Who Lies There

Grenoside Players perform ‘Who Lies There’ with a multi-talented cast including Mary Cook, Jean Stocks, Alison Wilson, Stuart Frost, Peter Law, Brenda Hester playing the part of Madam, Cyril Wilkinson, Philip Clayton and Elizabeth Birkley produced by Betty Bellamy…………

But wait….. the above was the cast when this lovely group first performed ‘Who Lies There’ back in 1968 two years after the Community Hall opened, but take note who played the part of Madam, none other than Brenda Hester, the mother of the current Chairman of the now named Grenoside and Birley Carr Players and current Director of today’s version of Who Lies There, Jonathan Hester. How wonderful that after a mere 57 years members of the same family are still totally involved in the society.

This thriller play written by Philip Johnson is thought to have been based on Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen who murdered his wife in the mid-1800s and now set in the sitting room of a property in Kensington. A dresser, tables and chairs are stage left with French windows leading to the garden and neighbours property, whist stage right a flickering fireplace, wall lights, two arm chairs and to the back of the set a door leading to the hall, behind which we see the cellar door, the latter very much a part of the suspense of the piece. The play based around a young couple moving in after being left the property by a relative, however an eerie feeling is quickly realized not least by various creaking and regular opening and closing of the cellar door, for no obvious reason. Twists and turns follow as neighhbours pop in and out, the original house tenant re appears, talk of a missing wife, and finally a body found in the cellar. The nine strong cast under the direction of Jonathan Hester performed very convincingly. The young couple George by James Meagher and Francie by Magan Pestell, a very solid performance, George delighted to have the property whilst trying to understand Francie’s total fear and anxiety and Francie with your facial expressions and perpetual rubbing of hands along with fiddling with your rings left us in no doubt to your unease. Your supportive Mother Mrs. Fearn by Deborah Hester, keeping a watchful eye over her daughter, excellent clarity throughout, and being royally entertained by Mrs Butterworth by Caroline Oakley  , the all-seeing and knowing full on Lancashire neighbour ,aperformance full of comedy asides and humour. When the French windows opened, we could hear singing, this from the concert singing neighbour , Madam beautifully performed by Elizabeth Williams, the true stiff upper lip , with some great lines. ‘This fog tears the top C to shreds’ being one of many. On her visits to the newlyweds she was accompanied by her well-spoken husband, The Professor by John Highfield who gave a controlled well measured performance throughout, holding back from his true feelings of his somewhat neurotic wife at times. Mrs Butterworth’s nephew, the off duty police officer Alec by Mark Winton gave a strong, listen to me when speaking, performance. Some great visual moments not least after finding the body and reappearing at the cellar door. Then we have the somewhat suspicious ex tenant Mr Meakin by Gary Leigh some excellent cameo moments , totally leaving the audience wondering what had happened to his wife, whilst making the newlyweds even more anxious. Last but by no means least we meet Mrs Dubinski by Maxine Townson the over dressed gin loving visitor, mistaken for Meakins missing wife, a lovely well performed cameo role.

The who dunnit continues until we hear another singing rehearsal from Madam, broken short by a ……… and then another ……… 

You will have to go and see it now. 

A couple of observation’s whilst I really enjoyed the choice of clothing some shoes didn’t quite fit the period and an odd painting and frame didn’t seem old enough. However, these were minor compared to the overall excellent production.  Clever lighting added atmosphere throughout. 

Thank you for your kind invitation and please pass my thanks to those front of house ladies and gentlemen who made us so welcome and well looked after. I look forward to the next visit.

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