Murder by Misadventure

Salterton Drama Club
Murder by Misadventure
By Edward Taylor
Directed by Paul Turner
Salterton Playhouse, Budleigh Salterton
Saturday 6 th December 2025
‘Tricia Barclay
NODA SW Representative District 6

As is usual with this Company we were treated to a delightful Front of House
announcement describing the interval ice-creams in a range of exotic flavours and
the Tabs went out to reveal another impressive set which received a well-deserved
round of applause.
The setting was a luxury penthouse apartment on the coast overlooking the English
Channel, belonging to Harold and Emma Kent.
A good feeling of space on three levels had been created with an entrance hallway
stepping down to the living-room and an outside balcony USL accessed by an
impressive full-sized set of sliding patio doors, which proved to be intrinsic to the
action as the story unfolded.

Harold was found sitting at his desk SR as a sinister looking Paul Riggs crept across
the room behind him certainly behaving like an intruder with murderous intentions.
The pair are actually highly successful writers of TV thrillers, but Harold has become
disillusioned and is keen to disband the partnership and branch out on his own.
As the two began to fall-out about the way forward the lines between their fictional
plots and real life became blurred and led to unexpected twists and turns, and an
actual plan for a murder!
Paul had evidence of a misdemeanour in Harold’s past when he had embezzled
£90,000 so using this as a threat, he was not going to let him back out of their
partnership.
Harold and Emma are about to go to America for 6 weeks and under the cover of
asking Paul to house-sit while they are away come up with an “ingenious” plan to “do
away” with him before they leave!
What could possibly go wrong? But of course, it did!
The audience was kept guessing all the way along with lots of “red herrings” or in
this case a blood splattered seagull on the patio!
Items went missing causing more confusion, there was no body found outside when
the Kents returned from America but there was one in the closet, and the arrival of a
police Inspector in the middle of the night brought yet another dimension to the plot!
This was a very well performed and directed production which kept the audience
guessing all the way along.

The four performers, partners in real life, were very relaxed and comfortable with
each other.
Harold and Paul made the perfect contrast. Harold rather strait laced and stuffy while
Paul was decidedly more rough and ready and descended into drink admirably.
Emma was smart and attractive and hid her duplicitousness extremely well when it
was finally revealed that she had been in league with Paul all the time!
Inspector Egan was played in typical modern police style with an easy friendly
manner but was still able to throw in remarks and info from time to time to further
confuse the status quo!

It did seem slightly puzzling though that she turned up in the middle of the night on
her own and without a coat, but this did add another dimension to the action!
Was she really who she purported to be?
The costumes were right for the time and for the characters but there was quite a
long change after Scene 1 in Act I which did hold up the action somewhat.
The post on the doormat after the Kent’s return from holiday was a good touch, and
the sound effects were spot on, with some loud menacing music at times!
The ending was just superb and extremely well managed with both men trapped
outside, smears of blood running down the door and a face crushed against the
glass.
Another super production from this talented company.

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