Deadly Nightcap

NODA said:

ALVECHURCH DRAMATIC SOCIETY
DEADLY NIGHTCAP
ALVECHURCH VILLAGE HALL
DIRECTORS CHRIS DAVIES AND SUE RESUGGAN
28th APRIL 2018

My fourth third visit to Alvechurch Dramatic Society and yet the first time when the production was not home written. This time to see a play written by a well-known playwright.

The play written by Francis Durbridge in 1983 had more than its fair share of red herrings to keep the audience guessing right to the very end. The play was performed to a full house and on each twist to the plot you could clearly hear the audience with their oohs as they tried to work out what was really happening in this convoluted plot.

The set was open on arriving and was of good quality designed by Doug Logan. The scenes were as always listed within the programme. It is however, at times difficult to remember these or to see them in the half dark therefore what a good idea to project these on to the wall at the start of each scene. The scene changes such as ensuring drinks were set and curtains opened or closed were performed effectively by the stage manager and team.
Centre to the plot were the owners of the house Sarah and Jack Radford played by Emma- Louise Hodgson and Chris Davies. Both portrayed their character to perfection. Sarah the complex personality who is the bedrock of the play with a lot of lines to learn and Jack the estate agent with, it would seem, many secrets to hide. As always Davies gave a commanding performance with the ability to hide his motives and intentions with quality acting and good characterisation.

Adam Brown played the initially subservient employee at the estate agents to the blackmailer in act two. It came as no surprise that he too fell victim.
Lesley Piddington as the housekeeper Lucy Baker, Maura Williams as the TV cook Kate Warren and Gemma Batty as the pharmacy worker Anna Truman all gave good performances and most certainly added to the plot and all at times all appeared to be the guilty party. Making numerous house calls was Steve Siddle as Dr Maurice Young who depicted the character well.

Investigating the events (or was he) was Cliff Jordan played with the conviction needed by Alan Clarke. This character brought out a new dimension to the play and yet more twists as the relationship grows between him and Sarah Radford. Martyn Read had a brief but nevertheless important part to play at the start of the play. Similarly, Susan Resuggan as Irene Boston who had to wait until well in to act two before appearing.
To add tension to the plot was incidental music from Dave Howard and good sound effects. It is always pleasing when the telephone and doorbell sounds come from the right area of the stage rather than over the main house speakers.

This was a long play but nevertheless one which kept the audience guessing to the end. Unlike many murder mysteries when the whodunit is explained, in this script it is acted out for us and was a continuation to what we saw earlier in the evening.

A visit to Alvechurch is always a pleasure due to the friendly welcome received and the assurance of a good night of entertainment in a packed village hall. Alvechurch always manage to play to a full house and rightfully so. I look forward to your next production which will, once again, be a home written pantomime – The Lost Treasure of Numbskull Island.

Andy Brown