Murder Mystery - 24th January 2009

Murder at Castle Crag

St Wilfrid’s Social Team recently performed their eighth annual Murder Mystery in front of a sell out audience in St Wilfrid’s Church Hall. Jill Rundle again wrote the play and many people said it was her best yet. This annual performance is proving to be one of the entertainment events of the year in Alford and certainly the hottest ticket in town.

To coincide with the 250th anniversary of Robbie Burns’s birth the play was set in Scotland at the dilapidated castle of the mean and grumpy Angus McMean, the Laird of Castle Crag. He is celebrating his 90th birthday and has a party where all his relatives and potential inheritors of his ‘fortune’ assemble like buzzards around a dying corpse. Unfortunately for nephew Duncan he became the corpse thanks to a nasty piece of work by one of the ‘beloved’ relatives, and the challenge for the audience was to work out ‘who dunnit”.

Warren McSporran was identified as the murderer. Always be suspicious of a man who works in a shoe shop and so it proved. Geoff Newstead put on his usually inspired performance and quite a few of the audience picked him out as the killer – it must be those shifty eyes!

Daniel Steadman made his debut in our murder mystery and he was quickly smothered with a cushion. He will need to get in more acting hours before we let him survive the whole play. Leah Dixon and Elizabeth Ainsworth played the roles of money seeking relatives. They were both persuasive as potential murders and certainly caused a stir amongst the men in the audience when they appeared on stage in their party outfits. Phew.. the temperature in the room rocketed!

Barbara Willoughby, our young looking and lively social team leader had to look 81 as she took on the role of Flora Fossil, the housekeeper. Cooking a meal for 90 of us in addition to acting in the play probable aged her a bit on the night but she still looks 21 to us. Norvel Willerton brilliantly developed the role of the castle handyman and his frequent visits to the fire with his coal scuttle proved to be a delight to the audience.

Avril Wells as Fiona and Ann Lincoln as Shona both doted on their sons and looked capable of anything to ensure their offsprings inherited the possible fortune. Hamish, played by Carl Steadmen, had a dodgy background and was a favourite to be a murderer but turned out to be a policeman and led the murder enquiry. Brian Quinn was a newcomer to our plays and made an instant hit as the aging hippy. As if that was not enough, he played the piano at the end in what has developed into our traditional end of play sing-song.

We all look forward to see what Len Farrer will do with his part and he was so very good as the mean McMean. His Scottish accent was spot on and the role enabled him to show us what an outstanding performer he is. Lastly I mention Jill Rundle who wrote the mystery, directed it and played the part of narrator. Jill has a real flare for writing and the audience loved the humour and intrigue.

Thanks were offered to Barbara, Pat and all the catering team. Same again next year? Book your tickets now if you want to see it as it is getting easier to get into Eton than it is to get a ticket for our Murder Mysteries!

David Simcox