Dramatic Actor, Stage Scene Awards, “The Last Ship,” “NCIS: LA”), Mia Christou (“Dance Off,” “Welcome to the Men’s Group”) Nick Hardcastle (Priscilla Queen of the Dessert, Ruben Guthrie, Pure Genius), and the playwright/actor herself, Wendy Meredith Bain (Peep Show (Netflix) Ill Behavior (Showtime) Fresh Meat (Hulu) Babylon (Sundance). To bridge the gap from across the pond, American director-writer-actor Justin Anthony Long (CBS Diversity Showcase, City of Dreams) directs.
Synopsis
Charlotte’s wildlife documentary-maker husband, Duncan, has to take her on a job with him filming red squirrels in North Wales. He doesn’t want her to come with him, but she’s scared after they had an intruder in their house in London and insists that he takes her with him.
The BBC rent Duncan a cottage in the rural countryside in Wales. It is owned by Charlotte’s old nemesis Lesley, whom she hasn’t seen in thirty years. Lesley stole Gethin, Charlotte’s childhood sweetheart away from her. She doesn’t know Lesley and Gethin own the farm where the cottage is and she never wanted to see either of them again.
Lesley’s and Gethin’s children have left home and she wants to build holiday cottages all over the farm and wants the scenic land the red squirrels live on for this. Gethin has said no to the idea. He loves his farm and especially the red squirrels. Lesley goes behind his back to arrange to cut the squirrels’ trees down. He’s angry and tired of Lesley’s aspirations and manipulations. He’s delighted to see Charlotte again.
Old and new secrets unravel about who did what to whom? Ending with some hilarious revelations and proving the old adage ‘it’s never too late’.
Reviews & Press
Emma Woolfrey – Front line views
Britain’s Wendy Bain now working with Dianne Fraser of Industry Entertainment, Los Angeles
Storytelling has always been an innate part of Wendy Bain’s purpose. As a child, she explored this in English and literature classes, and as she grew, acting became a way to express herself. As she became an actress, her passion for telling stories only intensified. Working as a professional actor, known under the stage name Wendy Meredith, and comedic improviser, story ideas and characters would vividly come into her imagination, and she began jotting down these thoughts as honest and fun tales started to form in her mind. Eventually, she added another role to her resume: writer. The transition came naturally, and now she knows it is what she was always meant to do.
“I’m also Welsh and we’re supposed to be good storytellers,” said Bain. “At least that’s what my Grandma said about my Granddad.”
Like many talented screenwriters, Bain doesn’t have to try to come up with a story. They are simply born in her imagination and captivate audiences. Her hit play Charlotte Davies Is to Blame for Everything tells the story of Charlotte Davies, who decides to go away with her husband, it does not go as planned. Charlotte’s wildlife documentary maker husband, Duncan takes Charlotte on a job with him in Wales. The cottage that is hired for is in the middle of nowhere, and unbeknownst to Charlotte, it is owned by her old nemesis, Lesley Irwin. Lesley has married Charlotte’s boyfriend Dewey, who still sees Charlotte as the love of his life. As the weekend unfolds, so do many hilarious and heartfelt events. The play, which has been renamed Old Frenemies and will play at the Hollywood Fringe this year, was born from an experience the writer had years ago.
