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A NEW, DELIGHTFUL FAMILY MUSICAL DEALING WITH FRIENDSHIP, COMMUNITY, LOVE, LOSS AND OVERCOMING ADVERSITY.​

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SYNOPSIS​

 

 

ACT ONE

 

Mrs Dumpling returns to her beloved village, Little Wherever, having been away convalescing for some time following the death of her husband, Archie. The pair had run the local petrol station and car wash in the village of Little Wherever, Yorkshire for as long as anyone can remember. She soon discovers the town has gone to pieces without her steadying hand.

 

“...YOU’RE STILL THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITY,

JUST LIKE THE CREAM IN MRS CRUMP’S ECLAIR

BREAK OUT THE BUNTING AND THE OLD BRASS BAND,

THERE’S A WELCOME IN THE AIR…“

 

She is informed by Mr Long, Archie’s best friend, that in her absence a new, more upmarket service station has been trying to muscle in on her territory. They share their thoughts on life after Archie.

 

“...HAVING BOTH LOST A CONSTANT COMPANION,

WE DESERVE AND IT’S EASY TO SEE,

JUST A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC FOR YOU MISTER LONG AND FOR ME…”

 

She encounters Miss Marsh and Mr Ardent, antagonist Edwin Vandacamp’s two ‘hench people’ who are about to rub salt into her wound and explain why she is yesterday’s news.

 

“...I DON’T INTEND TO CALL YOU DECREPIT,

BUT I KNOW YOU CAN’T CHANGE SPOTS ON A LEOPARD,

SO WHY WASTE YOUR TIME WHEN JUST FOR THE RECORD:

HAVE YOU A SHOT? I THINK, GRANNY, NOT!”

 

She also discovers at this point that her treasured car wash is sadly on its last legs. While the village folk rally round and try to help, Miss Marsh and Mr Ardent decide to advertise the garage for sale behind her back, hoping Mrs Dumpling may succumb to a lucrative cash offer…

 

The sun is shining and the whole village is excited for the annual Village Fete with stalls, entertainment and celebrities, and all the while money is being raised for charity. Fingers crossed that the day stays dry…

 

“..YES! THIS IS NORTHERN, WE’RE PLENTY MORE THAN

WALKS ON THE MOORS AND BIG BRASS BANDS

WET ROUND THE ANKLES, YET STILL IT RANKLES

TO STATE THAT OUR FÊTE IS IN YOUR HANDS!”

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Suddenly, the village folk discover the advert in a local newspaper and ‘telephone whispers’ ensue…

 

“...MAYBE COZ EVERYTHING’S UP IN THE AIR,

OR MAYBE AN OFFER FROM SOME MILLIONAIRE

SITTING ON A FORTUNE, THAT’S WHAT I’VE READ -

EE, D’YOU THINK IT’S SOMETHING WE SAID?”

 

We meet Vandacamp, the ruthless owner of the posh service station, whose motto is ‘Taking over the world, one plot at a time’. He explains just how heartless he is and expects his staff to follow his lead.

 

“…I’LL NEVER REST UNTIL MY FACE IS PLASTERED AROUND THIS TOWN -

I LOVE TO KICK OLD LADIES WHEN THEY’RE DOWN!”

 

At the end of his rant, he fires Miss Marsh who swears revenge. Elsewhere, three smarmy developers turn up at Mrs Dumpling’s garage in response to the ad with increasingly terrible ideas for the plot.

 

“...I CAN SEE IT NOW! IT’S NOT IDEAL BUT WE NEED TO KNOW

THAT SEPTIC TANKS ARE ALLOWED TO FLOW

LET’S NOT ABDICATE LET’S ERADICATE

THAT’S WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE ASKED FOR,

CARBON ZERO, YOU’RE A HERO I CAN SEE IT NOW!”

 

Mrs Dumpling sends them all away with a flea in their ear, promising the village folk big news soon regarding her plans. As she leaves, she overhears a conversation between Mr Long and Harry in which it seems Mr Long is declaring his secret love for her. She chastises herself for not noticing sooner.

 

“...WONDERFUL CONSTANT, LOVED ONES,

BUILDING OUR LIVES UNDAUNTED

HOLDING, FIGHTING, THEN JUST AS IT LIGHTENS,

THE SUN TURNS TO SNOW…“

 

She speaks to the car wash as though it’s Archie and suddenly, bizarre noises start like...it’s responding! Excitedly, she tries to communicate but discovers it is just friends on an important mission needing their noisy jalopy cleaning. Although ‘broken’, their car is somehow sucked through the wash, which gives off a beautiful multi-coloured firework display, and it emerges repainted and glistening - Miracle #1!

 

“...IT SEEMED FAIRLY CLEAR AS THE CAR APPEARED

THAT THERE’S MAGIC IN THE AIR,

DON’T HAVE A CLUE ABOUT THE GLISTENING HUE,

SEEMS THAT MIRACLES CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE…“

 

Just as everyone is celebrating what looks like a life-changing discovery, Vandacamp reappears with his own revelations; Mrs Dumpling has been trading illegally and could face massive fines or even a prison sentence. A short reprise of his song leaves Mrs Dumpling and the whole village shellshocked and utterly distraught.

 

 

 

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ACT TWO

 

An extraordinary meeting is called to discuss the growing problem of developers wanting their village.

