Written by Leslie Sands, by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Ltd.
Directed by Anita Prior
Within minutes of the opening of this thriller, we are plunged into the middle of an explosive situation. Janet Preston, a well-known authoress who lives alone in a remote cottage on the Yorkshire Moors, has killed her husband, a complete rogue and criminal on the run. Before she can get rid of the body, she is confronted by his accomplice George, who blackmails her into agreeing to pass him off as the dead man until such time as he can make a getaway. The events that follow are full of twists, turns and excitement, with underlying passions exposed. The unexpected developments skilfully reconcile the audience's sympathies and sense of involvement with a demand for justice.
The play set in the fifties takes place in the in the living room of Tarn house, Janet Preston's cottage on the Yorkshire Moors.
In Medstead Players spring offering, Intent to Murder by Leslie Sands, we find our heroine, the cold hearted Janet Preston, a writer of some note, ensconced in her remote and lonely cottage in the Yorkshire dales. As the intense drama unfolds we see treachery, intrigue, murder and love unfold in the cosy sitting room.
Carol Bedingfield made us really dislike the manipulative Janet Preston, which was a very tricky role to play especially as she was on stage for much of the production. I hope the experience has given her the confidence to go for more lead roles, and although her nervousness showed at the start, her screaming rants at the end were enough to startle even the most comfortable of audiences.
Mike Overy as the wicked and plotting George Bates showed he too can play intense roles and again, like Carol, a nervous start and much prompting did not detract from his evil intent.
It was a pity that we did not see more of the gossip mongerer Mrs Bunting played with promise by Ann Bassil.
Romance was brought to us in the form of luscious Larry, played by Terry Tonks. He turned out not to be quite the Casanova we were at first led to believe This is Terry's first outing on stage and he showed both talent and ability in his relaxed performance.
Sue Millet produced her usual polished performance as Larry's romantic interest, and Janet's sleek and elegant secretary Chris. Another relaxed performance, she makes it look so easy.
The absent but sharp minded and curious local vet, with aspirations as a detective, was played with great style by Stan Whitcher whose careful questioning and probing mind caused great consternation in the household.
The costumes were authentic and left us all droolling for fifties fashion with tailored suits and chunky knit jumpers and I was reminded that we owe a lot to lycra nowadays especially in the jodhpur department.
Lighting was subtle and effective adding to the cosiness of the set, which contrasted with the high drama therein, and the sound effects were excellent, I especially liked the chiming clock.
The undisputed star of the show was the fabulous set. It was inventive and clever with stairs, nooks and crannies and stuffed with bric-a-brac, such as one would find in an older property. As with the costume it reeked of authenticity. The set designer and constructors deserve an Oscar. Front of house were professional and very smart and welcoming.
Well done to director Anita Prior and all the cast and backstage crew. I look forward as always to your next production.
[Anita Simpson]
Cast:
Janet Preston (authoress and 'nasty piece of work') - Carol Bedingfield
George Bates (crook and blackmailer) - Mike Overy
Henderson (local vet and amateur sleuth) - Stan Whitcher
Chris (Janet's secretary) - Sue Millett
Larry (Chris's boyfriend) - Terry Tonks
Mrs. Bunting (the cleaner) - Ann Bassil