Mine's A Double  Before the recent professional pairing of Black Comedy and The Real Inspector Hound, the Chameleon Players brought you a fearless double bill of Black Comedy and.... er.... Out For The Count, a Dracula spoof where the sinister Count Nolyard (hint: spell it backwards) descends upon Whitby but finds the women of Dr Sewer's asylum are more than a match for him. Well there is a tenuous link of darkness.

Director's Commentary  Black Comedy is one of my favourite plays and a real physical challenge. Everyone pulled together and pulled off Peter Schaffer’s conceit (light is dark and dark is light) wonderfully. It was a great experience to direct - everyone put in their own ideas and all is towards the good of the production Ray

The Audience Won't Notice  In order to impress the irascible Colonel Melkett, Brindsley borrows several objets d'art from the effeminate Harold's apartment, including a priceless Buddha which, at the conclusion of the play, is accidentally dropped on the floor and smashes into a thousand pieces. Or it's supposed to. Ours just hit the floor with a dull thud. "Oooh", extemporised Peter, waving a match at it, "You've chipped it!". Except on Sunday night where it bounced out of sight under the chaise-longue!

The Critics Rave  Good grief, the Hull Daily Mail turned up. "In Black Comedy - a farce in which a power blackout ruins the carefully laid plans of the hero - the 'darkness' gives plenty of scope for confusion amongst the characters and the well-drilled company milk the situation for all they're worth. Comedy in the second half is more verbal - and more hit and miss - but Ray Rumkee and Peter Glendenen turn in lively performances to carry the audience". They did manage to give away the joke about the Count's name, though.

Quote, Unquote  Great plays and lots of fun. My "Cockernee" accent in Black Comedy came from the Dick Van Dyke School. The rampage with the soda syphon was lots of fun - being able to see the front row duck behind their coats Sharon
Ray was way too convincing as a vampire! Jenny

Was I In That One?  Liz - here today, gone tomorrow. Gone to Bradford, actually.