Laughter in Court: Percy French v West Clare Railway

By Brian Comerford

Travelling entertainer, Percy French, sued the West Clare Railway, when, due to his delayed arrival in Kikee, the audience for his entertainment had left the Concert Hall.

This dramatisation was performed to hysterical acclaim by the Corofin Dramatic Society in Ennis Courthouse. It is dedicated to the memories of producer, Haulie Lafiffe and Paddy Browne, who played the Judge.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brian Comerford
• Release date: Nov 7, 2011
• ISBN: 9781466178618

Brian Comerford

Resident in Ireland, Brian Comerford has written for the theatre, screen, audio dramas and poetry. Please come back to Brian's Smashwords pages as new work is constantly being added.

Book preview

LAUGHTER IN COURT

By Brian Comerford

Copyright 1987 Brian Comerford

Smashwords Edition.

A dramatisation of two cases heard in Ennis Courthouse on Friday 15th January 1897.

CASE #2

Percy French v West Clare Railway

Dedicated to the Memories of Haulie Lahiffe, who produced a most entertaining production of this dramatisation in Ennis Courthouse, with the Corofin Dramatic Society, and Paddy Browne, Ennis, who played the part of the Judge

.

-o0o-

CAST

Justice Kelly

Clerk

Mr. H. Cullinan Q.C.

Mr. Murphy Q.C.

Mr. W. Percy French...A Wandering Balladeer

George Hopkins...Locomotive Superintendent

Mr Sullivan...System Manager

Miss A. Malone)...Two Eccentric Sisters

Miss B. Malone)

COURTROOM SETTING

JUDGE: Another West Clare Railway case! More waste of this court’s time!

CLERK: Your Honor, this case is about an alleged waste of time.

JUDGE: Whose time could be so valuable as to risk the loss of it on the West Clare Railway? Who could be so imprudent as to assume that their timetable had a factual content?

CLERK: A Mr. W. Percy French, of no settled abode, is claiming Ten Pounds damages, due to the alleged failure of the West Clare Railway to deliver him to Kilkee in time for an entertainment he had undertaken to provide.

MR. H. CULLINAN: I represent Mr. French.

MR. MURPHY RISES. BEFORE HE SPEAKS THE JUDGE INTERRUPTS HIM.

JUDGE: (SYMPATHETICALLY) Mr. Murphy, I have no doubt that if you had lived about two thousand years ago and practiced your present profession, it would have been your unhappy lot to be assigned to defend Judas Iscariot.