Review by Phillip Bate
At the start it was just the set falling apart. By the end of the night most of the audience attending Murder at Checkmate Manor were also falling apart with laughter (myself included).
Mayhem abounds when an amateur drama group – in this case the Centenary Theatre Group at the Chelmer Community Centre – morphs into another amateur theatre group, the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate’s Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society, staging a murder mystery. In addition to the play, the cast also finds time to run a quiz session and host a fashion parade.
As well as the mystery of “whodunit” there’s also the mystery of spotting the undeliberate mistake as the cast of five take on 14 roles of characters with chess piece names such as Clarissa Rook, Regine (queen), Colonel King, Lady Doreen Bishop, Gladys Knight and Pawn the butler. N
o wonder director Eric Scott calls his cast “The Magnificent Five” and it’s easy to agree. Assuming the task of being self-appointed “martyr to the cause” of the guild’s dramatic society is English lady Phoebe Reece, convincingly played by Jill Brocklebank. Phoebe Reece seems to be a law unto herself – not only playing four roles but even prepared to rewrite the script (originally written by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jnr) as she sees fit.
Another to play four roles is long standing CTG member Honey Butz who plays Audrey Smythe who in turn plays Lady Doreen Bishop, mistress of Checkmate Manor. Her insincerity as her sister, aunts and cousins are all “bumped off” is delightful to behold. For those seeking a love angle in the plot, there’s the situation of Lady’s Doreen teenage daughter Daphne Bishop in pigtails and tennis skirt making a play for Inspector O’Reilly.
I was sitting the front row and when Selina Kadell who plays Thelma Greenwood playing Daphne fluttered her eyelashes at Inspector O’Reilly I forced myself to stay seated and jealously cursed Nathan Cammerman who was playing the inspector. It’s hard to tell who was the vamp – the flirting teenager or the inspector who wears fishnet stockings to work – either way it made for great comedy.
In every murder-mystery set in a stately home or manor there has to be a butler. This play was no exception with Kathleen Crome demonstrating deft comedic touches as she buttlered her way through dead bodies – although whether she murdered them you’ll have to watch the play yourself.
Special congratulations also go to stage manager Margaret Bell and her backstage lights and sound personnel Fiona Watson and Peter Hughes who cope with falling walls and associated props whizzing across the stage.
There are five more opportunities to attend the play: this Friday, Saturday and Sunday November 27 to 29 and then Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5. Bookings at www.centenarytheatre.com.au
Above: Selina Kadell as Thelma, Nathan Cammerman as Gordon, Jill Brocklebank as Mrs. Reece, Honey Butz as Audrey and Kathleen Crome as Felicity)
