New Year’s Evil Focus Of Comic Mystery
[Written by Steven Rees Davies] If you are fans of the fashions and glitzy parties of the 1940s, or of films like “The Philadelphia Story” starring Cary Grant, James Stewart and Katherine Hepburn, you had better prepare yourselves and book tickets for a night of 1940s comic revelry as the Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society take us back in style with their performance of “A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody”, a comedy by Ron Bernas and directed by Janice Howells.
The opening scene is set at a new years eve party at the Perry’s mansion in the 1940s, and Julia and Matthew Perry seem to have it all. But Matthew wants something more – -to be rid of his wife Julia so he can have some real fun! He resolves to murder Julia by the New Year’s end, and tells her so.
She vows to stay alive, and tells him so. And so the game begins — an hilarious year long match of wits and witless.
Telling you more will spoil the story, but needless to say that this fast paced comedy will have you on the edge of your seats with suspense whilst reeling with laughter at the hilarious Perry antics, and it goes without saying that it is performed with all the grace, elegance and sophistication one would expect from the era!
The cast consist of both veteran members of BMDS and relatively new and young members.
Kelvin is well known to audience members and can often be seen in the pantomime as the Dame. More recently he was in “Fawlty Towers” and was Awarded the Best of Bermuda’s, Best Thespian last year.
Carol Birch a veteran on and off stage is also well known in particular as writer and director of several pantomimes. This will be the second time Kelvin and Carol will have played husband and wife on stage.
Izabella Arnold and Malachi Simmons are our youngest members and will be adding a tremendous amount of synergy to the play having performed together on several occasions before. This will mark the second time for Izabella on the BMDS stage, with her last performance playing the lead in the musical version of “The Railway Children”. Izabella is a student at Warwick Academy and has taken the leads in several other plays/musicals, including Blood Brothers and Hairspray.
Most recently Izabella performed in “Animal Farm” for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Malachi Simmons is a former Warwick Academy student, where he enjoyed performing in a variety of school productions. Malachi has since been in a BMDS production for the 400th Anniversary, but it will be his first time on stage at the Daylesford Theatre.
Malachi is hoping that his continued dedication to the performing arts will assist in him obtaining financial support to be able to take his talents to the next level and attend drama school in the UK.
Due to their longstanding friendship through theatre and school, the chemistry between Malachi and Izabella on stage is tremendous and is clearly going to be a great contribution to the overall performance.
Stephen Notman also well known to the BMDS stage more recently taking on the daunting task of Pantomime Dame last year following in the steps/heels of Kelvin. He plays the detective in a type of Sam Spade character.
Rounding off the cast is Adam Gautlett who, although relatively new to BMDS stage, is not new to theatre and can be seen here playing the role of the Perry’s typically stuffy English butler.
This will be Janice Howell’s first time directing a full length play having previously directed a short play in the Famous for 15 Minutes playwriting festival two years ago. Janice is no stranger to theatre and has been a member for many years.
For the past few years Janice can be found backstage as Stage manager for the pantomimes. She is loving this challenging experience and brought together a great cast.
The show will be on at the Daylesford Theatre (opposite Wheels cycles by Victoria Park) from Monday 16 May through to and including Saturday 21 May, with performances starting at 8pm. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased through the box office either in person or by telephone (292 0848) between the hours of 5:30pm and 7pm weekdays and an hour before the performance on show nights, or through the website www.bmds.bm at any other time.
Opening night special includes free bubbly for those who show up in their finest 1940s dress!
[Photos by Jenny Burrell]
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