REVIEW: This is NOT a Murder Mystery by Peter Rae at Drayton Arms Theatre 27 May - 7 June 2025
‘hilariously funny … the individual characters were familiar and convincingly and the audience loved them’ ★★★★
Let me start by saying that this was an incredibly funny well written and well acted play. You don’t really need any more from me, just go and watch it, you will not be disappointed.
Alternatively you can read on if you like but my words can barely do them justice.
The play is centered on three women actors in their fifties about to go on stage to perform a murder mystery play. We get a fascinating insight into their uncensored and unashamed honest opinions on almost anything. Proceedings are brought to a halt after a death or two and are then examined by a detective. Or are they? . . . . I’ll leave you to find out for yourself.
The writer has succeeded in celebrating the wealth of attributes brought to the acting profession by ‘older women’. Helen Bang as Elizabeth Treasure, Rosalind Blessed as Angelica Finchley-Power and Laura Morgan as Sheila Jayne Punnock are all absolutely fantastic. The parts are sensitively written and the embodiments are expertly crafted. Their professional comic delivery was hilariously funny, their individual characters were familiar and convincingly believable and the audience loved them.
The supporting cast was James MacKay as James Maguffin and Jonny Davidson who played Sebastian Fawn the director of the murder mystery. They join the rest of the cast giving faultless performances.
Finally we come to Detective Inspector Charles Fortitude played by Peter Rae who also gave us a great performance as well as writing this play.
We must thank the rest of the team, unfortunately too many to mention all here by name, who helped put the show together. Everyone involved must be congratulated for this first rate piece of work.
“This is NOT a Murder Mystery” was produced by Canonbie Productions who are Peter Rae the writer and Helen Bang the director. They are regulars at the Drayton Arms and have over the years developed and evolved a group of actors into an ensemble of exceptional talent. Their attitude and dedication needs your appreciation and their performances are an example to all of how theatre should be done.
Canonbie Productions also have a feature film coming up so that should be worth seeing too so keep an eye out for that one.
Images: Lily Renshaw
This is NOT a Murder Mystery at Drayton Arms Theatre 27 May - 7 June 2025
BOX OFFICE https://www.thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk/not-a-murder-mystery
Cast:
Helen Bang
Rosalind Blessed
Jonny Davidson
James Mackay
Laura Morgan
Peter Rae
Creative team:
Director - Helen Bang
Assistant Director - Oettie Devriese
Lighting Design - James Denny & Mudlark Creative
