The play’s title with its tautology gives the nature of the play away. This is a murder mystery that is played for laughs.
MURDERED TO DEATH, is a play by prolific British playwright Peter Gordon. It is the first in his Inspector Pratt trilogy. Collectively with ‘Secondary Cause Of Death’ and ‘Death By Fatal Murder, the Inspector Pratt plays have had over 1,200 professional and amateur productions in the United Kingdom including America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Much like Inspector Closseau, Inspector Pratt is an inept, bumbling and incompetent police detective who is the reason for much of the story’s comedy. William Baltyn gives a good comic performance in the role.
Denise Kitching gives a good performance as Mildred Bagshot, the owner of the manor in which the action takes place. Kitching is a veteran performer for the Genesian’s, having been in many of the theatre’s productions since she was awarded the Most Promising Actor award at the Genesian Drama School Festival back in 1965.
British lass Phoebe Kennedy ventures on to the Genesian Theatre for the second time as Mildred’s dutiful niece Dorothy.
Stephen Holland who favours playing comic roles displays some good touches as the manor’s pedantic and creepy butler, Bunting.
Sandra Bass, another veteran of the Genesian stage, gives a good performance as the rather verbose amateur sleuth, Joan Maple.
David Stewart-Hunter has played a selection of Knights, Lords and Colonels at the Genesian’s and adds another role, this time playing the blustery Colonel James Craddock.
Emily Saint-Smith plays his long suffering wife Margaret, an English society woman.
Mitch McCausland makes his Genesian theatre debut as shady French art dealer Pierre Marceau.
Alice Bendall makes her Genesian theatre debut as English society woman, Elizabeth Hartley-Trumpington after a career which since graduating from ArtsEd London has seen her work as a choreographer, voiceover artist, actor, teacher and director across the West End and Europe.
Ben Brighton plays the hapless Constable Thompkins who has to contend with Inspector Pratt’s shenanigans.
The various production elements are good. At the helm of the production is Liz Munro who directs the show with flair. I particularly enjoyed her use of spotlights towards the end of the show. Ella Monti was the show’s Assistant Director.
Genesian veteran Debbie Smith lends her all round skills by designing the set which uses elements of art deco in the design of the manor house’s drawing, living room.
Veteran costume designer Susan Carveth designs all the period male costumes whilst Ildy Izso makes her Genesian debut designing the women’s costumes with good attention to detail.
Michael Schell shows off his skills as the sound and lighting designer. What experience he brings having designed sound for over 200 productions ranging from children’s plays to opera and nearly every form of theatre in between.
The murder mystery spoof genre is alive and well with the GTC’s production of this play. MURDERED TO DEATH plays the Genesian Theatre, 420 Kent Street Theatre until 27th February, 2022.
Featured image : The entire cast of ‘Murdered To Death’. Production photography by Vicki Skarratt Photography.