Last updated 10:49, Thursday, 04 September 2008

A FIRST class comedy is just what’s needed to brighten up these darkening evenings. And Whitehaven Theatre Group delivers the goods this week – with bells on.

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comedy: Steph Metcalfe

Murdered to Death, directed by Cuth Murphy, is being staged at Rosehill Theatre.

It really is a laugh a minute, particularly with star of the show Shaun Donald as the bungling Inspector Pratt. He’s hilarious as the inept “highly-trained fighting machine”. From falling over to mixing up his words, he delivers a first-rate comedy performance which had the audience crying with laughter.

But that’s not to say there were no other shining lights – the whole cast put on an outstanding show. Debbie Atkinson gave a faultless and very sharp performance as the charismatic Mildred – and what a delightful accent! Another highlight was Vanessa Cowley as the bringer of bad luck, Joan Maple. Again, a very watchable and funny performance with a feast of facial expression.

Phil McSorley provides plenty of humour with his deadpan look as the downtrodden Bunting (who makes a great drunk, incidentally) and Tony Parker, as the Colonel, has plenty of comedy lines, well delivered.

It’s a great whodunnit show where everyone is a suspect and where all is not what it seems.

This is Whitehaven Theatre Group at its best, making people laugh out loud and sending them away with a smile.

It runs nightly until Saturday, September 6, at 7.30pm.

CAST: Mildred, Debbie Atkinson; Dorothy, Kayleigh Cullen; Bunting, Phil McSorley; Colonel Charles Craddock, Tony Parker; Margaret Craddock, Audrey Chapman; Pierre Marceau, Richard Adair; Elizabeth Hartley-Trumpington, Steph Metcalfe; Joan Maple, Vanessa Cowley; Inspector Pratt, Shaun Donald; Constable Thompkins, Aron Armstrong.

Gillian Ellison