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Audience with Murder:  The Play   Production Information Biographies Reviews Other Information
Also: Other productions

Audience with Murder by Roger Leach and Colin Wakefield
Audience with Murder was produced by Double Honours Productions at the Jermyn Street Theatre, London, from Tuesday 21st February to Saturday 11th March 2006.

  The Play
An intriguing and unusual thriller, multi-layered and full of unexpected twists. A ‘Russian doll’ of a play, it moves from a seemingly innocous domestic playreading, through a murder mystery in the classic style, to a final terrifying and violent climax.

Cast (2M, 2F):
The thriller comprises three plays in one, requiring the following:
M  mid-50s M  mid 20s
F   mid 50s F   mid 20s
Set: A living room
Time: The present
 
AUDIENCE WITH MURDER was first performed in August 2004 as part of the Edinburgh Festival, produced by Theatre Maketa.
 
“This was the best theatre we saw on the fringe this year.” EDINBURGH YOUR VOICE
.


“AUDIENCE WITH MURDER is a chameleon of a thriller, packed to the gunwales with guile, chutzpah and humour. Catch it if you can.”

AUDIENCE WITH MURDER has also been translated into German (TÖDLICHE PROBE, translator Raymund Stahl) and Dutch (EEN MOORDVERHAAL, translator Maja Reinderman). The play has most recently been translated into Italian (DELITTO IN PUBBLICO).
Pippa Duffy.
Photographer: Robert Workman



Audience with Murder:  The Play   Production Information Biographies Reviews Other Information
Also: Other productions


Production  Information
AUDIENCE WITH MURDER by Roger Leach and Colin Wakefield
Tuesday 21st February to Saturday 11th March 2006.


Jermyn Street Theatre
16b Jermyn Street, London SW1
 
Directed by Colin Wakefield
Designed by Colin Mayes
Lighting and Sound by Luci
 
Cast
Pippa Duffy
Leda Hodgson
Bryan Pilkington
Dudley Rogers
 
Bryan Pilkington, Dudley Rogers, Leda Hodgson & Pippa Duffy.
Photographer: Robert Workman

Company Stage Manager Peter Adshead
Production Associate Barbara Kirby
Press Guy Chapman Associates
Production Photography Robert Workman
020 7385 5442
Leaflet and Poster Design Robin Kirwan 07971 709229
Programmes and Print Management
Melanie Jones Associates 020 8290 4999

For the Jermyn Street Theatre:
Administrator Penny Horner 020 7434 1443
Technical Manager Phil S. Hunter
Produced by Double Honours Productions
in association with Theatre Maketa.
Leda Hodgson & Bryan Pilkington.
Photographer: Robert Workman


Audience with Murder:  The Play   Production Information Biographies Reviews Other Information
Also: Other productions 

 
Biographies
PIPPA DUFFY
'Kelly'

 Pippa studied Drama at Bristol University after which she gained a Dip.RAM in Musical Theatre from the Royal Academy of Music. Theatre includes: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (UK Tour), WEST END GIRLS (Jersey Opera House), ASSASSINS and COMPANY (Eyebrow at Edinburgh Fringe), FANNY (Sadlers Wells), LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST (Landor Theatre), BELIEVE AS YOU LIST (Wickham Theatre, Bristol), Dorothy in THE WIZ (Royal Academy of Music) and PUSS IN BOOTS (Winchester Theatre Royal). Pippa has just finished playing the Princess in ALADDIN at the Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple.
LEDA HODGSON
'Sue'

 Leda trained at LAMDA. Most recent theatre: Sophie in TALKING, TALKING HEADS (Dir: Nick Kidd) in the Theatre Truck, at Trinity Theatre Tunbridge Wells, and at Sevenoaks Theatre, Philippa in ABOUT COLIN (Dir: Michael Elliott) at Trinity Theatre, Sue in AUDIENCE WITH MURDER (Dir: Hank Turnbull) at Edinburgh Festival 2004 and Sarah in THE NORMAN CONQUESTS (Dir: Jonathan Church) at Birmingham Rep. Other theatre: for Theatre Maketa Leda played Bet with Martin Barrass as Al in APRIL IN PARIS (Dir: Iain Rogerson) in Bahrain and at the Mayfair Theatre, London, and Susan in BED AMONG THE LENTILS (Dir: Eric Dupin) in Bahrain. She has worked in rep. in Exeter, Chester, Liverpool, Oldham, Cheltenham, Harrogate, Birmingham and Worcester – favourite production: MAN OF THE MOMENT (Dir: Peter Fieldson), in which she played Trudy Parkes. Other work includes: THE TERRIBLE VOICE OF SATAN (Dir: James MacDonald), WORKERS WRITES (Dir: Dawn Walton) and BACKPAY (Dir: Mary Peate) at the Royal Court. For Cheek by Jowl she played Miss Flute in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and Bellinda in THE MAN OF MODE (both directed by Declan Donnellan). For Hull Truck – SHAKERS and CUT AND DRIED (Dir: Danny Hiller), and a season at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. TV: HAMISH MACBETH, PERFECT WORLD, INSPECTOR LINLEY INVESTIGATES, BADDIEL’S SYNDROME and FAMILY AFFAIRS. Radio: LONG TIME MAN.
BRYAN PILKINGTON
'Dean' and 'McTavish'

