An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good
This dark comedy “raises elderly empowerment to hilarious new levels”, with an old lady whose guts and ingenuity make her the opposite of the doddering, helpless senior so prevalent in popular culture. The show is based a collection of funny, irreverent stories by Helene Tursten, author of the popular Irene Huss Investigation books and TV series.
Ever since her father’s death when she was only eighteen, Maud has lived in the family’s spacious apartment in downtown Gothenburg rent-free, thanks to a minor clause in a hastily negotiated contract. Now in her late eighties, Maud travels the world, surfs the net, and stops at nothing to maintain her peaceful existence. Over the course of her adventures— or misadventures— this “little bold lady” will handle a crisis with a local celebrity who has her eyes on Maud’s apartment, foil the engagement of her long-ago lover, and dispose of some pesky neighbours. But when police find a dead body in Maud’s apartment, will Maud finally become a suspect?
Kathy MacLellan and John Nolan, of Rag & Bone Puppet Theatre, have toured across Canada and the U.S. since 1978 with over 100 performances a year in schools, libraries, children's festivals, and theatres. Kathy has also written for many children's TV shows, including Mr. Dressup, Under the Umbrella Tree, and Theodore Tugboat. John appeared as Jackson on the YTV show Crazy Quilt. Numerous awards include an ACTRA award and a Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry from UNIMA, the international puppetry association.
For more info, call John or Kathy at 613-824-5972 or email us.
“Maud is an irascible 88-year-old Swedish woman with no family, no friends, and no qualms about a little murder.”—Bookbrowse.com
“Maud’s murders always have plausible motives, and she is a sympathetic character as long as one keeps a safe distance. Each story takes its sweet time to develop and concludes with a juicy dose of senior justice.”— Kirkus
“Starred Review. Readers will be amused by how sharp-as-a-tack Maud plays the forgetful, fuzzy-brained old lady to achieve her ends.”— Publishers Weekly
“The book is pure fun.”— Kirkus
“I ought to feel guilty for enjoying her crimes, but I don’t. The stories are written with such persuasive logic and delicious irony that I want the killing to continue indefinitely.”— Peter Lovesey, Mystery Writers of America Grand Master
“An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good is entertaining, fun, and ultimately satisfying. It’s a great little book to keep in your bag for those moments when you find yourself waiting in a doctor’s office or restaurant . . . or perhaps simply curled up on your sofa with a cup of tea. Let’s just hope Maud hasn’t poisoned it.”—Judy Clemens, New York Journal of Book Reviews
