Murdered to Death

It was a  pleasure to visit the Bear Pit Theatre Stratford and this talented company. Played ‘in the round’ the scene is set in the lounge of a country manor house in the 1930s. Murdered to Death features a gathering of dysfunctional people who are renewing their acquaintance with widowed ‘Mildred’. ‘Mildred’ is played with ease by Annie Dixon-Dunn, obviously not short of a penny but sweet natured and lonely and this was well portrayed. Her niece ‘Dorothy’ has been living with her and although likely to inherit when the time comes, she has no devious plans and is most helpful around the house. Megan Harris played ‘Dorothy’ with a natural style, until her unfortunate demise.

‘Bunting’ the butler is well played by Phil Hickson, a some-what tiresome, slow moving and frustrating man and is suspected of drinking the sherry. ‘Colonel Charles Craddock’ (Rob Warnes) and his long-suffering wife ‘Margaret Craddock’ (Hannah McBride) arrive. Rob presented a typical stiff upper lip approach with great style and we learn that he was not as great in the army as he makes out and many years ago had an affair with ‘Mildred’. The occasional well timed snort added to his character. ‘Margaret’ is well portrayed by Hannah and worked well with ‘Charles’ and the fact she is not happy is received load and clear.

‘Pierre Marceau’ (Callum McCormick) and ‘Elizabeth Hartley-Trumpington’ (Bethany Harris) are the next to arrive, having allegedly met on the same train on their way to the house. ‘Pierre’ purports to be a painter having sold ‘Mildred’ several paintings, discovered later to be copies and ‘Elizabeth’ clearly wishes to be seen as ‘high society’. Both play their roles well and their respective switches from a Frenchman with slightly exaggerated accent and not so high society lady, to devious swindlers, are well handled.

‘Joan Maple’ played with great poise by Samm Lees arrives and virtually invites herself to dinner.  Known as a busy-body, she has a reputation for bringing bad luck wherever she goes and we are not disappointed! Part 1 concludes with sight of a revolver appearing through the doorway and ‘Mildred is shot’.

Part 2 introduces ‘Constable Thompkins’ a bright village constable, well played by Hannah Perrin and ‘Inspector Pratt’ played by Baz Stilinksi captured the inept, clumsy nature of the role and displayed a rather obnoxious approach to all those present. So inept is he, that ‘Thompkins’ is accidentally shot in the foot by him when attempting a re-run of the earlier murder. 

As the story unravels ‘Pierre’ tries to blackmail ‘Dorothy’, ‘Dorothy’ is shot and in the confusion ‘Pierre’ and ‘Elizabeth’ are later arrested, but the true murderers, who will remain nameless here, are discovered in the final moments – all well-handled, we are kept guessing to the very end. Director Nick Johnson provides an excellent evening of suspense which is captured with great success by the whole cast.

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