‘…it’s just your standard entirely-in-rhyming-couplets darkly comic look at infidelity, motivational speakers, pharmaceutical companies and revenge. Featuring Simon Callow putting the ‘arch’ into archangel, Harry Enfield in full-on hangdog mode and a great turn from Celia Imrie, this is funny, wise and fresh as the proverbial daisy.’ Le Cool – London.

Starring Simon Callow and written throughout in rhyming verse, ‘Acts of Godfrey’ is a unique and characteristically original debut from Johnny Daukes as a feature-film writer/director. The film premieres at London’s Raindance Festival where it is nominated for Best British Feature.

The story is based at a motivational sales course in a country hotel and the lead character, Vic Timms, is a salesman of unusual integrity and honesty. Johnny was brought up in a dogmatically Catholic home with a Life Insurance salesman for a father and the themes that run through ‘Acts of Godfrey’ are not coincidental.

‘My Dad was the black sheep of the Insurance world in that he was a salesman with a strong sense of ethics. Without realising it, I imbued Vic with some of the same characteristics. Although as far as I’m aware my Dad never stood naked in a car park talking to God’.

Although the script is written in rhyming couplets, the dialogue is all delivered entirely naturalistically.

‘My intention from the outset was to let the actors take liberties with the rhyme and scansion so as to allow the performances and interactions to flow. ‘Always play the meaning not the music’…although in Simon’s case there was more latitude as Godfrey doesn’t interact with the other characters until the very end. And he’s God, so he can kind of do what he likes’.

Johnny is currently raising finance for his next script ‘The Records’, the story of a family’s search for love; and redemption from terrible past mistakes. It features music from two fictitious musical artists; glam rock legend ‘Chaz Chance’ and the trip-hop artist ‘The:Profit’. Johnny is currently writing the back catalogue of both acts that will become the score for the film.

Also ‘under construction’ are the script and songs for a musical film based around a family who are called to their dying mother’s bedside. Provisionally titled ‘Goodbye Mother’, the intention is for the songs to make up much of the film’s dialogue and plot; and to be simultaneously recorded by Johnny and released as an album.