Dame Agatha's Greatest Case

I had heard about these spoof murder mysteries but not yet seen one so my visit to The Over Players was my introduction to author Robert Sheppard’s allegedly indefatigable Dame Agatha.  The script gives the option to use nine songs with new lyrics set to Gilbert and Sullivan tunes. TOP’s Director Christine Turner made the choice to include these.

The setting of the library of Brandling Hall in the 1930s was good.  I think perhaps it might have been easier on the eye if the repeat pattern on the library wallpaper had not been adhered to which would have given a bit of verisimilitude.  Furniture and props were spot on. Loved the lampshades. The ladies’ costumes were lovely and the gentlemen all very elegant in their evening suits.  Technically all worked smoothly and it all looked very good.

The ‘plot’ involved Sir Redvers and Lady Bertha Brandling hosting a jolly weekend at their country house. Among the guests were a Cabinet minister Sir Humphrey Yewturn and his wife Penelope, a Hollywood starlet Mynra Lerner, a well-known playboy Tarquin Pennington-Shaw and an old school-friend of Lady Bertha’s, Dame Agatha Crustie, a famous amateur detective, who is accompanied by her travelling companion Miss Sullivan. Add an unexpected appearance of Ronnie Bigg a notorious criminal and his henchman Barry the Hatchet, together with the Brandlings charlady Elsie Nore, three flighty maids Cora, Dora and Nora and Gilbert the obligatory butler and you have the perfect setting for tangled relationships and, of course, a murder. Enter Corner of the Yard and his sidekick PC Friendly to compete with Dame Agatha to be the first to solve the murder.  

 Director Christine Turner had her work cut out endeavouring to avoid masking when all seventeen of the cast were on stage but apart from the odd times it did not appear to be a problem.  What is difficult to avoid with a large cast is straight lines and this did occur now and again. As you can tell from the character names above this show was not to be taken too seriously.  The almost panto-sized cast all worked hard.  G&S is difficult at the best of times but to fit in new lyrics relevant to the story must have tested them. There were some strong voices though and vocally it was great. Well done John Marsh on the piano, great job.  There was excellent teamwork from all involved although, at times,  on the first night pace suffered from slow cue bite and the odd moments of brain fade.  

Alan Kenney as Gilbert must have had sleepless nights trying to get his alliterative dialogue learnt but well done, a solid performance with hardly a blip. Matt Sweeney gave us a confident performance as upper-crust playboy Tarquin Pennington-Shaw, whilst Stephanie Swan put her mark on her role as the elegant Penelope Yewtern right from her first entrance. Kirsty Smillie kept the American accent going as the rather gormless Hollywood film star and Chas Barclay’s Ronald Coleman look-alike Inspector Corner was well managed. Nice work too from Andy Turpin as the friendly PC.  Les Wheeler and Sue White as the Brandlings worked well together and Steve Creighton made a good, though  short-lived Humphrey Yewtern. Margaret Dougherty as Dame Agatha and Wendy Lowe as her companion also worked well together.  There was great interaction between Jason Smart as Ronnie Bigg and Jack Stinton as his henchman Barry the Hatchet plus an enjoyable performance from Mandy Turpin as Elsie Nore.  The minor roles from Sarah Minchin, Sheena Grummitt and Jess Turpin were also well presented. The musical numbers were well rehearsed and suitably choreographed by Jack Stinton. 

The first night of Dame Agatha’s Greatest Case went well and though I felt it was slightly over-long I enjoyed making the acquaintance of The Brandlings, their guests and staff.  No doubt I will be coming across Dame Agatha again before long.  Thanks TOPS for inviting me along.  Oh, by the way, the Butler did it!

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