The Game's Afoot

Nantwich Players were back on stage with their production of Ken Ludwig’s ‘The Game’s Afoot’, which was directed by Sharon Dutton, with assistance from Clare Hoy. Upon entering the auditorium, the audience were met with the stage set for the play within the play, with furniture covered in sheets and a black curtain at the rear of the stage. This was then transformed into the Gillette mansion, which looked fantastic. The scene change was done very well by the team, working quickly and quietly. The hidden room was a neat piece of stagecraft, and executed well by the team. This was an interesting play with a mix of a farce and a whodunit. Sharon showed a good understanding of both genres in her direction, with excellent farcical moments, such as the quick entrances and the comedy involving hiding the dead body. The audience were kept guessing the identity of the murderer throughout, which is a great testament to the ability of the cast and Sharon’s secure direction. The pace was very good throughout in the main. There were a few moments where cue lines were picked up slow, but these were very few. The comedy was very strong throughout, and there were some great comic moments throughout which had the audience laughing all the way through. The costumes were very good throughout, with the elegant party dresses and the smart attire of the men. Inspector Goring’s costume was suitably eccentric, adding greatly to the character.

Technical elements were very good throughout. The lighting design was good, with flashes of lightning and the lights dimming during the storm. The sound design was very good, with all effects cued well and at the appropriate level.

David Rogerson played William Gillette. This was a confident and assured performance from David, as he navigated the many twists and turns throughout. David’s sense of comedy was strong, particularly in his interactions with Inspector Goring. His American accent was convincing and he was able to sustain it throughout, whilst dipping into an English accent as he embodied Sherlock Holmes.

Eileen Heaton was a comic delight as Martha Gillette. She had a glint in her eye as she delivered her lines with charm and wit. The reveal at the end was wonderfully done by Eileen, with excellent line delivery. Eileen’s comic timing was spot on throughout.

Trevor Hough played Felix Geisel. This was a good supporting performance from Trevor. There were some great comic moments from Trevor, with great facial reactions as well. There were a couple of moments where Trevor could have been tighter on picking up lines.

Elaine Caulfield played Madge Geisel. Elaine was suitably elegant in this role. There was a nice relationship developed between her character and Trevor’s character. The moment where she gets possessed in the séance scene was well performed by Elaine, creating a nice comic moment.

Lorenzo Carcione played Simon Bright. This was a good performance from Lorenzo as the simple Simon. He created a believable relationship with Hannah. The red herring near the conclusion of the production was well played by Lorenzo, as he led the audience down the wrong path of thinking. It was a convincing performance.

Hannah Johnson played Aggie Wheeler. This was a convincing performance from Hannah, who built strong relationships with the rest of the cast. The change in character near the conclusion of the play was well played by Hannah, with a suitable deranged look in her eye.

Gail Cornell played Inspector Goring. This was a good portrayal from Gail as the clueless inspector, trying to navigate her way through the case. There were some great comic moments, which were delivered expertly by Gail, especially her grand exit.

Megan Goode was effortless as Daria Chase. Megan breezed into the action with a twinkle in her eye, and brought an abundance of energy to proceedings. The action of the play really got moving with Megan’s entrance, and subsequent death. Megan’s comic acting was strong, especially the physical comedy with many laugh out loud moments.

Overall, this was a good production. There were some delightful performances, plenty of laugh out loud moments, and it had the audience guessing throughout.

A big thank you to everyone at Nantwich Players for their kind invite and hospitality.

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