Hero's Welcome: Synopsis

Cast: 3 male / 3 female
Running time (approximate): 2 hours (not including interval)
Availability: Hero's Welcome is available for both professional and amateur production.
Acting Edition: Published by Samuel French.

Characters

○ Murray (A former soldier, 38)
○ Baba (His wife, 32)
○ Brad (A farmer & landowner, 38)
○ Kara (His wife, 35)
○ Simmy (Simone, their daughter, 17)
○ Derek (A builder, 43)
○ Alice (His wife, 39)

Note: Kara & Simmy are written to be doubled-up by the same actor
Seventeen years ago Murray fled the northern town of Hadforth, leaving his pregnant fiancée Alice at the altar. Now he has returned for a hero's welcome following distinguished service in the army. After the ceremony, Murray is reunited with Alice and his oldest friend, Brad, whom he introduces to his new wife Madrababacascabuna (Baba for short). Alice - who is now the town mayor - married model train obsessive Derek after Murray left her and is aghast to discover he plans to settle down in the town and re-open his parent's old pub The Bird Of Prey.

Baba is determined to learn English and becomes friends with Brad's much abused wife, Kara. The extraordinarily competitive Brad meanwhile struggles to cope with the fact that Murray easily defeats him at everything (including a shooting contest) and takes a bet with Derek he can seduce Baba. He gets the opportunity when Baba babysits Kara and Brad's children, Sammy and Daisy. His attempt at seduction fails and Baba flees back to the hotel where she and Brad are staying.

Baba confronts Alice about The Bird Of Prey after discovering that the council is hoping to de-list the building intending to demolish it and re-develop it. During the course of the meeting, Alice reveals she was pregnant at the time of the wedding with Brad's child, but Brad's parents would not allow her to marry him. Instead - in order to keep the child near by - they arranged to pay off Alice and Murray, who instead chose to leave Hadforth and join the army. At the end of the meeting, Alice begins to lose breath and suffers a stroke as Baba desperately tries to get hold of Derek.

He is with Brad, who lies about Baba and tells Derek he has won the bet having seduced her. Derek accidentally lets this slip to Kara who, after Derek is alerted about Alice's stroke, challenges Brad to a shooting contest. He agrees and as they both go into the garden, she fatally shoots him.

Derek and Murray meet and Derek reveals Alice has had a severe stroke and also Brad's lie about Baba. Murray goes back to the hotel and begins to pack his bag. Baba visits Kara's house to pay her condolences, but Sammy blames her for the death of her father and her mother's subsequent arrest whilst accusing Baba of sleeping with Brad. Baba returns to the hotel to discover Murray has apparently abandoned her.

Murray returns later, admitting he intended to leave but couldn't repeat his past mistakes. Baba tells him she did not sleep with Brad and loves him, her 'hero'. He reveals he is not quite the military hero everyone thinks as there has been a whitewash when he and his squad were attacked by enemy combatants with the squad accidentally setting a children's hospital alight. The story of Murray saving the children twisted to make it seem the enemy had put the children's lives at risk. The couple declare their love for reach other and their determination to stay in Hadforth and fight for the future of The Bird Of Prey.

Later that night, Simmy returns home with a petrol can just as sirens are heard. Alice - now paralysed and wheel-chair bound - is wheeled by Derek to the window as Murray and Baba look out from the hotel and all see The Bird Of Prey in flames - the couple embrace, ready for the new challenges ahead.

Article by Simon Murgatroyd. Copyright: Haydonning Ltd. Please do not reproduce without permission of the copyright holder.