Black Widow

by Paul Thain

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Northern Theatre Studio2
June 12-14 1998

Lord Arlington has died of food poisoning. His daughter Emily, obsessed by Hamlet, is convinced it was murder. And she will go to any lengths to prove it. A chilling tale of ghosts, madness and revenge.

Cast

The Rector Andy Hodsgon
Emily Arlington Helen Robinson
Lady Cressida Sharon Burton
Lady Isobel Ailsa Oliver
Aubrey Datchett Trevor Laws
Dr Shawcross Dave Pearson
Mrs Hodge Val Howell
Richard Harker Jonathan Preston
Mabel Jenny Stewart
Dorothy Mary Elliott
Inspector Eaton Andy Hodgson

Directed by Dave Pearson
Cressida sees Lord Arlington's ghostEmily Arlington - sweet, endearing, innocent.... bonkers!

Murder (Not) In The Title  Dave Pearson was keen to direct another play, but one without "Murder" in the title. As Dr Shawcross he wore a rather inappropriate wig which made him look like a fey Dick Turpin. All together now - "I’m the dandy highwayman that you're too scared to mention".

Dead, And Never Called Me Mother!  We finally succumb to a hoary old amdram cliché. Helen, playing Emily, is two years older than Sharon, who played her mother.

Was I In That One?  Goodbye to Mary but hello to Andy who rose to the challenge of having two parts by playing The Rector as a gentle man of the cloth and Eaton like a member of the Brazilian death squads.

Quote, Unquote  My first production. I owe a debt of thanks to Dave Pearson, who got me on board in the first place, but what I still remember is how welcome everyone made me feel. You’re all lovely. Jenny asking a startled audience member each night if they were "Bride or Groom" was a favourite moment as was the (intentionally) disastrous wedding ceremony, which reduced Val to hysterics in the read-through, and which Ailsa and I furiously ab-libbed through, as it was the only way we could make it work. I was given the fabled eyepatch, but wore it on the wrong night and nearly put Jonathan off his lines. Sorry! Andy
Good, dramatic roles for everyone, particularly the women. And I got to play a really enjoyable, three dimensional part. Proved that I could still get into my wedding dress!
Sharon
I think I'll always remember Dave Pearson's dodgy barnet, Sharon's spectacular hat, Helen going quite convincingly bonkers and my having to stammer out "F...F... FORNICATION!!!" without laughing!
Ailsa
Did for ever any chance of my appearing on Strictly Come Dancing; I lived in dread of the dance scene, as I'm sure did Sharon's toes. But despite this I enjoyed this play; Ailsa's detestable old mother-in-law, Val's "death rattle" bit. There was a real chill evoked by the characters. Slapped again
Jonathan
Technically challenging. Strong performances by all the cast. Madness, murder, passion, ghosts and an alarming pig!
Betty
At the end of every play Sharon always asks me (sometimes to her regret) for an honest opinion of her performance. So I told her this was the best one she’d given to date
David
Being allowed to scream a lot. What more could I ask for?
Helen

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