FARNDALE... A MURDER MYSTERY

The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild's
Dramatic Society Production of A Murder Mystery

performed at Cumbernauld Theatre, May 2000

FELICITY / PAWN THE BUTLER / COLONEL KING	Lynn Robertson	THELMA / DAPHNE BISHOP / ROSE BISHOP	Anne Murray
GORDON / INSPECTOR O'REILLY	Allan McPhail	AUDREY / LADY BISHOP / VIOLET BISHOP / MRS KING / JOAN BISHOP	Ann Wilson
MRS REECE / CLARISSA ROOK / REGINE / PATRICIA BISHOP / LETITIA BISHOP / MR GOODBODY	Carol Finlay

Forgotten lines, dodgy props and last minute rewrites don't normally add up to top theatre entertainment.

However, if it involves Cumbernauld's very own amateur theatre group the Apex Players then it does.

But don't worry, I'm not being cruel, for the ever-popular Apex Players were in top form as The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society - the worst theatre group you could hope to find.

In this play within a play, which was described as an affectionate spoof of amateur dramatics, the audience watched as the Townswomen's Guild tried desperately to put on their show Murder at Checkmate Manor. But lack of rehearsing, a few dodgy props, six pages of the script missed out and a general melee on the stage meant things didn't go as smoothly as they would have hoped.

The play, staged at Cumbernauld Theatre, concerned the family and staff at Checkmate Manor who were awaiting the reading of the will of the late Lord Bishop when they start dropping like flies.

Lynn Robertson, who excelled in last October's "Beyond a Joke", was once again in top gear as Pawn the Butler, who was responsible for all the murders, until a last minute re-write put the blame on Regine the French Maid that is! However, her character found it a bit difficult to handle two roles, coming on to the stage half-dressed as the butler, half-dressed as Colonel King, with a moustache growing where none should grow!

Ann Murray was great as the teenage Daphne Bishop, who combined wonderfully with Allan McPhail's John Hannah-esque Inspector O'Reilly to perform a duet, cane-waving and all! She contrasted this role, and put on a great Yorkshire accent, as wheelchairbound Rose Bishop.

Carol Finlay tried to hold the fort as Mrs Reece, the Farndale Avenue Dramatic Society's ageing chairwoman while Ann Wilson was her usual top notch self as Lady Bishop.