|
CAST
The Vicar (Rev Leonard Clement) Noel Thorpe-Tracey
Sponsored by Winchester Talking Newspaper
Griselda (his wife) Maddy Woosnam Sponsored by Cadogan Contemporary
Dennis (his nephew) David May-Miller Sponsored by Martins of Basingstoke
Mary (the maid) Caroline Morgan
Sponsored by Cynne Georgoulas
Ronald Hawes (the curate) Charlie Seligman
Sponsored by Martin Humphrey
Lettice Protheroe Annabelle Woosnam
Sponsored by Alresford Salads
Miss Jane Marple Lavinia Owen
Sponsored by Blake Lapthorn
Mrs Price-Ridley Naomi Ellis
Sponsored by Adrian Lee
Anne Protheroe Mary Hall
Sponsored by Zedra Solutions
Lawrence Redding (an artist) Ian May-Miller
Sponsored by Arkells Brewery
Dr John Haydock Nick Owen
Sponsored by Colin Rickman
Inspector Slack Steve Percy
Sponsored by IVC of Alresford - Cars Chosen with Care
WPC Jennings Claudia Woosnam
Sponsored by Martin Humphrey
Set Building and Scenery Derek Ware
Prompt Alex Percy
Murderous Crew: Patrick Appleby, Jill Croft, Chris Ellis, Sophie Jackson, Lyn Russell, Vernon Tottle, Di Wilson, James Woosnam, and many others.
Synopsis of the Scenes
The action takes place in the Vicarage study in summer
ACT I
Scene 1 - A Tuesday Afternoon
Scene 2 - The following Day at 6.45pm
Scene 3 - Thursday Morning
INTERVAL (25 minutes)
ACT II
Scene 1 - The following Sunday. Late afternoon
Scene 2 - An hour and a half later
Murder and Agatha Christie
The Duchess of Death and Queen Elizabeth share a Diamond Jubilee this year. The Mousetrap, Christie’s most famous stage play, was first performed in London in 1952. But it was in 1949 that Murder at the Vicarage began its long run at the Playhouse Theatre. Murder was written as a novel in 1930 and adapted for the stage by Moie Charles and Barbara Toye. It is the first of Christie’s works to feature Jane Marple and the village of St Mary Mead. Other characters who recur include Mrs Price-Ridley, Griselda and Dr Haydock. As the Vicar says ‘anyone who murdered Colonel Protheroe would be doing the world at large a service’. But who did it?
There are so many suspects.
The Southwood Players was set up in 2009, specifically to raise money for local charities. Now in their third production in Itchen Abbas, they have welcomed not just the stars of the Easton Pantomime, but have enjoyed building a working and acting relationship with The Chesil Theatre. This year too, a larger cast has allowed room for three new teenage members. Where will we go next?
Lavinia Owen - Miss Jane Marple
Who would have thought of her as this wily old spinster after the bombastic Lady Bracknell and the clairvoyant Madame Arcati. Perhaps the latter is closer to the mark - so look for the ‘light bulb’ moment even if she does not use a crystal ball. Lavinia is delighted to be adding a new character to her repertoire.
Noel Thorpe-Tracey - The Vicar
Fresh from playing an heroic Frenchman at the Chesil, Noel takes on the third cleric of his career so far. After Cardinal Wolsey and the Bishop of Worcester, a humble country parson might be a bit of a comedown. But ‘this one has the delightful Maddy as his wife, so the Vicar wins - and thanks God.’
Maddy Woosnam - Griselda
Maddy is thrilled to have been cast as a grown-up after most recently playing teenagers, as Dorothy in the Easton Pantomime and Cecily in The Importance. Her acting skills are stretched to the full in playing Griselda ‘a shocking housekeeper’ who can’t cook and has a ‘past’.
Ian May-Miller - Lawrence Redding
Ian was new to the group for The Importance in 2010. In two years he has traded Algernon who ‘looks everything’ for Redding, ‘quite a good looking fellow’. Still it can’t be bad as nearly all the women fancy themselves in love with him. ‘Loose! Bound to be.’
Mary Hall - Anne Protheroe
All locals will remember Mary as the Witch of the West with the nose trouble! Here she may have become the bitch of the west who only married Colonel Protheroe for his money. Needless to say she is very adaptable though occasionally prone to doing ‘wild and impetuous things’.
Steve Percy - Inspector Slack
Slack by name, slack by nature. This typical Christie detective and ‘hound of the law’ is cast to have rings run round him by the wily spinster. Mrs Percy is longing to prompt him to shave off his moustache.
Charlie Seligman - Ronald Hawes
Charlie, also on loan from the Chesil, says he is, like the egg, good in parts. He too has previous form playing the clergy but refuses to be drawn about Tarts and Vicars at the Agricultural College, ‘youth is so sensitive and so secretive.’
Caroline Morgan - Mary
Caroline moves seamlessly from the role of ‘Miss Prism, a female of repellent aspect’ to Mary, ‘my hearing’s the best thing about me’ via a stint as the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. She claims to be fond of a little diversity.
Nick Owen - Dr Haydock
Drafted in somewhat compulsorily, he prefers to dine upstairs, especially when Mary is cooking, Nick is currently more familiar with medicine than acting but declines to reveal his scars.
Naomi Ellis - Mrs Price-Ridley
Naomi, who has courageously crossed the river, insists that playing ‘a worse cat than Marple’ with a torrent of invective comes naturally to her. Her only regret is that a ‘change in fashion never bothers you, dear Mrs Price-Ridley.’
Annabelle Woosnam – Lettice Protheroe
With the ‘voice of an angel and the (painted) toes of a t…’. Annabelle has no trouble identifying with the character of Lettice and is thrilled to be making her debut with the Southwood Players, thereby ‘keeping it in the family’.
David May-Miller - Dennis
David insists that it is ‘wizard luck’ to be playing Dennis with the Southwood Players and a bit of a change from playing ‘Oliver’ at school. He is hoping that dealing with Lettice will stand him in good stead in his bid to be head boy.
Claudia Woosnam - WPC Jennings
Claudia completes our teenage trio and is delighted that this small but demanding role gives her a chance to order her mother off the stage.
Now you see her - now you don’t.
Anna McGowan - Director
Anna has bravely crossed the river for the third time and had to use all her skills as Easton Pantomime director to keep control of the larger than usual cast, particularly the clergy. Keep crossing the river Anna!
Acknowledgements
The production has been made possible by the generous sponsorship of
Co-operative Funeralcare
Hobbs Rehabilitation
Draper Tools
Other very generous sponsorships have been received from
Claremont Richards Solicitors - Programme
Richard Steel and Partners - Costumes
Mercia Crematoria Developments - Printing
We are enormously grateful also to all our character sponsors,
Totton Timber who have supplied timber and Homebase who lent the fireplace.
We would like to thank
Lavinia and Nick Owen for making their house and garden available
Princes’ Mead School for offering the availability of the Sports Hall
The Chesil Theatre, Lisbeth Rake and Malcolm Brown
The ‘crew’ and all those who have helped
RAFFLE
Raffle tickets will be sold each night with the draw taking place after Saturday’s performance. Tickets are £1 each. Please make sure that your telephone number is on each ticket. Prizes include:
A helicopter flight over the Valley - donated by Peter Waldron
Two Opera tickets for 2013 - donated by Grange Park Opera
A day’s trout fishing on the Itchen - donated by Andrew Impey
A family portrait session to include one free print - donated by
Tiddy Maitland-Titterton Photography
Large Basket of Clarins Products - donated by Alresford Beauty
Vintage Whisky and Port
|