Secondary Cause Of Death

A Farcical Night at Bagshot House

Thank you for a very warm welcome at Bourne Corn Exchange last night. My first official visit since you became NODA members this year. Front-of-house duties, ably handled by Alan C. Boyer, looking very dapper with a smiling countenance, greeted your audience and settled everyone in their seats. The attention to detail was nothing less than I have come to expect from Bouren Footlights, with delightful table setting and information about the play. The music playing set the scene and the groups fundraisers were encouraging raffle and ‘square’ tickets. I had noted Jess Smyth-Wood’s photography and social media coverage, which captured the show’s lively spirit. Maggie Rastall’s eye-catching publicity design and the impressive set built by the Boothby/Cooper family contributed greatly to the professional finish. Your audience members were talking about the set and were already intrigued as to where the story would go before the lights went down. It was so visually intriguing, I wanted to peruse the bookshelves, and we were all wondering where the doors led. Despite the limitation on space that the Bourne Exchange has, you utilised the stage really well.

Secondary Cause of Death by Peter Gordon returns to the delightfully chaotic world of Inspector Pratt — that most inept of detectives, forever one step behind the murderer and two steps behind his own sentences.  Set in 1939 at the ever-mysterious Bagshot House, this sequel to Murdered to Death delivers an affectionate parody of the Agatha Christie-style whodunit, blending espionage, mistaken identities, and quick-fire wordplay. When Joan Maple's sister Cynthia arrives to stage a murder mystery evening, it's not long before Pratt's visit turns into a chaotic nightmare as the bodies pile higher than ever!  Inspector Pratt arrives at Bagshot House with grim news for Colonel Craddock, but that's just the beginning. Who is the strange Polish Count? Is Henrietta really an army Captain? How does the eccentric thespian, Longfellow, fit into the equation? The play involves a lot of mixed identities, layered jokes, and a mixture of “pretend-murder” and “real-murder”. Emma Oglesbee handled the material imaginatively and skilfully.

Mandi Wood anchored the evening as Inspector Pratt, giving a performance full of energy, bluster, and gloriously mangled malapropisms. Her timing and physical comedy drew plenty of laughter, and she captured Pratt’s mixture of self-importance and helplessness with warmth and wit. Lynn Kirk’s Cynthia Maple brought sparkle and poise, particularly in the scenes of mounting confusion, grounding the madness with crisp delivery and glorious stage presence. Both actresses shone through the whole evening, keeping up the energy, with perfect comic timing and delightful banter.

Neena Quinlan’s Lily Tuthill provided sharp comic contrast as the long-suffering cook. She delighted with her shaking hands and bent posture as the put-upon cook, (the rabbit scene had me in stitches!), then quickly contrasted the other side of her character effortlessly and smoothly, with a lovely stage presence. Blanche Robinson impressed as Martha Armstrong, competently moving about the stage with confidence and utilising costume and wigs to her character's advantage. Keeping everyone guessing to the identity of the hooded stranger.

As Lady Isadora Pollock, Emily Cooper balanced hauteur and hysteria well, despite her young age, gave a good competent performance. Perhaps against other actors on stage, her inexperience showed. I felt a little more characterisation in her body movements and more tension in her acting choices night have made for a more rounded performance. For instance, after the explosion, her next entrance might have been a good opportunity to increase the drama and tension of the plot, by looking anxious or worried.

Heather Butterworth was an audience favourite as Count Puchlik, milking every accent and dramatic gesture for comedic effect. Her body language, comic timing and dramatic flair, rounded out her character expertly, and I commend her slick performance. Alan Boothby, doubling as both Colonel Craddock and Cardew Longfellow, held his dual characters well and performed with good timing and pace. Although I wanted more from his Longfellow character, which would have contrasted more with the Colonel. Completing the Boothby duo — Vic Boothby as the exuberant Captain Henrietta Woolmer-Cardington displayed fine comic chemistry, moving smoothly between military bluster and theatrical melodrama, although not as confident in the sexy American role. If this was an acting choice, perhaps Henrietta felt awkward partaking in the ‘play’, then you would have needed to make more of this to ensure your audience understood this subplot. Neil Oglesbee brought Nurse Parsley to life, but I felt that you did not bring enough ladylike moments to contrast the more masculine acting choices overall. Cross your heels when sitting, feet together when standing, then when you bent over to caress the Colonel, and when you bent over with your back to the audience, a much bigger contrast and laugh would have been generated.

