1993 productions

24–26 October 1993

Hero

By Michael Lynch

Set in 1916 in a British field hospital during World War 1, the play tells the story of a young soldier brought to the hospital having been found critically wounded.

Being the only survivor of a platoon serving close to the lines on the Western Front with no hope of recovery, the staff battle to make his last hours as comfortable as possible. However, they are faced with a dilemma when they receive papers regarding the desertion of Private Underwood and it soon becomes a case of should the Private be made to face the charges served or should he be allowed to die a Hero?

Mantrap

By Paul Reakes

Trevor Wyatt’s seemingly peaceful evening is shattered by the sudden arrival of an hysterical young girl begging to be let in. Her alarming account of attack and near murder by the lorry driver she foolishly accepted a lift from, is dramatic, but nothing compared to the situation that develops within the next few hours.

Petty larceny, manslaughter, policemen and a devilishly elaborate form of blackmail are all ingredients in this taut thriller.

Hidden Meanings

By Michael Snelgrove

Rodney Carson’s obsession with Sherlock Holmes comes to fruition when he and his friend, George, are asked to provide the dramatic interlude at the Sherlock Holmes Society’s Annual Congress, playing the parts of Holmes and Watson.

Events take a truly dramatic turn when George discovers the blood-stained body of Rodney’s financial director, Charles Meaning (dressed as Moriarty) in Rodney’s cupboard, proudly acknowledging that he has murdered Charles, Rodney is piqued when no less than three others also make the claim.

21–23 April 1993

The Real Inspector Hound

By Tom Stoppard

The play begins with two theatre reviewers, Moon and Birdboot, watching what they presume is a whodunnit. At the end of the first act, the killer is still on the loose.

In the midst of their professional banter about the play and how it is going to progress, the telephone onstage rings incessantly with no actors coming on stage to answer it. Moon impatiently troops onstage to answer it. And this is when the fun really begins.

The person at the other end of the call turns out to be Birdboot’s wife, Myrtle, and she wants to speak to him. To Moon’s horror and the audience’s amusement, Birdboot does not return to his seat after taking the telephone call. Instead, he conveniently takes the place of Simon Gascoyne, a character in the whodunnit.

In Moon’s attempt to pull Birdboot out of this mess, he gets himself entangled too. Moon becomes Inspector Hound, while the reviewers’ places are taken by the original Gascoyne and Inspector Hound from the play. In Moon lets slip his fake identity to the characters and ends up getting shot by the real Inspector Hound, who is actually Puckeridge, Moon’s real-life reviewing deputy!

27–30 January 1993

Little Jack Horner

By Paul Reakes

When Little Jack Horner. the naughtiest boy in Dame Dimwit’s school, puts his thumb in a pie and pulls out
not a plum, but a black pearl, the prize jewel in the Royal Treasure. everyone assumes that he has stolen it.

Only Jack knows that the real thief is the wicked Lord Chamberlain. Graball, who is also planning to steal the rest of the Royal Treasure. with the help of Vasaleno’s band of cut-throat Gypsies.

So join Jack on his spectacular adventure to prove his innocence, outwit the Baddies. win back the pearl and his sweetheart’s love.