A COMMUNITY group’s acting duo will revive the characters they played ten years ago.
Ashleigh Wells and Keith Sullivan are set to take on the roles of Inspector Drake and his sidekick Sargeant Plod in Shinfield Players Theatre’s production of Inspector Drake and the Black Widow.
The three-hander play is directed by Karen Bird and Cate Naylor, who also led the previous show a decade ago.
Of the returning pair, Ms Naylor said: “Their chemistry is amazing, it’s great to see them back again. It’s just as it was ten years ago, they just bounce off each other in the same way because they know each other so well.
The light-hearted, slapstick play follows Drake and Plod as they investigate the of death oil tycoon John Johnson. Questions arise throughout the play: Why was Johnson badly disguised as his own wife? Why had he eaten a tortoise? And why do all the women in the house look similar?
The seven women, who make up the murder suspects, are all portrayed by the talented Lanny Hamshere.
“It would be lovely to have people come and encourage [the cast].” Ms Naylor said. “As a three-hander, they’ve had to work so hard, with so many lines to learn.”
She added the audience can expect to experience an array of eclectic and surprising props. Without wanting to give away too much, she mentioned a tortoise could be making an appearance.
The play was initially scheduled to take place two years ago, but had to be postponed due to the pandemic. In February, the theatre’s roof was damaged during Storm Eunice, forcing all productions to be halted once again.
Ms Naylor believes the delay has actually worked out for the better, with this showing falling on the tenth anniversary of the original.
On being back, she said: “It’s brilliant. Everything got cancelled because of Covid, but we managed to put on a couple of productions before the roof came off. We basically had a whole year’s worth of plays ready, but had nothing the rest of the season until July.
“We’ve now got a new roof, inside walls, a new stage, which all got damaged in the rain. It’s all new and fresh, so nice to be back in the theatre. I hope lots of people will come back.”
Shinfield Players’ first show back was Our House, which drew a fantastic audience at the end of September.
The performances take place at Shinfield Players Theatre, staring at 7.45pm from Wednesday, November 16, to Saturday, November 19.
Adult tickets cost £14, children £7 and concessions £13.
For more information or to buy tickets, visit: www.shinfieldplayers.org.uk
