Based on Philip King’s classic British farce See How They Run, set in the 1940s vicarage of Merton-cum-Middlewick, here are the primary characters and their descriptions:
The Household
- Penelope Toop: A former American actress and the high-spirited wife of the local vicar. She is a bit of a rebel who struggles to fit into the conservative, pious lifestyle of a small English village, often causing “outrages” with her modern behavior (like wearing trousers).
- The Reverend Lionel Toop: The earnest, straight-laced vicar of Merton-cum-Middlewick. He is deeply in love with Penelope but is frequently overwhelmed by her antics and the chaos that ensues in his home.
- Ida: The Toops’ Cockney maid. She is saucy, quick-witted, and often more “in-the-know” than the other characters. She has a penchant for American movies and a bit of a crush on Clive.
The Visitors
- Lance-Corporal Clive Winton: An old friend of Penelope’s from her acting days, now a soldier (American or British, depending on the script version). He is charming and impulsive, agreeing to dress as a clergyman to sneak out to the theater with Penelope.
- The Bishop of Lax: Penelope’s uncle, a dignified and authoritative figure who arrives unexpectedly. He is easily confused by the growing number of “vicars” in the house and eventually becomes part of the madcap chase.
- The Reverend Arthur Humphrey: A mild-mannered, slightly bumbling visiting clergyman who arrives to preach the Sunday service. He is the “real” vicar whose identity and clothes are repeatedly stolen or imitated.
The Antagonists & Authorities
- Miss Skillon: A starchy, meddling spinster and local “busybody” who is constantly offended by Penelope’s behavior. After accidentally getting drunk on cooking sherry, she spends much of the play causing trouble from inside a broom cupboard.
- The Intruder: An escaped prisoner of war (German or Russian, depending on the version) who breaks into the vicarage. He steals Lionel’s clothes to use as a disguise, adding a dangerous element to the farce.
- Sergeant Towers: A no-nonsense, though occasionally flustered, police officer who arrives at the height of the chaos to track down the escaped prisoner.
