Tell-Tale Murder

Salterton Drama Club
Tell-Tale Murder
By Phillip Weathers
Directed by Joyce Pomeroy
The Playhouse, Budleigh Salterton
Wednesday 3rd September 2025
‘Tricia Barclay
NODA SW Representative District 6

As is usual with this Company the auditorium was full to capacity as the audience
waited with eager anticipation for the plot to unfold and were tempted by the amusing
“front of house” announcement and the ice-creams in a variety of exotic flavours!
The curtains opened to reveal a super set depicting the rather cold and austere drawing
room in a country house near the Cornish coast where Jane Mannion lives in seclusion,
with her children David and Vanessa, since the mysterious disappearance of her
husband Richard 17 years ago.
The animosity between mother and son was palpable from the outset as they await the
arrival of his fiancée Maureen and her lawyer father Bentley, come from South Africa to
give his approval to their engagement.
An aura of mystery and tension was maintained throughout, and all the characters
skilfully weaved their way in and out of the intricacies of the plot, leading the audience
this way and that.
The performer in the lead role of Jane was simply superb, her bitterness with her lot in
life obvious from the start, and at this performance a slight slip in the dialogue with
Bentley was handled without losing a beat.
David and Vanessa were also well played. David determined to live his own life and
break away from the family home showed great strength of character. The young
performer as Vanessa also brought out her frustrations with the situation and managed
to convey an intriguing rapport later with the arrival of Bentley’s chauffeur, John.
Into this mix Ellen the housekeeper brought an element of light relief as she did sterling
work around the set lighting the gas lamps and the candles, adding effectively to the
atmosphere, and at the same time hinting at a deeper and underlying mysterious
relationship with her mistress.
Bentley brought a strong feeling of the courtroom to the action as he proceeded to
interrogate Jane as to the happenings in the past, especially when the plot thickened
with the discovery of a body on the moor. His pacing around the set and his probing
questioning added strongly to the tension and the twists and turns of the plot.
Maureen his daughter was endearingly played, determined to wed her man she brought
a graceful air to the intenseness of the action.
As mentioned, the arrival of John added yet another layer of intrigue when it was
revealed that he had previously worked on the estate before the disappearance of Jane’s
husband Richard.
The past was cunningly exposed in a series of flashbacks and in these the cast
displayed great versatility.

Jane switched expertly from the austere and cold matron to a girlish and flirty
personality clearly in love and in a relationship with John, certainly a “tour de force.”
Seemingly the performer playing Richard changed from a gruff dominating personality
who certainly ruled the roost, in his younger days then aged up believably to a confused
and sick old man, very well done.
John was quietly played, in the flashbacks showing a fondness for Jane and a wish to
take her away from an unhappy situation but also displaying to the audience that
perhaps there was an underlying steelier side to his personality.
The connection with Vanessa when it became clear that she was actually his daughter
was touching and believable, from both players.
The audience was kept guessing throughout, it seemed that over the years recollections
varied with conflicting loyalties all the way along.
The disclosure at the end revealing that the housekeeper Ellen was in fact Jane’s mother
certainly added another dimension to this multilayered and intriguing plot.
The set was perfect for the action with an impressive banister and staircase leading off
USL, and a cleverly designed cupboard SL giving easy access for the flashback scenes.
The lighting was excellent for the setting and the dousing and lighting of the candles and
lamps by Ellen was exceptionally well done, again adding to the atmosphere and
intrigue of the piece.
Costumes were right for the time and the characters. David’s pullover was particularly
striking and Jane’s change from her severe dress at the outset to the playful younger
outfit of red and black was spot-on.
Once again, an excellent and skilfully directed production from this talented Company,
it was refreshing to see something new and very different – well done!

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.