Moorestown Playwright Pens New Comedy

"I've always been interested in comedic situations, especially those based on historical events," says Moorestown resident Alex Wilkie, who has written a variety of full-length plays set in the past. His comedies, Vaudeville Villains, Yankee Panky and Coolers were all set in earlier eras. In his current play, Spy House, which will be performed at the Ritz Theatre on October 5 and 6 at 7 p.m., and on October 7 at 2 p.m., it’s the dark days of World War II and it shows how the British government was grappling with a serious problem. "They realized, early on, they had to quickly train spies to penetrate Nazi occupied Europe," explains Wilkie, "but not all of the people they selected for training were agents who turned out to be reliable or competent. On the other hand, the military could not release these trained spies from service because they knew too much classified information. Their solution was to tuck them away in a manor house in the Scottish highlands where they couldn’t hurt themselves or the war effort. I thought the idea of a house full of 'broken spies,' had great comedic potential so I started putting together characters and scenes. Some of these characters really leaped off the page. I've had a blast working with a really talented group of actors and theater professionals putting this show together." Producing artistic director of the Ritz Theatre in Oaklyn, NJ, Bruce Curless says, "I've worked with Alex for many years and I am a big fan of his characters. They're all based on real people with honest emotions, but exaggerated for comic effect. He has a great sense of comedy that often draws inspiration from the styles of the old masters, like Abbott and Costello, or Martin and Lewis. It's been a lot of fun bringing these hilarious characters to life."

Tickets are available at ritztheatreco.org.