Lights, Camera, Murder

Lights Camera Murder
Written by Gary Simpson
Staged & Performed by Ormskirk Theatre Group at Lancashire Manor Hotel, Prescot Road, Pimbo, near Wigan
On Saturday 20th June 2026

Murder Mystery plays require a fundamentally different skill set compared to acting in a traditional set play. Letting go of the security blanket of a fixed script the actors must know their characters background, motives and relationships inside out in an effort to be able to answer piecing questions convincingly! 

Every audience is different, for those on stage the narrative can be taken in any directions even the most experienced Director could not have foreseen. 

The scene is set in the opulent ‘Great Hall of The Lancashire Manor Hotel’. Guests are invited to take their clearly marked places at the immaculately dressed circular tables. 

The year is 1941 and you have been invited to the ‘After Party’ of The American Academy Awards Ceremony by Goldstein Studios. 

You are informed that the action of the play began the moment you entered. Two immaculately dressed American Police Officers... Officers Foot and Dribble played by our writer Gary Simpson and Phil Hutchinson respectively who are noticed mingling with the guests.  Both have an open demeanour, a natural innate charm that immediately draws the audience in making their characters deeply likeable and watchable. 

As the action progresses you realise you are being drawn into a cauldron of Intrigue, jealousy, ambition and dark secrets. As the different characters entered each part is joyfully over the top, theatrical caricatures giving without exceptions highly stylized performances. 

The Cast....

Joe Coyne played ‘Victor Kunstler’
The eccentric egotistical film director with a volatile temperament. Joe lifted the character off the page in an imaginative and very humorous way. 

Pat Baker played ‘Betsy Gerrard’ 
The ‘Femme Fatale’, described as being past her prime, deftly played giving spontaneous answers to even the most unforeseen questions. 

Peter Hoyle played ‘Elmer Goldstein’ 
Head of Goldstein Studios. The epitome of the hardnosed, a brash ruthless cigar smoking businessman. A perfect recreation of the character. 

Fi Billington played ‘Chelsea Lamont’ 
Described by one of the other characters as a third-rate actress or similar. Rest assured Chelsea, the way you handled some curved ball questions, whilst staying perfectly in character and maintaining the accent, puts you in the first category. 

Mark Hodgson played ‘Sydney Dufresne’ 
Loved the part. A compelling appearance. 

Sandie Keane played ‘Clarice Monroe’ 
A gossip columnist straight out of the pages of the "Red Tops" prepared to go to any lengths to fill her sordid column inches. A balanced performance cleverly making the character one hundred percent authentic. 

Phil Povey played ‘Jed Jackson’
The up-and-coming leading man. The personification of the forty’s cowboys again an entertaining performance. 

Despite spending most of the evening eavesdropping on fellow guests’ and forensic analysis of the clues, I failed to identify the culprit, so I won't reveal! To sum up tonight proceedings I would say “A Really Delightful Night of Interactive Theatre’, enjoyed by all present. 

Thank you for inviting me and thanks for a wonderful evening!

David Davies 

N.O.D.A 

Assistant District Rep 

District 6

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.