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London, 1905. A show. A stuttering romance. Two squabbling actresses.
Is it Shakespeare? Is it Vaudeville?
Not quite. It is Mrs Morphett's Macaroons, a satirical play about suffragettes which its creators - friends, colleagues and would-be lovers Robbie Robinson and Violet Graham - are preparing to mount in London's West End.
It is the play rival actresses Merry and Gaye would kill to be in, if only they hadn't insulted the producer all those years ago.
For Robbie and Violet meanwhile there are backers to be appeased, actors to be tamed and a theatre to be found; and in the midst of it all a budding romance that risks being undermined by professional differences.
Never mix business with pleasure?
Well - maybe, maybe not.
About the author
Patsy Trench was born in England to an Australian mother and Anglo-Irish father. She began her working life as an actress, in the UK and in Australia, where highlights were performing alongside local legends Chips Rafferty and Skippy the Bush Kangaroo (not at the same time). She has been a scriptwriter, script editor, playscout and lyricist, and co-founder of The Children's Musical Theatre of London, creating devised musicals shows with primary school-aged children.
She is the mother of two adult children and lives in London with a Freedom Pass. When not writing books she organises theatre tours and teaches theatre part-time at Kingston University to visiting students from overseas.
Her hobbies are rag-rugging and fossicking for ancient artefacts on the Thames foreshore.
