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Playhouse delivers strong performance

Last weekend, guests at the Letkemann Theatre were treated to two Thompson Playhouse performances of Murdered to Death, a whodunit mystery that remained a mystery up until the very end.
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Inspector Pratt (Brian Colli) interrogates Elizabeth Hartley-Trumpington (Robyn Foley, left) and Dorothy (Leigha Mellish).

Last weekend, guests at the Letkemann Theatre were treated to two Thompson Playhouse performances of Murdered to Death, a whodunit mystery that remained a mystery up until the very end.

While Brian Colli, a provincial court judge who regularly moonlights for the Playhouse, was billed as the star of the show - and his portrayal of the bumbling, oafish Inspector Pratt drew huge reactions from the audience - he was backed up by a strong supporting cast which was devoid of any weak links.

In fact, Colli's character didn't even begin stomping around the stage and reminding everybody else of his authority while letting them lead the investigation until the second scene, more than a quarter of the way through the play.

Only Mildred, played by Shannon Ethier, was off the stage for longer, and even then, only because it was necessary - what's a murder mystery without somebody getting murdered?

The play began with Mildred and Dorothy (played by Leigha Mellish, described as Mildred's "companion and housekeeper") preparing to entertain some friends for a weekend. They were quickly joined by butler Bunting (Coral Bennett), who would rank right up there among the snootiest, most literal-minded butlers of all time.

Then the guests began to arrive - Mildred's close friend Colonel Craddock (Richard Smith, a local Crown attorney), his wife Margaret (Penny Byer), society gal Elizabeth Hartley-Trumpington (Robyn Foley), and French art dealer Pierre Marceau (Ingrid Botha). The party is quickly crashed by Miss Joan Maple (Katy Sweet), a fun-loving personality who seems to be followed by disasters and mysteries wherever she goes.

As the characters begin to mingle, in various groups and configurations, it quickly becomes apparent that nobody is exactly what they seem, and that everybody has something to hide. A misplaced gun tells the audience that something is about to happen, and as Miss Maple listens in from the living room, Mildred is shot just as the lights dim for intermission.

The second half of the play sees the arrival of Pratt and Constable Thompkins (Kevin Hopton), who try to piece together the mystery of Mildred's murder. Every time it looks like the mystery is about to be solved - never by Pratt, mind you, though he always takes credit for it - a new plot twist is revealed, casting suspicion onto yet another member of the ensemble.

Murdered to Death marked the directorial debut of Sue Colli, replacing long-time Playhouse director Marla Hughes, who retired to Southern Ontario in the first half of 2009. Donna Wilson and Wally Itson acted as co-producers.

Traditionally Playhouse does a major production every two years - the last one being Dracula in 2008 - but Wilson has said that they are looking at getting right back into the swing of things and delivering another large performance in 2011.

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