The Accused (Modern Plays)

The Accused

Jeffrey Archer’s latest play,
The Accused
, is a tense courtroom drama with a difference. The audience will act as the jury, as if they were in the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey.

You will have to decide …

Did Dr Sherwood murder his wife?
Was Jennifer Mitchell his mistress?
Which of his alibis should you believe?

The choice will keep you on the edge of your seats, and at the end of the trial you will be invited to deliver your verdict of guilty or not guilty. Once you have made that decision, the play will continue - with one of two different endings, depending on your verdict. Only then will you finally discover the truth.

Jeffrey Archer
is one of Britain’s top-selling novelists. He is published in 63 countries and 32 languages, and has international sales passing one hundred and twenty million copies. He is a former Member of Parliament and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, and was created a Life Peer in the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 1992. He is also an amateur auctioneer, conducting some 60 charity auctions each year.

He has written ten novels, several of which have been serialised for television and radio, four sets of short stories, and three plays. His first -
Beyond Reasonable Doubt
, starring Frank Finlay and Wendy Craig, ran at the Queen’s Theatre, in London’s West End, for over 600 performances. His second play,
Exclusive
, which ran at the Strand Theatre, starred Paul Scofield, Eileen Atkins and Alec McCowen.

Jeffrey Archer is now working on his eleventh novel,
Serendipity
, which will be published in May 2002.

By the same author

Novels

Not a Penny More Not a Penny Less

Shall We Tell the President?

Kane and Abel

The Prodigal Daughter

First Among Equals

A Matter of Honour

As the Crow Flies

Honour Among Thieves

The Fourth Estate

The Eleventh Commandment

Short stories

A Quiver Full of Arrows

A Twist in the Tale

Twelve Red Herrings

The Collected Short Stories

To Cut a Long Story Short

Plays

Beyond Reasonable Doubt

Exclusive

by

Jeffrey Archer

Act One

Scene One

Scene Two

Act Two

Scene One

Act Three

Scene One

Scene Two

The Accused

The Accused
was presented by Lee Menzies at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London, on 5 December 2000, having received its world premiere performance at the Theatre Royal, Windsor, on 26 September 2000.

The cast was as follows (in order of appearance)

All the action takes place in Court Number One at the Old Bailey.

Time: the present day.

The Jury Room, Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey. Morning
.

When the audience take their seats, there is no curtain. The stage is dark, but at the front is a door marked
JURY ROOM
. On the wall is a clock showing 9.45 a.m. When the house lights go down, the door opens and the
Jury Bailiff
steps through it and addresses the audience
.

Jury Bailiff
Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury. Welcome to the Old Bailey. My name is Gilbert Pierce and I have been appointed your jury bailiff. You have been summoned this day to appear at the Central Criminal Court. The trial you have been selected for is the Crown versus Mr Patrick Sherwood. Mr Sherwood is charged with murder. In a few moments I will take you through to Court Number One. But as I suspect this is the first time you’ve been called on to give jury service, you may well have some questions, and as this is my one hundred and fourteenth murder, I may just have some of the answers.

Now the judge in this case is Mr Justice Cartwright who considers himself to be the natural successor to Judge Jeffreys and his views on the restoration of the death penalty are well documented. However, you will be relieved to learn that he’s considerate with jurors, but uncompromising when it comes to barristers - especially those who try to take advantage of him. And while I’m on the subject of barristers, both the Crown and the Defence in this case are represented by two of the best - and they both know it.

Sir James Barrington leads for the Defence, while Mr Anthony Kersley, a former Member of Parliament, appears for the Crown. If you sense any friction between them, don’t be surprised: they loathe each other. It’s no secret that Sir James defeated Mr Kersley by one vote to become Chairman of the Bar Council, and was awarded the
knighthood that goes with it. It’s also common knowledge that they haven’t exchanged a civil word since.

The spotlight falls on
Kersley
and his junior
,
Ashton,
who are moving towards the courtroom in a corridor of light
.

Ashton
I see we’re up against your old sparring partner.

Kersley
Are you referring to Barrington, or His Lordship Mr Justice Cartwright?

Ashton
I thought you and Sir James …

Kersley
Frankly I’ve never cared for either of them, and I can assure you the feeling is mutual. You see, I didn’t go to the right school, old boy.

The attention moms to
Barrington
and
Jarvis
.

Jarvis
Have you appeared before Mr Justice Cartwright before?

Barrington
Many times, and on this occasion we start with a home advantage.

Jarvis
Why’s that?

Barrington
Because he disapproves of Kersley almost as much as I do, so all we have to do is massage the old boy’s ego.

Jarvis
But surely Kersley will do exactly the same thing?

Barrington
Not a chance. He’ll pick a quarrel with Cartwright at the first possible opportunity - he believes in the old adage that a good row with the judge makes up for a weak case.

Jury Bailiff
looks up from his clipboard
.

Jury Bailiff
Once Mr Kersley has made his opening statement for the Crown, he will proceed to call his witnesses. At the moment there are five on the list, but I’m not expecting to get through all of them today. After the adjournment you may return home, when you will quickly
discover that friends and relatives will want to discuss your views on the case and will be only too willing to offer theirs. But unlike you, they will not have heard all the evidence, so their opinions are, at best, worthless and, at worst, injurious. The safest bet is don’t talk to anyone and don’t allow anyone to talk to you

Usher
Mr Pierce, I am instructed by His Lordship to ask if the jury are assembled and ready?

Jury Bailiff
They are all in attendance, Mr Usher.

Usher
Then will you please accompany the jury to the courtroom?

Jury Bailiff
(
bows, and the Usher returns the bow
.
Jury Bailiff
turns back to face the audience
) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, please follow me.

Kersley
and
Ashton
walk through the jury door towards the courtroom in a corridor of light
.

Ashton
Do you think in the twenty-first century anyone gives a damn which school you went to?

Kersley
Mr Justice Cartwright doesn’t belong in the twenty-first century - as you’re about to find out - which may even work to our advantage.

Ashton
What do you mean?

Kersley
Simply that if the jury considers the judge is favouring one side, they quite often react against it.

Ashton
I can’t believe he’ll make it that obvious.

Kersley
Then I’ll have to make sure he does.

Barrington
and
Jarvis
follow in the corridor of light
.

Barrington
Andrew, have you had a chance to speak to our client this morning?

Jarvis
Yes, when I left him he was pacing up and down his cell and feeling rather sorry for himself. (
Pauses
.) I have to admit I rather like him.