user-registration domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/gordonth/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6170Born in Croydon, Clemens served his National Service where he was a weapons training instructor. When demobbed, he was offered a job as a private detective, but this involved moving to Leeds to take a training course – he preferred to remain at home instead. He worked his way up from messenger boy at advertising agency, to being a copywriter. In 1955 he had a thriller screenplay accepted by BBC TV.
Next he was a staff writer for the Danziger brothers, churning out dozens of ‘B grade’, half-hour television scripts, for series such as ‘Saber of London’ and ‘The Man from Interpol’. He then went on to write many of TV’s major classics, including ‘The Invisible Man’, ‘Danger Man’, ‘The Avengers’, ‘Adam Adamant Lives!’ and ‘Bergerac’. He even wrote the BBC TV sitcom, ‘My Wife Next Door’.
This timeless thriller from the Garrick Theatre Company can be seen at the Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, in Guildford. This two and a half hour play runs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8.00 until 15th October. There are matinées on the 2nd and 9th October at 2.00 pm.
It is the year 2000 in the English countryside. All of the action takes place in a remote house, belonging to Maggie Miller, which has been converted from a windmill.
The sitting room is wood-panelled. The front door leads straight into the main room. A side door goes to the outhouse. A short staircase leads up to a small balcony with two bedrooms. Keith Abbott, with the assistance of Luke Bogaers, solidly built the fine set to Fred Petersen’s design. There is a special ‘fun’ prop by Ray Egan and Guildford Potters.
It is senior flight attendant, Maggie’s 50th birthday. She is holding a party for this special celebration.
When there is no reply to her knocking, Maggie’s fellow Air Hostess, Ann (Anna Head), lets herself into the house with the secreted key only to find a scribbled note saying that Maggie has gone down to the village to pick up her birthday cake. A few minutes later, busybody neighbour, Jenny Rayner (Fiona Forster) arrives. Jenny is upset about the lack of intimate interest being shown by her husband Peter (Rodney Palmer), and has called around hoping to catch him ‘en flagrante’ with Maggie.
Local odd-job boy, young Andy Flewin (Blake Prosser), who also fancies his chances with the older woman, calls with Maggie’s present to herself.
The front door opens and in marches Flight Captain, Terry Dexter (Ben Lowther). He is Maggie’s latest conquest. Ann confides that she intends announcing her engagement to her partner, Steve (Ben Russell), at the party – but Maggie and Steve do not turn up for the celebrations. Where could they be? Murdered?
There was a short glitch, when a surge of power knocked out the computer controlling the sound and lights. Geoff Holt and Mark Owen were magnificent in getting to system back up. This is a fault that the technicians could not foresee, but this had to be one of the fastest recoveries that I have known. Many congrats. Admiration must go to the cast who also coped with the error very well.
The red herring clues flowed fast, as the entire cast accused each other of the murder. Two particularly fine performances from Anna Head and Fiona Forster. We were kept guessing who the murderer might be, right up to the final curtain. Creepy and packed with suspense.
Talented director, Fred Petersen, is the John Farnham of the community theatre; he has had more ‘final shows’ than anyone else. Thankfully, he keeps coming back with yet another superb presentation. Fred is one of the rare breed of directors who is willing to give newcomers a chance. He also ensures that each actor fully understands the character and personality of the part they are playing.
A most enjoyable murder story, clever script, and especially well acted.
]]>‘Silhouette’ is a thriller, written in 1997 by UK radio producer and playwright, Simon Brett. Brett won a prestigious ‘Edgar’ (short for the Edgar Allan Poe Award); he has also won – along with Raymond Chandler and John le Carré – the world’s most respected accolade for detective writers, a ‘Diamond Dagger’.
‘Silhouette’ premiered in Guildford west of London, but strangely, this ingenious play is only now having its Australian Premiere – 18 years later – again in Guildford, this time in WA. Presented by The Garrick Theatre Club as Fred Petersen’s swan song after 39 years of outstanding service, this gripping play can be seen at the Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, Guildford. The two-hour performances are at 8.00 pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights until 5th December. There is one matinee on Sunday the 29th November at 2.00 pm.
The theatre has just undergone a substantial refit. Outside there are LED cable lights – changing colour – leading to the front door. The two new air con units mean that the airflow is now silent and not battling against the actors.
The new seating has been installed, positioned to allow patrons to see more comfortably. LED strips are along the aisle for security. The insulation in the roof substantially reduced aircraft noise. Every happiness and success with your ‘new’ home.
The scene is late one Friday night in the Sussex country home of two famous actors.
The set is a comfortable sitting room with a small dining room at the back, separated from the sitting area by glass doors and curtains. To the right is a staircase going up to the bedrooms. The walls are covered in various weapons and trophies from Celia’s films and stage shows. Keith Abbott built Fred Petersen’s set design.
