▁Mack en zie ▁( G ert ie ), ▁K atie ▁F inner an ▁( Cla ire ), ▁John ▁Gall ag her ▁Jr . ▁( K en ny ) ▁and ▁ ▁Nicholas ▁Le ▁Pre v ost . ▁The ▁play ▁had ▁a ▁pre - West ▁End ▁eng agement ▁at ▁the ▁B irmingham ▁Rep ▁from ▁April ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁May ▁ 8 . ▁ ▁Background ▁L inds ay - A ba ire ▁wrote ▁the ▁play ▁while ▁a ▁student ▁in ▁the ▁Ju illi ard ▁School ▁L ila ▁A ches on ▁Wal lace ▁American ▁Play w right s ▁Program . ▁The ▁play ▁had ▁a ▁st aged ▁reading ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Play w right s ▁Conference ▁at ▁the ▁Eug ene ▁O ' Ne ill ▁Theatre ▁Center ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁under ▁Art istic ▁Director ▁Lloyd ▁Rich ards . ▁ ▁The ▁play ' s ▁title ▁" F ud dy ▁Me ers " ▁is ▁G ert ie ' s ▁( who ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁stroke ) ▁attempt ▁to ▁pron ounce ▁the ▁phrase ▁" fun ny ▁mirror s ". ▁ ▁Char acters ▁ ▁Cla ire ▁– ▁about ▁forty , ▁a ▁generally ▁sun ny ▁woman ▁with ▁am nes ia . ▁ ▁Richard ▁– ▁about ▁forty , ▁a ▁chat ty , ▁friendly , ▁sometimes ▁nerv ous ▁man . ▁ ▁Ken ny ▁– ▁sevent een , ▁a ▁trouble d ▁te en . ▁ ▁L imp ing ▁Man ▁– ▁about ▁forty , ▁l isp ing , ▁lim ping , ▁half - bl ind , ▁half