Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders
Presented by Twyford Drama
October 6-8
Loddon Hall
Who doesn’t enjoy a Saturday night whodunit with a nod to one of our favourite authors? Although in this case, it was more Agatha Raisin than Christie.
Agatha Crusty (Beth Reynolds, also the director) is a well-known crime fiction author and has come to stay with her sister-in-law Alice (Joanne Davis).
She arrives in the best Miss Marple tradition just as a murder has been discovered by the inconspicuous village hall cleaner Maisie (Christine Duggan).
The police have been summoned.
It appears that Agatha has previously had dealings with Inspector Twigg, ably portrayed by Peter King, and has been somewhat underwhelmed by his detecting abilities.
We learn that there have been a number of recent deaths of committee members which have been deemed accidental… but is a pattern emerging?
The latest fatality is definitely not an accident and with the help of Agatha, the bumbling Inspector Twigg sets about trying to unravel the mystery as only the incompetent can.
On the list of suspects is jobsworth caretaker Harry, played with just the right amount of nonchalance by Mike Higgins.
His characterisation bore a striking resemblance to Ronnie Barker’s Arkwright from Open All Hours, complete with a brown overall. Sheer genius.
The main suspects are, of course, the other committee, and staff at the village hall.
Once the interviews commence, with Agatha deftly observing and keeping the Inspector on track, we are introduced over the next few scenes to the chair of the committee, Eleanor (Emma Cianchi), the archetypal village spinster with a keen sense of propriety comically illustrated when Mandy (Liz Martin) arrives as the model for a life drawing class which she promptly cancels.
Toby, the simpering vicar (Marc Reid) and the object of Eleanor’s desire, Olivia and Oliver, brother and sister, with both parts played expertly by Caroline Rose-Newport who slipped seamlessly from one role to the other, and Isabella (Pauline Rampton) constitute the others who may be in peril – or have they committed the crime?
PC Lockett (Jac Rampton) provides wet behind the ears support to the Inspector throughout.
So it was a joy to sit back and be swept along by the puns, rhymes, alliteration and good humour, rather like sitting down to a much loved classic episode of Acorn Antiques or The Two Ronnies.
The whole cast provided us with a panoply of well mixed dough which, when gently baked, morphed into a wonderful Agatha Crusty loaf as we tried to determine whodunit?
n The team behind the show are now hard at work rehearsing for The Pied Piper of Hamelin, their annual panto. It will be performed at Loddon Hall from January 13-15. Tickets are already on sale. For more information, log on to: https://twyrusdrama.org.uk/
