Sleight of Hand
Sleight of Hand is a play for three males and three females. Elsie Woodford is a domineering elderly widow living on a small farm in rural Australia, where she is cared for by her divorced daughter, Hannah. Her other daughter, Vonnie, and her mute grandson, Cam, arrive for Christmas.
This is the first time the family has been together for eight years, and old frictions soon come to the surface. Hannah and Vonnie go out to dinner with Ewen, the new farm manager, who has invited Hannah to go on a romantic holiday with him to Bali. An argument develops, however, and Hannah storms out, leaving Vonnie and Ewen to worry about her all night.
Meanwhile, Elsie and Cam’s peaceful evening is shattered by the arrival of Casey, an escaped prisoner who intends taking them hostage. Elsie and Cam, however, manage to turn the tables on Casey, terrifying him in the process with a little deception and Aboriginal spirit magic. But in doing so, they are both forced to reveal secrets about themselves. Faced with exposure, they join forces in an attempt to maintain their charades, while everyone else is forced to re-evaluate their futures.
Sleight of Hand was commissioned by the Heretaunga Players, and premiered at their theatre on 22nd November 1995.