In a spoof of an Agatha Christie 1930s murder-mystery, a widow and her companion plan to entertain friends for the weekend.

Joined by local sleuth Joan Maple it’s not long before the shots start to ring and the bodies start to fall. Inspector Pratt arrives to investigate, but more than lives up to his name...

Spoofs work best when played “straight” rather than for expected laughs; in a hesitant and cliched beginning the cast seemed to be trying too hard to bring humour to the fore. However, I soon warmed to this very funny adaptation through the lovely characterisations by Jim Lockwood, Adam Ogilvie and Lesley Nunnery.

Ruth Wagstaffe and Dawn Cresswell both looked and sounded their parts brilliantly, with great accents, comic timing and natural reactions. Neil Brookes shone as the inept detective, with excellent delivery of complex dialogue in a deadpan fashion, physical and visual humour, superb timing and a terrific rapport with Jonathan Shiner.

Not flawless, but great fun!

Anne Waggott