Home   Lifestyle   Article

Subscribe Now

Newcomer to a peaceful country village is brutally murdered…




A BRAND new classic whodunnit will be premiered in Goring-on-Thames.

Goring Gap Players premiere Rita Butler's Murder at Midnight
Goring Gap Players premiere Rita Butler's Murder at Midnight

Goring Gap Players are presenting Murder at Midnight written by Ashampstead writer Rita Butler and joint-directed by her and Helen McCutcheon.

Rita has been an active member of Goring Gap Players for the past nine years and involves herself in all aspects of amateur dramatics, whether on stage or off.

She learned much during ‘Upstage’ workshops at The Watermill over a “thoroughly enjoyable” five years.

Working now with an excellent group of actors, many whom are well known in and around Goring and who have provided theatregoers with exceptional productions, Rita decided to provide them with a new and original play that she’d been writing over the past few years.

Risky!

But they were up for the challenge.

Long-standing GGP actors Caro Armstrong, Phil Davies, Emma Jhita, John South, Michael Fielding and Michael Saunders fell easily into their roles, bringing their characters to life.

Daniel Evans has been elevated to detective sergeant from his lowlier, but nonetheless excellent roles as a police constable.

Newcomers Helen Scurr, Kathryn Jackson-Day, Mairead Herlihy and Luke Goodyear are proving to be a credit and asset to the thespian pool, says Rita.

The plot?

A newcomer to a peaceful country village is brutally murdered. But why? And by whom? Will there be more killings?

Detective chief inspector Postlethwaite, ably assisted by his sergeant, unravels the many motives and opportunities that come to the surface as villagers are questioned...

Rita Butler
Rita Butler

“I gave been writing here and there over the years,” Rita told @newburytoday. “A gardening column for the village mag for the past 10 years and built a gardening website - gardeningmonth.co.uk - though it hasn’t been updated it for a while.

“Some years ago, I trod the boards for the first time, thoroughly enjoyed it and was encouraged by the director to continue.

“Workshops followed at The Watermill in Newbury, then I joined Goring Gap Players. I loved being on stage, learned a lot more about all aspects of drama production and am still learning.”

Rita was was invited onto the committee.

“Nothing particular started me off writing a play, but scenarios started to form in my head and, once I did start writing, the plot flowed rapidly and characters began to emerge naturally.

“I soon realised that dialogue came quite readily and stuff I knew about was easy to fit in – even harking back to my youth when a solicitor’s clerk!

“The other committee members liked the first draft, felt there was ‘meat’ on it, so I carried on and here we are…”

The production runs from Wednesday, April 9, to Saturday 12, at Goring Village Hall. Curtain up at 8pm.

Tickets (£12) are available via www.goringgapplayers.co.uk from Inspiration at The Arcade, Goring or phone Jean Betteridge on (01491) 873530.



Comments | 0
This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More