 

“...IF YOU CAN CHANNEL ATTILA THE HUN,

GET READY FOR BATTLE THE KILLING’S BEGUN

WHAT’LL BE NEXT? LET ME KEEP YOU ABREAST -

WE’RE A PURPOSEFUL PEOPLE THAT WON’T BE OPPRESSED

AND THE PLOT OF THE SEQUEL WILL LEAVE YOU IMPRESSED TODAY!“

 

As the meeting closes, Mrs Arkwright barges in in a tizzy. Having placed a bag of baking ingredients on the ground outside, the car wash has sucked them in and baked a lemon drizzle cake - Miracle #2! Then, Miss Marsh appears wanting to speak with Mrs Dumpling; she now knows Vandacamp is a baddun and she will help their cause, but they must trust her.

 

“...I UNDERSTAND IT’S QUITE UNPLANNED,

FOR YOU IT’S A LEAP OF FAITH

FOR ME NOW I’VE GROWN, I’LL MAYBE ATONE

THE HOME I’M MOURNING…”

 

Suddenly, another commotion - Mr Barnfield appears, shocked; his donkey Edna, silent from birth, accidentally fell into the car wash and is now braying happily - Miracle #3! This is enough proof for Miss Marsh, who breaks into Vandacamp’s office to find the paperwork Mrs Dumpling needs. A farcical scenario ensues in which she has to hide in multiple places disguised as furniture whilst attempting to escape.

 

Back at the garage, Mr Long is amazed after his box of tax paperwork has been sucked into the car wash and his annual HMRC returns completed -  Miracle #4! Meanwhile, Mr Ardent has set up a listening device, and overhears a conversation in which Mrs Dumpling confronts Mr Long over his apparent declaration of love. He mishears many details, reporting back that she is a thief and a murderer. Vandacamp immediately contacts the authorities who say they will be there imminently.

 

Mr Long clears up the confusion; they were talking about a rare vintage car he and Archie had found, but never managed to start. Mrs Dumpling helps him push it through the car wash and, surprise - Miracle #5! Vandacamp appears driving a digger as a taste of things to come! Tomorrow, the authorities will start to tear down the garage, searching for evidence to undoubtedly convict her of fraud, illegal trading and perhaps even murder.

 

“...I’VE NEVER KNOWN SUCH MERCILESS BEHAVIOUR,

STRANGE THAT YOUR HUSBAND DISAPPEARED

AND SO, THE WITNESSES HAVE TESTIFIED,

HOMICIDE SAY GUILTY…’TIL PROVEN GUILTY!”

 

After keeping watch overnight for Mrs Dumpling, Mr Long realises just how much he misses his old friend…

 

“...IF ARCHIE WERE HERE HE’D SAY ‘WHAT YA’ PLAY’N AT?’

HE’D TEAR ME TO SHREDS THEN MAKE AMENDS

HE’D JUST APPEAR WITH COCKLES AND BEER,

HIGHS AND LOWS, I SUPPOSE, MADE US FRIENDS…”

 

The villagers arrive, informing Mrs Dumpling that they will be donating their charity collection to her this year, to help turn her garage into the admirable, all electric eco-friendly business she envisages. Mrs Dumpling finally concedes there may be something magical going on…

 

“...MIRACLES CAN HAPPEN, FAMILY TO THE END

WHILE THERE’S A DUMPLING THERE’S A SUNNY SIDE

MAYBE WE WERE NAPPING,

NOW WE’VE SOMETHING TO DEFEND -

DAMNED IF WE’RE BECOMING GENTRIFIED…”

 

Miss Marsh bursts in with big news. After a huge, wasted journey looking for the license Mrs Dumpling badly needs, she finally found it next door in the local press office. Celebrations ensue, then the authorities arrive with their diggers. As they start to demolish the garage, Miss Marsh orders the villagers to let them do their job. They were always suspicious of her - perhaps she is a traitor after all and this has all been a ruse. Vandacamp, however, is giddy with excitement…

 

“...LOOK MUMMY, I SPAT MY DUMMY AND GOT MY CIRCUS

WHO'S WOOLLY? THOSE PLAYGROUND BULLIES

SHOULD LOOK AT ME NOW …”

 

With the bulk of the damage done, Miss Marsh cries ‘Now!’ and the villagers rush forward. In a startling moment of clarity within the battle scene chaos, Mrs Dumpling looks at it...and it freezes. She despairs at people sometimes but remembers what her beloved Archie would always say about her inner strength…

 

“...WHEN LAMBS ARE SEARCHING FOR LIONS,

THEY’LL TURN TO YOU AND THEY’LL SEE…

YOU'LL SURPRISE YOURSELF, BUT YOU WON’T SURPRISE ME…”

 

When the scene unfreezes, there is destruction everywhere. With the crowd about to attack Miss Marsh, she reveals that they would never have had enough money for the renovations, but now that Vandacamp has completed the demolition - the expensive part - they have! It was a master plan after all! Vandacamp is arrested and the villagers sing as they return to their homes exhausted…

 

“...THIS EXPLANATION WOULD BE LUNACY

HAD WE NOT ALL WATCHED THIS STORY UNFOLD

NEW GENERATIONS WILL BE PROUD TO BEHOLD

WHEN THE HISTORY BOOKS DECLARE -

 THERE WAS MAGIC IN THE AIR…”

 

Left alone with the car wash and its magical, colourful light display, Mrs Dumpling finally speaks to it and acknowledges Archie’s presence. She then summons the strength to say goodbye because now, for the first time, she feels strong enough to carry on alone.

 

As she starts to walk away, out of the corner of her eye, she thinks she sees the brushes wave. Turning to check, a solitary firework, a rocket, shoots up into the sky.

 

She heads for home, planning her future.

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©2026 Rob Dowton & Pete Gallagher. All rights reserved.