Fish, Chips and Mucky Sleaze

St Cuthbert’s Amateur Dramatic Society welcomed their audience to an evening of unabashed wordplay and seaside mischief with Fish, Chips and Mucky Sleaze, a murder mystery that revelled in its own silliness as much as its suspense. The production leaned wholeheartedly into its premise, a coastal community full of larger‑than‑life characters, a menu of fish puns served generously, and an attempted murder.

At the centre of the story sat Mabel Syrup’s struggling two‑star hotel, a once‑respectable establishment now fighting for survival against the encroaching ambitions of the Wild and Willing Water-sports Federation. Their representative, Sam Witch, arrived with a clipboard full of demands, only to find himself suspiciously poisoned. What followed was a satisfyingly tangled web of motives and misdirection. Had long‑suffering Mabel finally snapped under the pressure. Was her loyal employee Megan Bacon hiding more than her nerves. Or did the second hotel guest, Pete Zerria, have reasons of his own for wanting Sam out of the picture.

The investigation fell to journalist Lou Rolls, whose nose for a story was matched only by her determination to find the underlying cause of the mystery, aided, sometimes helpfully, sometimes not, by her eager assistant Penny Dreadful. Together they sifted through clues, contradictions, and an ever‑growing shoal of fish puns, guiding the audience through the twists with a blend of sharp observation and comic exasperation.

Directed by Helen Clegg, the production found exactly the right rhythm for its humour. The puns landed cleanly, never overplayed, and the cast handled the script‑in‑hand format with admirable ease. Though scripts were present, they were never a crutch; performers glanced only when needed and kept the pace buoyant, allowing the comedy to breathe without losing momentum. It made for a very funny evening, the kind where the audience felt fully included in the joke and the performers seemed to relish every moment. The staging made clever use of the society’s small performance space. A small raise, with back wall, two tables positioned neatly on either side of the playing area, with a condiments table set to the rear, instantly evoking the charm of a modest dining room. A door leading into the hotel added a playful sense of geography, and the walls were dressed in an abundance of posters advertising local landmarks and events. The attention to detail was genuinely impressive. Because the audience were seated in re‑arranged pews, close to the action, every small touch, from the specials board to the faded flyers, was visible and contributed to the world of the play. For such a compact set, it looked great and felt surprisingly full. Set design by Denham Robinson showed real care and imagination. Sound was another strong element of the evening. Dialogue was heard cleanly and clearly throughout, with no moments lost to projection or balance. Sound effects landed with precision, supporting the comedy without drawing attention to themselves. David Clegg’s sound design was confident, well‑timed, and perfectly suited to the tone of the piece.

Jane Cordingley led the cast with real assurance as intrepid reporter Lou Rolls, giving the character a sharp, inquisitive manner that suited the unfolding mystery perfectly. Her timing was excellent throughout, especially in the moments where Lou’s professional confidence wobbled ever so slightly under the weight of the increasingly absurd clues. Jane balanced dry wit with a brisk, purposeful energy, keeping the investigation moving while allowing the comedy to sparkle in her reactions and asides.

Linda Gregory brought delightful energy to Penny Dreadful, giving Lou’s eager assistant a wonderfully earnest charm. Her wide‑eyed enthusiasm contrasted beautifully with Lou’s sharper instincts, and Linda’s comic timing ensured that even her smallest reactions drew laughter. She was a joy to watch, always present and always engaged.

Cathy Malvis gave a heartfelt performance as the wronged Mabel Syrup, capturing both the weariness of a woman fighting to keep her hotel afloat and the spark of determination that kept her going. Cathy balanced frustration, warmth and exasperation with ease, making Mabel instantly sympathetic and grounding the more chaotic moments around her.

Tracey Evans played Megan Bacon with a touching sense of struggle, portraying an employee working for no wage and desperately trying to keep things together. Tracey’s sincerity added emotional weight to the comedy, reminding us that beneath the puns were characters with real pressures.

Fr. Philip Knowles was excellent as the scheming Sam Witch, leaning into the character’s slippery charm and bureaucratic menace. His scenes were delivered with a sly humour that made his character delightfully malicious. Alistair Crawford completed the ensemble as Pete Zerria, giving the character a steady, confident presence that played beautifully against the more frantic personalities around him.

This was a clever murder mystery; the cast worked together with an ease that made the humour land consistently. They played the puns to the full, relishing every groan‑worthy moment, and the audience responded with real warmth. The quiz aspect of the evening was excellent, keeping the audience on their toes and creating a real sense of fun. My thanks to all at St Cuthbert’s ADS for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.