Given the large cast, multiple character flips, high-energy physical comedy, and accents, the play demands a good ensemble and competent direction. A script is just words on a page without the talents of the Director and the cast. For amateur companies, this is not a trivial staging. Director Emma Oglesbee kept the farce moving at a brisk pace, ensuring that the humour never lost its rhythm. Her light touch let the ensemble’s personalities shine while maintaining clarity through Gordon’s twisty plot. Because the plot gives multiple characters (the Colonel, the Thespian, the Polish Count, the nurse, Captain Henrietta, etc) dual/hidden identities and lots of accent-work, there’s rich ground for your actors to show versatility.

The technical and creative team deserves special mention. Laura Harwood’s efficient stage management kept scene changes seamless, particularly noted in the ‘on’s and off’s’, with doors closing and opening in sync, very well done. Becky Boothby’s sound design added just the right period touches. Lucas Cooper’s lighting cleverly differentiated the many moods of Bagshot House, from cosy drawing-room intrigue to full-blown chaos. I particularly enjoyed the incidental music and interval tracks, keeping us reminded of the 1930s period.

A note on costume and hair, a minor note, be assured, which will not take away from your stupendous efforts. I felt some of your footwear was inaccurate for some characters. Puchlik’s jack boots were too modern; I found them particularly jarring considering the efforts made in her costume, wig, and makeup. Whereas Maple's costume sang out in the 1930/40s style. From hairstyle to shoes, everything looked cohesive. I would have liked Lady Pollock’s hair to have a more era-specific style, especially some sort of up-do for the evening scenes. Housekeepers, too, would have had their hair clipped back and up whilst on duty. The army uniform for Cpt Cardington could have looked better with a belt and badge to acknowledge her rank. To my knowledge, the ATS uniform in the 1930s did not use stripes to denote rank. Instead, they wore a badge of rank on their shoulders or collar. The use of stripes was generally reserved for NCO (non-commissioned officer) ranks, such as a corporal. Nurse Parsley could have also done with a belt and apron befitting the era, also, her hair would have been off her face, and a cap would have been more accurate. I feel Commander Craddock needed a bowtie and cummerbund to make his dinner suit feel finished. Perhaps this was a quick-change challenge too far, yet it would have suited his character well. I know sometimes budget restraints mean that costumes are pulled together on a shoestring, yet you could have brought a truly cohesive look to your whole production. Perhaps these costume choices were to discombobulate the audience; after all, many characters were hiding secrets. I notice that you have not mentioned a wardrobe or costume lead in your programme. For such an important element, I feel this would bring a more cohesive look to the production, perhaps something to think about for the next time you do a period piece. One potential solution would be to contact other local groups, who might lend you anything you might require.

This Secondary Cause of Death was a thoroughly entertaining night of theatre, a farce that embraces its own absurdity and relies on ensemble energy to carry it off. Bourne Footlights achieved just that.  The laughs came thick and fast, and even when Inspector Pratt’s logic went astray (as it always does), the audience was with him every step of the way. A slick, colourful, and good-humoured production that proves amateur theatre can deliver lots of fun.  You produced a delightfully daft detective comedy, full of wit, energy, and ensemble charm. The highlights for me were both Mandi Wood’s gloriously befuddled Inspector Pratt and Lynn Kirk’s charming and exacting Cynthis Maple. Your small first night audience were engaged and laughed until the final moments. Thank you all for meeting me after the show, and I look forward to your next production in May 2026.

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