Directors’ programme notes from Tom.

Thank you for coming along to see our brand new Murder Mystery. I really like acting in and directing all the different theatre genres but have to say that the Murder Mystery is one of my favourites. The reason I enjoy a Murder Mystery, more than say its cousin The Detective Drama, is that with this type of the production the actors have a much more direct involvement with the audience, and I hope, the audience feels much more engaged with the action and the players. Also, although the piece is written with a specific ending, I hope that you will feel a sense of satisfaction even if your conclusions are different from those of the author. After all, as much enjoyment can come from the thrill of the chase, and the building of your case from the evidence presented, as from just being right.

All of us at Mortimer Dramatic Society hope you enjoy your evening as you put on your Deerstalker, polish your magnifying glass, sharpen your wits, and try to work out Whodunnit. Come and join us, The Game’s Afoot!

Writers’ programme notes from Alys.

I’ve wanted to get involved with ‘am dram’ for years, and I am really grateful to the MDS for allowing me to make a contribution. It’s been a real thrill, seeing life breathed into my characters, as I’ve never written a play before, let alone a murder mystery.

Quite a bit of research was needed to find the correct length and format of this kind of script, and – because I wanted to anchor the plot to the locality – I read up on local history, too, which was where I found the name ‘Stratfeld’, and lots of references to ancient Romans in this area (as an ex-Latin teacher, I found those particularly intriguing!).

After doing my reading, the title and then the characters somehow emerged quite quickly and the plot followed. Because I had had the chance to help out backstage with the previous production, I had an idea of the actors I could draw upon, and I really couldn’t have asked for a better cast, director, and production team to work with.