LET’S MURDER MARSHA. Comedy/thriller by Monk Ferris. Directed by Judith Herbig. Presented by Milnerton Players. Weekends until 12 August, 2017.
SHEILA CHISHOLM reviews
Eavesdropping often leads to misinterpretation. In this case its lady of the house Marsha Gilmore (Alida van Niekerk) and French maid Bianca (Tania Lemme), who overhear Marsha’s husband Tobias (Lee Speechly) “plotting” her murder with flamboyant interior decorator Persis Devore (Petra Baker). Its Marsha’s penchant for penny thrillers that feeds her fertile imagination and nervous disposition into thinking killers are round every corner – Tobias and Persis included.
A deadly brew
Sent into a tizzy, Marsha, with Bianca’s help and next door neighbour Virgil Baker (Gawie Smit), decide to turn the tables on Tobias and Persis and murder them. Falsely believing Marsha loves him, Virgil, a bespeckled geek, proposes that with his chemical knowledge of household cleaning materials he’d concoct a deadly poisonous brew to be offered before dinner as a cocktail aperitif.
Unexpectedly, into this whirligig of misunderstanding, cross purpose talking and suspicion enters Marsha’s mother Lynette Thoren (Beryl Eichenberger). She’s brought a birthday present for Marsha, whose birthday is the following day.
A sensible down-to-earth woman, commonsense soon tells her something is amiss in the Gilmore household. Although she and Bianca’s policeman boyfriend Ben Quade (Gareth Grey) sort things out, a great deal happens that should make Let’s Murder Marsha a laugh.
Unfortunately, Lemme’s French accent, Baker’s German accent and Van Niekerk excessive fidgeting, gave away clues in Ferris’s plot.
While not overly original, Let’s Murder Marsha is an amusing take on how penny thrillers can warp a sense of reality. A problem. A comedy’s success depends on actors underplaying their parts. If director Judith Herbig manages to prevent her cast’s tendency to overact, this play could be a hoot. No doubt she will.
Learn the art of film acting
Youngblood Arts & Culture Development will present Corne Crous (Kim from 7de Laan), who’ll host a workshop, Acting for Film, on 5, 6 August 2017, from 9am-2pm. At Youngblood Studio, 70-74 Bree Street, Cape Town. Tickets R500. Book: 021 4240074, info.actingforfilm@gmail.com Key focus areas: Audition techniques, Improvisation, Acting for film & TV, what’s happening behind the scenes.
What: Let’s Murder Marsha
Who: Milnerton Players
Where: Milnerton Playhouse, Pienaar Road, Milnerton, Cape Town
When: 4, 5, 11, 12 August at 8pm, 5, 12 August at 2.30pm
Tickets: R90 evening: R80 matinee and member concessions
Web: www.milnertonplayers.com
Book: bookings@milnertonplayers.com, 082 267 1061
WS
