Image Credit: Images taken by me, Allison Symes. Some images created in Book Brush using my images or photos from Pixabay.
Review – The Business of Murder
Written by Mike Standing
Presented by Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church Senior Thespians
The last week in October proved to be a busy one for Janet and I. As well as going to see The Chameleons perform The Ghost Train on the Thursday (30th October), Janet and I went to the Dovetail Centre on the Saturday afternoon (1st November) for a murder mystery play, The Business of Murder by Mike Standing.
Everyone was sat at tables in teams. The idea of these plays is, of course, to work out who the murderer is, how they did it etc after being shown the majority of the play. (The final bit is always the big reveal when you find out whether your deductions were right or wrong).
The play had three acts. After the first one, the teams could start to discuss theories. We also had a splendid afternoon tea. A huge round of thanks was given at the end of the show for the catering team. They were fantastic.
After the second act, we had to tick off our choices on a sheet indicating who we thought the murderer was, what they used (three types of items which could be used as poisons were the options for us), who the accomplice was, and where the poison had been put. The third act then revealed all.
Story Outline
Setting – Sweeteners Sweet Things, makers of luxury chocolates
Cast – Owners and staff of Sweetners
Characters
Sir Alan Sweetener – played by Lester Parry
I loved the pun here given I immediately thought of a certain famous business man.
The character here is the Chairman and Managing Director and part owner of the company with his sisters, Constance and Victoria. He is an aggressive risk taker, makes business mistakes which, somehow, always seem to be the fault of others. He likes firing people too.
Would never win Best Boss of the Year Award. Would win the title of Character Most Likely to Be Bumped Off though and sure enough….
Victoria Sweetener – played by Jillie Curtis
Victoria is Sir Alan’s younger sister and has spent her life protecting Connie from Alan. To say the latter is a bully is an understatement.
Victoria loathes Alan and has done from childhood. She knows who gouged the eyes out on childhood teddy bears… Oh and the threat from Alan to put her and Constance in retirement homes in opposite ends of the country so they can no longer see each other goes down very badly indeed.
Constance Sweetener – played by Brenda Discombe
Constance is Sir Alan’s older sister and is described as weak and simpering (though I would suspect memory issues). Wants her brother to go away. Relies on Victoria a lot.
Toby Jugge – played by Richard Wright
Works in the confectioner’s research department. Is likeable and keen but harbours secrets. He admits to his name being a funny one but is it his real one?
Nick Brewer – played by John Archer
Nick is Sir Alan’s accounts manager and right hand man. Is caring and gentle but has been ill and recently came out of hospital. Is a diabetic. On his return to work he has found the company has changed and not in ways he likes.
Stella Remington – played by Margaret Smithson
Stella’s name reminded me of the one held by a former head of MI5 (who is now a renowned novelist, Stella Rimington). In this play, this Stella is the production manager and is efficient. Is not known for tact and can be abrasive. Has been with the company for years.
Angela Underwood – played by Alison Standing
Works in the Marketing Department. Is likeable and hopes for promotion. She has only been with the company for six months, worries a lot and, like Toby, has secrets.
Detective Inspector Sherlock – played by Mike Standing
Has seen it all before.
Presenter – Martin Waldron
Martin explained how the format of the evening would work to the audience. He went on to introduce each act of the play. Act 1 set up the play. Act 2 was where the investigation began. There was then a break for questions. Members of the cast came to the tables where the audience could question them. The table I was at did catch one of the characters out in a lie and, sure enough, they did prove to be the murderer. Act 3 was the reveal.
Characters Referred To in the Play
Brian Wood (sacked Marketing Manager)
Steve Wood (sacked Accountant, sent to prison for five years)
Danny Carter (Stella’s brother-in-law, an ex-convict)
Charlie Merrick (notorious owner of the Starlight Club).
Mike Standing wrote and directed the play. Catering on the Friday evening was prepared by Diane Pugh and her team. The wonderful afternoon tea on the Saturday, which Janet and I enjoyed, was prepared by Hilary Beed and her team. The catering teams’ efforts were well appreciated! Proceeds from ticket sales went to the Thirty Years On project at the Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church.
Premise of Play
Sir Alan, as well as proving to be a truly horrible boss and brother, announced he’d be selling the company off to its nearest rival without previous consultation with his fellow Board members. They are horrified. They quickly realise the sale would not go through if Sir Alan, for whatever reason, was no longer in charge of the company and all know the chances of him resigning or changing his mind about the sale are remote.
Murder has been committed, in fiction at least, for less than that. It was obvious who the victim was going to be. It was quickly established everyone else in the play had motive, means and opportunity to commit that murder. All had, for example, motives of revenge against Sir Alan.
The characters gave a brief statement, which the audience all had copies of, where they introduce themselves but it is clear from what they say the murder of Sir Alan would help them in different ways. That statement sheet also gave the audience information about dangerous substances – rat poison, weedkiller, and insulin (dangerous when administered in a high dose) – and that all of the characters had access to this.
Nick, for example, kept his insulin in his drawer at work. It was likely anyone could access it. Sir Alan’s sisters, Victoria and Constance, like gardening so had access to weedkiller. Angela is having problems with rats around her flat so has access or will gain it to rat poison.
The character sheet also gave information about important non-appearing characters who have a direct impact on the story and we find out things about the main characters which do not come out in the play itself. For example, we find out Nick is good friends with the former Marketing Manager, Brian Wood, and his son, Steve Wood, the sacked accountant.
Revenge is another great motive for murder in this kind of story, especially when there is good reason to believe the Woods were set up to take the blame for failures by Sir Alan.
Review
The play was excellent. Performances were fantastic. It was a good, gripping storyline and an excellent puzzle for the audience to work out. Incidentally, the winning team did have a retired detective with them! The team (called Scarlets) which Janet and I were on did guess who the murderer was and where they put the poison but not the accomplice or what kind of poison was used.
Logically, once we knew the murderer, we should have got the poison as it was in the character sheet description. But it was all good fun and a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Conclusion
I love a good mystery. Indeed, some of the earliest books I collected for my own pleasure were the Agatha Christie novels (and collections of short stories) brought out by Odhams years ago. The fun of watching mysteries, even where you know the story, is watching how the detective works things out and this is especially true for the brilliant series, Columbo.
Here, the audience get to play detective and I loved it. I hope it’s not too long before I can get to do so again.
Related Posts:-
A Christmas Carol – The MDG Players – Review by Allison Symes
MDG Players and Romsey Players – Five Go Mad for Shakespeare – Review
Read interviews with Chandler’s Ford writer Allison Symes: Part 1 and Part 2.
Read blog posts by Allison Symes published on Chandler’s Ford Today.
Never miss out on another blog post. Subscribe here:
Leave a Reply