A Tomb With A View

For their first full-length play the company chose to perform this Norman Robbins three act murder mystery full of dark humour which had the audience in turn gasping and laughing out loud. The action unfolds in the library of gothic Monument House, the family home of the Tomb family where the will of their late father is about to be read, with a cast of eccentric family members, their servants and guests. The set was a darkly atmospheric box set, complete with secret door, and dressed with a selection of furniture and accessories appropriate to the period. Sean Harrison was suitably pompous as the eldest son relishing his new found position as patriarch of the family proclaiming at every opportunity his catch phrase “I’ll write to the Prime Minister!”. Sheona King was excellent as the wild-haired, black clad Dora with a penchant for committing murder - mainly using her horticultural knowledge of poisonous plants! So too was Katherine Trill as the youngest sister Monica, her attempts at seducing every man who visits causing much hilarity. Sue Harrison as the sensible but butch sister Emily played the part strongly after taking on the role at only two weeks notice. Jacob Vavangas who played the role of the youngest son Marcus, acting out his delusions by quoting passages from Julius Caesar, was another who gave a strong performance. George Acheson-Thom took on the role of the family’s faithful retainer Albert – again at two weeks notice – and gave a strong performance complete with an almost evil cackle! James Taylor was excellent as the family solicitor Hamilton Penworthy who initially had the audience sympathies as he tried to herd together the Tomb family to read the will but he was not all that he seemed! Gemma Pegram too gave an excellent performance as Marcus’s nurse Anne Franklin who seemed the voice of reason in all the mayhem of the murders but in the last act revealed that she was the mastermind trying to bring about a tontine situation showing she would go to any lengths to achieve her goals. As the two outsiders drawn into the murderous goings on, Alice Britton and Mark Hamilton as supposed author Freda Mountjoy and her “secretary” Peregrine Potter were another two who gave strong performances particularly Mark. Well done everyone at YADA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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