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Summary
The small town of
Chipping Cleghorn are agog with curiosity and excitement by the
following announcement in the local Gazette on Friday, 13
October:
"A murder is announced
and will take place on Friday, October 13, at Little Paddocks,
at 6:30 p.m. Friends please accept this, the only intimation".
At Little Paddocks,
everyone is wondering who placed this advert. Letitia Blacklock
thinks that someone living with her has done this for a joke.
But when, at 6:30pm, the lights go out and a man enters the room
before apparently firing three gunshots and then ending up dead,
whilst injuring Miss Blacklock in the process, it seems anything
other than a joke. What then follows is a classic Christie
puzzle of mixed motives, concealed identities, a second death, a
determined Inspector grimly following the twists and turns, and
Miss Marple on hand to provide the final solution at some risk
to herself in a dramatic confrontation scene just before the
final curtain.
NODA Review of 'A Murder is Announced'
Agatha
Christie, always a good night out and this production was no
exception. I didn’t know the play at all, so I was really
looking at it with “fresh eyes”. John Major should be very proud
of his first attempt at a Director and I hope for the company
that he goes on to direct a few more productions.
Imagine the shock as a murder was advertised to happen in your
home. Along with the shock, horrors and the visit from nosey
neighbours, a stroppy maid was no surprise as we were introduced
to the somewhat complicated domestic arrangements, in the “blacklock!”
household. Quite a crowd gathered to wait for the murder to
happen. A classic Agatha Christie, with any numbers of suspects,
a well woven plot, and a few red herrings for good measures.
Jackie Hurley played Miss Marple perfectly with the right
measures of gentle support for the family, whilst observing
their every move and of course identifying our culprit. Siān
Davies as Lettitia or should I say Charlotte played her part
with the strength of character it would have taken to control
the house, plot the murder and keep poor confused Bunny
(Heather Major) under control. A good supporting cast. Tracy
Richards, Siān Major and Richard Jones all helping to confuse
the situation, with complicated family arrangements and troubled
lives. The fiery maid Mitzi played by Karen Claridge gave a
lively cameo performance bringing humour into the plot. The
evening over, our valiant policeman (Dai Williams and Martyn
Lench) got their “man” and cleared up all those clues that I had
failed to pick up through the play.
The
set and costume whisked us right back into the 50’s with the
kind of attention to detail that is to effective, creating a
bygone age a lot us remember as children. A good lighting plot
and sound effects made this a marvellous evening of theatre. A
jolly good yarn.
Reviewed
by Cheryl O’Brien on behalf of Frank Wooles
Cast
Julia Simmons Siān
Major
Letitia Blacklock Siān
Davies
Dora Bunner Heather
Major
Patrick Simmons Richard
Jones
Mitzi Karen Claridge
Miss Marple Jackie
Hurley
Phillipa Haymes Tracy
Richards
Mrs Swettenham Sue
O'Halloran
Edmund Swettenham Rhys
Stapleton
Rudi Scherz Martyn
Lench
Inspector Craddock Dai
Williams
Seargant Mellors Martyn
Lench
Production Team
Producer and Director John
Major
Assistant Director Anne
Morris
Continuity Helen Page
Stage Manager Wayne Brewer
Assistant Stage Manager
Raynor Phinnemore
Properties Raynor Phinnemore
Set Design/Construction
Wayne Brewer, Raynor Phinnemore, Josh Cripp
Lighting Alan Blakoe
Sound Wayne Brewer
Costume Jan Stapleton
Business Manager Bob
Petersen
Front of House Manager Bob Petersen
Front of House
Members & friends of Hilltop
Bar Manager Hayley Major,
Chris Davidson
Box Office Brenda
Slaughter. |
