The Grange Players - Something's Afoot - 16.09.15 - 26.09.15

The Grange Players

Presents:

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Something's Afoot

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Book, Music & Lyrics by James McDonald, David Vos & Robert Gerlach

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September 16th - 26th 2015

Something's Afoot is a lively murder mystery musical set in 1935 that touches on the novel by Agatha Christie 'And Then There Were None'. 

It is set in the Lake Estate which is owned by Lord Dudley Rancour. He has invited a selection of people over indicating that he needs to speak to them individually.

The guests are Hope Langdon (Phebe Jackson), Doctor Greyburn (Dexter Whitehead), Dudley's Nephew Nigel Rancour (Tomas Frater), Lady Manley-Prowe (Suzy Donnely), Colonel Gillweather (Andy Jones) and artist Miss Tweed (Jenny Gough). There to welcome them is Clive the butler (Ray Laurence), Lettie the new maid (Elena Serafinas) and Flint the caretaker (Gary Pritchard).

Once the guests have all arrived, the weather takes a turn and they all become stranded. The lighting effects throughout the production are extremely well designed and operated and really help to create the mood of the piece.

Lord Dudley Rancour is found dead bringing unease and disruption to the group. Miss Tweed, played by Jenny Gough takes it upon herself to become detective and systematically accuses everyone at some point.

Throughout the production guests and staff are one by one 'popped off' in elaborate, theatrical ways and taken to the library in readiness for the police to arrive - the library soon becomes a very busy place with electrocutions, poison, stabbing, and even a clunk on the head with a bust!!

As well as the guests we have Geoffrey (Robbie Newton), a college student arrive at the Estate. He had been rowing when the weather changed and he managed to swim to the estate for shelter.

As the evening continues things start to unravel and it becomes clear that the guests lives are all interwoven with each other and that Dudley Rancour had a very clear motive for asking everyone to attend at the same time.

The musical numbers are fun and lively and well presented by Musical Director Tom Brookes. Some of my favourites have to be 'the butler didn't do it' and 'you fell out of the sky' which was wonderfully portrayed by Phebe Jackson.

Eleva Serafinas portrayal of Lettie the Maid was hilarious and she shone like a star throughout with her little one liners and knowing looks. Her musical number with Gary Pritchart (Flint the Caretaker) 'problematical solution' (the dinghy song) was a joy and really had the audience uplifted.

I wont ruin the ending as you will need to go and watch for yourselves but it is a great night out if you like a good old murder mystery with a touch of silliness.

Dexter Whitehead has created a lovely piece of theatre that will have you jumping, laughing, feeling tense and leaving with a smile on your face.

The production runs until the 26th September 2015

The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham - The Perfect Murder - 10.11.14-15.11.14

The New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

Presents

Monday 10th - Saturday 15th November 2014

Peter James is one of the best and most treasured UK crime and thriller novelists and his books are sold worldwide. He has also branched out and is an established film producer and scriptwriter so 'The Perfect Murder' was set to be a roller coaster ride from the start.                                                                                                                                                                                         Adapted by Shaun McKenna, it was been wonderfully plucked from the pages of a book and set on stage. It is never easy to adapt a classic novel, but he has managed it with great success.

We have Victor Smiley, played by Robert Daws who is best known for his performances in The Royal and Outside Edge. He is a middle aged man who has grown tired of his 20 year marriage to Joan, played by Monarch of the Glen, Wild at Heart Actress Dawn Steele. He is obsessed by British crime and loves nothing better than a good Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes, he even gets himself a tattoo saying WWSD, which stands for 'What would Sherlock Do?'

Three times a week he attends The Kitten Parlour, a brothel, where he sees Croatian prostitute Kamila Wakak, played by Simona Armstrong. There he spills out his plans to murder his wife and collect the life insurance which he has had on her life for 6 years. We all think that this is going to be the 'Perfect Murder', but unbeknown to Victor, Joan has also grown bored of their marriage and has started an affair with hunky Taxi Driver Don Kirk, played by Gary O'Brien, Tony in Coronation Street. What will happen now? We do not wish to spoil the plot but I can tell you that it is full of twists, turns, fun, laughter, jumps, frights and high energy which is the perfect entertainment for any evening.

I believe that every couple can relate to Victor and Joan, which makes this play extremely realistic in an 'over the top' way. The annoying humming, constant snoring, pretending to strangle one another behind their backs when they are being righteous - oh the list goes on and on!! You definitely got a lot of knowing nudges from wives to husbands during the action.

As the plot thickens we see the introduction of Detective Constable Roy Grace, played by Thomas Howes, best known for playing William in Downton Abbey. He is an up and coming detective who enlists the help of Prostitute Kamila to solve murders due to her ability to touch an object and be able to see what has happened to its owner. Can she help him solve the 'Murder' in the Smiley household?

The cast were flawless and each gave a believable, individual performance that drew us all deeper into the action.

Ian Talbot's direction was superb, with constant movement and fast pace. You were constantly moving your attention to different parts of the stage to keep you gripped and discover new pieces to the plot.

