A Bird In The Hand

A Bird In The Hand

Performed 29th, 30th and 31st October, 2009. Directed by Victoria Franklin.

A BIRD IN THE HAND is a comedy about marriage. It is also about men who are reluctant to let go of the feelings and freedom of their youth. This is a comedy, not a farce, the relationships are real and the dilemmas are poignant and contemporary, such as the conflict between the roles of wife and career woman.

Playwright Derek Benfield, who died on March 10 on the eve of his 83rd birthday, was an actor and the author of more than 30 plays. His best known character portrayal was as Bill Riley in the 70s TV series The Brothers. In recent years he was familiar as Patricia Routledge’s long-suffering husband in the BBC detective series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.
As a writer, Benfield specialised in farce and plays such as The Post Horn Gallop and Wild Goose Chase. His play Beyond a Joke was staged with Arthur Lowe in the leading role, and Bedside Manners starred John Inman and later Tim Brooke-Taylor.

More about the life of David Benfield here.