The Mysterious Mr M

The Mysterious Mr M

An amusing tale of Intrigue and Deception
A new Murder Mystery written by Sylvia Wakeham

Performed by The Bampton Players at The Riverside Hall, Bampton on Saturday 17 th May

Directed by Sylvia Wakeham

This is a marvellously clever new comedy murder mystery set at the run-down Tree House Hotel on the edge of a moor. An intriguing story with plenty of framed narratives involved including kidnapping, missing persons, an invisible character and murder most foul with a body left in a sideboard!
The mysterious Mr M is not revealed until the absolute last page of the script and with a very unexpected twist. This was a very funny script written by one of the members of Bampton Players during lock-down and cleverly performed by the cast of eleven actors.
The set was built by the company and created in Riverside Hall, Bampton, with araised stage and steps (stage right) and centre stage allowing access by the actors. The lower areas were set with garden tables and chairs to representative the hotel terrace. The raised stage has a reception desk centre. Tables and chairs, each stage right and left, are placed for guests use in the first half. An long sideboard is added in the Act Two for the purpose of concealing the dead body of the Hotel Manager.As the audience take their seat a number of well- known theme tunes from popular television detective series were played such as Poirot and Miss Marple to get us in the mood. Rosie is the first character we meet played by Anne, the front of house manager, who really holds the storyline together and the hotel too. This was well acted, showing her clear attraction to Doug, who she is having a clandestine relationship and Shiraz, the run-ragged waitress of the hotel who she tolerates. Shiraz, played by Xanda, really developed her character through the play and was exceptionally funny with every line and malapropism. When discussing ideas to encourage more customer she says ‘I’ve got an idea…. We could have a psychopath….my auntie Jean went to one when she wanted to speak to my Uncle Norm’! Laugh out loud funny and acted with great comic timing. Doug, played by Roger enters with his wellies on and is the gardener/handyman, or is he? I won’t spoil the ending but Doug is not who we think
he is. A believable performance from this lovely actor who is coquettish with Rosie and yet with a steeliness behind the character. The storyline leads us to believe that the hotel manager, who everyone refers to as Mr M. is THE Mr M. Performed by Tim, who has a strong stage presence, he is naturally detested by the staff as he isarrogant and walks around like a peacock, preening, rather than working. Eventually he is killed off and his body placed in the sideboard. The prop department created realistic false head and hand to represent this actor, which was very effective when revealed by Shiraz.

The guests staying at The Tree House Hotel are Miss Cross, Mr and Mrs Grainger and Bill and Ben, a couple who have brought their young toddler daughter with them. Miss Cross is really an agent called Jack, sent by the unseen Agnes Naylor, and played by Clare with wonderful control and a lovely clear voice. I loved her rich deep cockney accent when she becomes Jack at the end of the play.

The Grainger’s are Sidney and Gabrielle, grandparents of an abducted grand- daughter and a missing daughter who will never stop searching for them both. Played by Simon and Judi, both confident actors who bounced offeach other well. They are re-united with their daughter, played by Teresa Iles when she meets her parents for the first time in three years at the hotel as she attends for an interview. It feels that the unseen Agnes Naylor has her spies and finally it is revealed that Bill and Ben had been the abductors of baby ‘Poppy’ 3 years before.
Bill and Ben, Chris and Peter, gave believable performances as a couple who had much to hide and are eventually arrested by DI James Dean.
Finally, Jack (Miss Cross), Jim (DI James Dean) and Doug are revealed to be agents who all worked for, guess who, Agnes Naylor and I will not reveal the consequencesof these men knowing each other as that would spoil the mystery! The individual storylines are brought to a satisfactory ending for all involved, or are they?
The various twists and turn really brought the audiences’ attention to the fore as they were never sure who was whom and where the story would lead. I was so impressed with this production and that fact it was written by a local lady. I wonder if she had any influences from living in Bampton village?
The costumes were good too, with Rosie and Shiraz in uniforms of black skirts and red waistcoats, Miss Cross looked glamourous throughout and Doug in hisgardening gear. Props were good too as mentioned previously and even a menu for dinner for The Tree House Hotel was created too.
It is always wonderful to watch a fresh, new production and this was such enjoyable fun for the audience and received a well- earned rousing round of applause.
My congratulation to Sylvia Wakeham and the cast of The Mysterious Mr M and my grateful thanks to Bampton Players for their wonderful warm welcome, as always.

Lyn Burgoyne Noda Representative for Exeter Mid and East Devon (District 5)

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