The room is in darkness, when a car is heard entering the drive. Blue flashing lights shine through the glazed front door. Voices are heard, and someone bangs loudly on the door. There is no response, but the door is found to be unlocked. It is the police answering a 999 call from the owner, drama queen and diva, Celia Wallis (Anna Head). She had called the police, as she had just found her obnoxious and volatile actor husband, Martin (David McGarr) seated in the dining room with a bullet through his head.
As the police, with torches in hand, stagger around the sitting room trying to find the light switch, Celia descends the stairs. She has been in her bedroom and not heard their knocking. Well-organised Detective Inspector Bruton (Rhett Clarke) soon has Fisher, his detective sergeant (Terry Brown) in charge of collecting evidence with the two SOCO (scenes of crime officers) – WPC Wilkins (Alison Burke) and WPC Carter (Tania Clohessy).
Bruton starts interviewing Celia, and finds that she and her jealous husband were not on the best of terms. The new, young WPC Leach (Amber Moore) stops taking notes when a nervous young man, dressed in Celia’s pink dressing gown descends the stairs. He is grasping his head, apparently the worse for wear due to drinking champagne. Bruton discovers he is BBC radio reporter, Martin Smallwood (Pearce McGrogan) a nervous mummy’s boy, who is infatuated by Celia.
An arrest is made at the end of Act One, and Act Two shows the strange circumstances leading to the arrest.
Director Fred Petersen, one of Community Theatre’s best-loved and respected directors has decided to make this play his last – for the moment? Nevertheless, what a way to retire – with a triumph.
Geoff Holt has produced his usual high quality lighting and sound design, sadly however, the operator for the night missed almost every cue, either pre-empting or delaying a cue when the actors turned lights on and off; one was so bad that the audience chuckled.
What a brilliant, flawless cast. Every actor completely understood his or her character. The red herrings and hints were dropped with subtle skill. The delivery and body language perfect. A special mention for the three main actors, Anna as the grieving widow, Celia, Pearce as the infatuated journalist, Neville and Rhett the persistent detective, Bruton. Three outstanding performances.
Simply the best mystery play I have seen this decade.
This two and a half hour production is one part of a trilogy, featuring the ill-fated ‘Chester Dreadnought’; it is showing at the Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, Guildford.
The performances are nightly at 8.00 pm on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday until Saturday 14th February. There are Sunday matinees at 2.00 pm.
The set is the interior of a rundown, country cottage. A very good Tudor-style set (Fred Petersen, Keith and Heather Abbott, Peter Gilberthorpe). It is a sitting room with front door leading directly into the room. There is a staircase going to the upstairs bedrooms.
The décor is complete with cobwebs; you could sense the neglect.
The curtains rise as a massive flash of lightning illuminates the dark room. The sound of thunder and pouring rain can be heard (superb effects – Geoff Holt). There is a pounding on the front door. A scruffy, elderly yokel staggers down the stairs muttering, this Abel Bounty (Keith Abbott) the local handyman. Along with his unkempt wife (Ann Speicher), he has been hired by the new owners to clean out the remote house that has stood empty for a decade.
He opens the door and the posh new owner, Chester Dreadnought (Graham Miles) staggers in with his suitcase. As the two introduce themselves, a voluptuous woman in a black silk chemise comes down the stairs and warmly hugs Chester. ‘Who is this woman?’ thinks Chester. Could this be Carol (Fiona Forster) a one-night stand from a few months ago?
The front door opens and to Chester’s horror his loving wife, Patricia (Joy Norton) enters with a leather suitcase. To make things worse, his toffee-nosed mother, Lady Elrood (Marsha Holt) is close behind. There is a massive explosion heard from outside and the eccentric and senile, Lord Elrood (Ray Egan) rushes in with a double barrel shotgun in his hand. Still thinking that he is a General at war, he is worried by the presence of Sergeant Everest (John Forde) and his troops in the surrounding forest.
As they talk, an old dear who is in touch with the spirits, Miss Partridge (Heather Abbott) wanders into the house, almost unaware of the crowd of people, she is far more interested in the building itself.
Like most farces, the confusion and disasters rely upon people being in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, in this play hapless Chester tries to talk himself out of various situations, only to dig himself in even further.
The play is directed by the talented master of farces, award-winning director, Fred Petersen. Fred has selected an excellent cast. Every actor understood their richly written persona exactly; all being very different and well defined. The costumes (no credit in programme) were exceptional and captured the characters perfectly. It was great teamwork and they all conquered the genre.
I saw the opening night, and with the complex script there were a few first night nerves, but within minutes the cast got into the flow, and by the end the farce was perfectly paced and bringing plenty of laughs.
A quality farce from a brilliant team.
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