 Originally from Derbyshire, Bryan studied medicine in Edinburgh before training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Theatre roles include: Ensemble and u/s Anthony, Tobias and Beadle – SWEENEY TODD (New Ambassadors), Vince Starshine and Cheeky the Chicken – SCALES OF THE UNEXPECTED (SOOP), Mirabel – THE WAY OF THE WORLD (Tyger’s Heart), Sir Toby Belch – TWELFTH NIGHT (Logos), Prince Kazbeki/Lavrenti etc – THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE (Watford Palace Theatre), Primrose/King Dashing – CINDERELLA (Forest Forge), Joe Zelli – FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMEN (Linbury Studio, ROH), Prince Bulbo – THE ROSE AND THE RING (Globe Players), Buckingham – RICHARD THE THIRD (Bristol New Vic) and Alan de Wolf – THE CAMP (Bristol New Vic). He has also appeared in cabaret, including THE KIDS FROM SHAME and SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM. TV: Peter – ANYBODY’S NIGHTMARE (Carlton)
DUDLEY ROGERS
'Alan'

 Dudley trained on a scholarship at the Guildhall School, where he won the Characterisation Prize, and since then has, happily, had a varied career in all branches of showbusiness. He has appeared in four West End musicals, including the original production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOUR DREAMCOAT, and many more musicals besides – BLOOD BROTHERS, OLIVER! (Fagin) and GODSPELL being particular favourites. His repertory work includes seasons at Chester, Colchester, Crewe and Milford Haven, playing a wide range of parts such as Canon Throbbing in HABEAS CORPUS and Eric Younglove in PRIVATES ON PARADE. He played Dr. Wheedon in the national tour of BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT, joined MRS. WATSON’S MUSIC HALL at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury, and went on to play Mr. Allworthy in TOM JONES. He has also sailed round the world three times as a member of the Stadium Theatre Company on board S.S.Canberra and has many TV and film appearances to his credit. Dudley is still remembered as the job interviewer from hell in the Bacardi Breezer commercial. He has known and worked with Colin Wakefield for many years, most notably as Dame in three of his pantomimes.


Audience with Murder:  The Play   Production Information Biographies Reviews Other Information
Also: Other productions 

Reviews
"It is no accident that the Jermyn Street playbill for this comedy thriller is free of all descriptive matter, save for a photograph of the playscript. The producers are quite right. To offer more could spoil the surprise that, with a string of startling denouements, utterly confounds audience expectations.

In the end I lost count. But there seems no harm in revealing that the opening scene is set in the sitting room of a comfortable house in Datchet where four members of an amateur theatre group have settled down to read a new thriller, specially concocted by one of their number to insult her wayward husband.

One could also add that by the end of the first act, two of the party have gone to meet their maker, thanks to a bit of a mix-up with the drinks. Of course there is no intention of reducing the cast to two half-way through the evening but this many layered entertainment, complete with poison, gunshots and bloodshed, has wicked ways of bringing the dead back to life that will amuse and baffle with their unexpected impudence.

But for Jermyn Street aficionados who also saw last month’s musical based on the life of Gutenberg, there is an eerie familiarity about the closing moments as the whole bag of tricks is finally packed into a jolly payoff from the back row of this tiny theatre. But that would be telling."
JOHN THAXTER THE STAGE
Thursday 23 February 2006

Leda Hodgson.
Photographer: Robert Workman

Exquisitely plotted... An evening of taut and suspenseful entertainment, shot through with the kind of dark humour that helps to ramp up the tension."
ILFORD RECORDER

Other Information
Audience with Murder was published in March 2006 by Samuel French, to whom all enquiries concerning professional and amateur rights should be addressed: 020 7387 9373  www.samuelfrench-london.co.uk
 
German: TÖDLICHE PROBE (translated by Raymund Stahl).
Rights handled by Pegler Verlag, Maximilianstrasse 21, 80539 München (or contact Colin Wakefield colwake@btinternet.com)
 
Dutch: EEN MOORDVERHAAL (translated by Maja Reinderman).
Published by Toneeluitgeverij VINK B.V., Postbus 36 – 1800 AA ALKMAAR, The Netherlands (or contact Colin Wakefield colwake@btinternet.com)

Italian: DELITTO IN PUBBLICO.
 Contact: Colin Wakefield colwake@btinternet.com.
Dudley Rogers.
Photographer: Robert Workman





Other Productions
Sleep No MoreYou may be interested in these other plays currently available for production:

Double or Twin by Roger Leach and Colin Wakefield
  A farce (3F, 5M)
  Also translated into German (also into Niederdeutsch)

Sleep No More by David Gillespie and Colin Wakefield
   A supernatural thriller (3F, 4M)
  Also translated into German and Dutch

Sleep No More is published by JOSEF WEINBERGER PLAYS (020 7580 2827) who handle all contracts and to whom all enquiries should be addressed 

Further details of Double or Twin, as well as Christmas plays, pantomimes and children's musicals by Colin Wakefield and Kate Edgar, can be found on  www.traditionalpantomimes.co.uk


Double Honours Productions: the company  latest production other productions contacts and links

Artistic Director COLIN WAKEFIELD     Artistic Associates NICK KIDD - LEDA HODGSON - COLIN MAYES - RAYMUND STAHL