|
There were
weird, crazy happenings, at the Duchess Theatre, last week, when the
Riverside Drama Company presented The Murder Room by Jack Sharkey.
This was an hilarious spoof
thriller. The scene opens in an old baronial hall, a brown set
with large panels. A portrait took the eye straight away, this was
of the second wife of Edgar Hollister, who'd died five years ago.
Rob Osmond, gave a good performance of Edgar, in spite of having a bad
hair day.
His new wife, (they were married
that morning) was keen on murdering him for his money. Mavis
Templeton-Hollister, was played with excellence by Donna Chinn.
She and Edgar have a blazing row, she wasn't where she was supposed to
be. Edgar suspects she has a lover. She pulls a gun, fires,
but only wounds, frustrated she tries again, (she'd tried to kill him
earlier with strychnine in his cocoa) he tells her where to aim.
As he falls at the third shot, he groans, 'You've got it right this
time.'
Lottie Molloy, the housekeeper,
comes flying in furious that her clean floor is cluttered up by a body.
A convincing performance by Moya Magee. They dispose of the body
in the cellar. Good sound effects, as it hits every step.
With all cleared up, the police
are informed that Edgar has gone missing... Inspector James Crandall
arrives to start enquiries. A good portrayal by Brian Hooker.
Things begin to get complicated
when Susan Hollister arrives from the US. She is the daughter o
Edgar and his second wife. A delightful teenager, who, because her
late mother, was an American, had finished her education in the US.
But all she seemed to do was put her foot in it, then giggle her way out
of awkward situations. She likes Mavis and they have girlish
giggles together. Sadly, she doesn't know about daddy yet.
This was a terrific performance by Liz O'Hara. One never knew what
she was going to come out with next, especially when she blurts about
all the secret staircases and rooms in the cellar, one, they called the
murder room, because as daddy said (giggle giggle) it was ideal for
murder. Mavis is worried.
Susan has not come along, whilst
on the steam ship, she met and became engaged to a Texan millionaire.
A good role for John Lomas, playing Barry Draper, great accent.
Uniformed PC Abel Howard arrives
to examine the gun, Susan touches a knob, and a secret drawer in the
sideboard flies open to reveal the weapon. PC Howard was played by
Don Brooms. Susan takes one look at him, throws her arms around
him, crying Daddy... well she hasn't seen her father for five years.
A case of mistaken identity?
A vital clue, the gun had fired
blanks. Not only that, the inspector turned out to be bogus.
He was Mavis's lover. Unfortunately the PC has left, taking the
gun to forensics for a finger print check. Crandell and Mavis
panic, Edgar is still alive somewhere. Suddenly, out of the chest
under the window, steps a tousled haired Edgar. Mavis faints,
Lottie is mad again, because her floor is untidy and Crandall pulls a
gun and threatens to kill everyone. Edgar calmly says, 'If you do,
you'll never find the emeralds' Crandall thinks again, demands to know
the whereabouts of the jewels. Edgar says they're in a secret safe
behind the portrait. While everyone is doing various things to
operate the mechanism, the portrait falls and reveals.....nothing.
Edgar gets rid of his bad hair
and tash and underneath is Abel Howard, Susan was right.
Later, a stunned Mavis pretended
she'd loved him all the time, with a wicked smile he says 'drink your
cocoa darling.'
An excellent play, superb over
the top acting. Director Martin Holtom should be well pleased.
Oh yes, the mysterious Don Brooms, PC, an anagram of Rob Osmond.
Clever stuff or what. But then Riverside are jolly good at these
type of plays.
by June Barker
|