The set by Michael Holt was cleverly positioned on three levels. We had the Smiley's living room / kitchen, with upstairs bedroom and also Kimila's small room within the Brothel. It was not only a practical set but also full of intrigue and precision. The action could continue throughout without the interruption of scene changes.

The changes were masterfully created using lighting which faded up and down perfectly throughout the performance. I thought that Mark Howett's subtle lighting interactions were wonderfully executed, from the evening light coming through the windows to the spooky shadows coming from the doors. The depiction of the television going on and off was cleverly thought out, with subtle flickers hitting the back of the walls.

Sound was also an important part of this production and Martin Hodgson created a feeling of tension, intrigue, wonder and terror at just the right moments with lovely timed fading's up and down of music. The sound queues were perfectly timed with the ringing of house phones and mobiles.

Overall, this was a well rounded, well structured piece of theatre which has you on your toes, laughing out load and relating to it. A wonderful nights entertainment and a definite 'must see' production with a fabulous cast and crew.

The Perfect Murder runs until Saturday 15th November so grab your tickets now.

Book over the Phone: 0844 871 3011

Book Online:

http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-perfect-murder/new-alexandra-theatre-birmingham/#showinfotabs=showtimes

Review by Jayne Lunn

New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham - The Mousetrap - 06.10.14 - 11.10.14

New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

Monday 6th - Saturday 11th October 2014

As the audience sat in darkness the atmosphere was tense, we heard a women's fear filled scream, the shock and confusion of many voices and then finally a news report over the wireless informing us that a women, Mrs Lyon, had been murdered. As the curtain rose we were met by a jaw dropping set, a grand living room of a country house, high ceilings lined with oak panels, armchairs covered in chintz fabric, beautiful stain glass windows that show the heavy snow falling outside, slowly piling up in the window pane. The lighting is warm and inviting, contrasting the chilly outdoor atmosphere, that got darker as the day went on. This is Monkswell Manor, now a guest house inherited by newlyweds Giles and Mollie Ralston, who await their first guests anxiously and one by one they arrive covered in snow that appeared to melt away. Christopher Wren (Stephen Yeo) an eccentric young man that quickly befriends Mrs Ralston, Mrs Boyle (Anne Kavanagh) an older lady that expects the finer things in life and nitpicks everything wrong with the establishment owned by amateurs, Major Metcalf (Christopher Gilling) an army retiree that we know little about, Miss Casewell (Charlotte Latham) an independent and often masculine women, who doesn't seem to take to any other guests, Mr Paravicini (Michael Fenner) a foreigner that enjoys to wind everyone up, making him a gentleman disliked by all and finally, Sgt. Trotter (Luke Jenkins) arrives searching for links to the murder of Mrs Lyon. 

In true Christie style the story twists and turns, the audience find themselves becoming detectives, picking up on subtle gestures and analysing every conversation hoping to find a clue. Although by doing this, you will only be led down one path, to suddenly leap down another, this is helped by an excellent cast that draw you into their lives but holds you at arms length, forcing you to question your instincts.

After the much deserved applause the actors asked to keep the twist ending a secret to anyone outside of the theatre, to ensure the mystery stays alive, by doing this you become part of a community and part of the plays history, which is a heartwarming and unique experience. 

The Diamond Anniversary tour of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, the worlds longest running show of the modern era, is running at The Alexandra Birmingham until Saturday 11th October. 

Review by Ellie Scandrett

New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham - The Mousetrap - 06.10.14 - 11.10.14

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap

comes to the New Alexandra Theatre

Monday 6 to Saturday 11 October

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap has been the world’s longest running stage production at its London home for more than 55 years. The 60^th Anniversary – and first ever - UK tour of this beloved murder mystery has now been seen by over 600,000 people across more than 600 performances, breaking box office records in many of its venues, from Southampton to Barnstaple, Dublin to Aberdeen.

The cast for the 2014 Autumn leg of the tour is Helen Clapp as Mollie Ralston, Michael Fenner (Doctors, Footballer’s Wives) as Mr Paravicini, Anne Kavanagh(Chichester Festival Theatre’s Goodnight Mr Tom, August: Osage County at the National Theatre) as Mrs Boyle, Charlotte Latham as Miss Casewell and Stephen Yeo as Christopher Wren - all reprising their roles from the production in London’s West End alongside: Christopher Gilling (ITV’s Law and Order, BBC1’s Silk) as Major Metcalf, Henry Luxemburg (Hollyoaks, Hotel Babylon) as Giles Ralston and Luke Jenkins (Scenes from an Execution, Unicorn Theatre) as Sgt Trotter.

Mousetrap Productions has also licensed 60 productions of The Mousetrap world-wide to mark the 60^th year, and many of these have also broken their records, from Cape Town to Philadelphia, Singapore to Sydney.  During this period the world’s longest running show will be seen in every continent, with professional productions in Australia, China, Korea, Turkey, South Africa, Russia, Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Poland, Spain, Scandinavia, Venezuela, and across the United States and Canada.

The Mousetrap continues at St. Martin’s Theatre, London.

                                                        

http://mousetrapontour.com

Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre

06 Oct - 11 Oct | 0844 871 3011