MURDER BY THE BOOK

MURDER BY THE BOOK

Phoenix Theatre Group at Christ Church

07.10.11

Jim Hutchon was in the Hall at Christ Church

Director Chris Wright's treatment of this complex, funny and stylish comedy murder thriller is to keep the throttle pressed firmly to the metal from line one. He kept the speed and pressure up as the actors were allowed to develop really very convincing characters. The improbable murder plot had innumerable twists and turns which were dealt with by a talented cast with a lot of comic potential between them.

Andy Millward keeps up an almost Noel Coward repartee as a novelist and critic planning to do away with his estranged adulterous wife, while she, Tricia Childs, giving as good as she gets, plans a similar fate for him. Both seek the help of an hilariously confused Syd Smith as his publisher and her lover. Steve Holding痴 dark brooding looks lighten up considerably with impressive comic talents as the fluent-talking neighbour who is not what he seems, and boy friend of the secretary, Jean Speller, who has her own agenda.

In this Christie meets Coward amalgam, nothing and nobody are what they seem, but, after a while any weaknesses in the plot are swallowed up in growing laughter. There were occasional dead spots in the narrative drive, but the Friday night audience left with a sense of a really entertaining night of fun.