WRITTEN by Fred Carmichael, this play is about an author who rents a grand and gloomy property to write his murder mystery novel.

Suffering with writer's block, he is joined by his characters. Bored by their predictability, they enact the plot with a twist in the tale.

This should have been a funny and clever play. Sadly, much of the comedic value was lost as the cast stumbled over their lines and failed to interact with each other and the audience.

The notable exception was Cogburn (Michael Tosdevin) with his portrayal of an austere and archetypal butler, aspiring to greater things.

Dalian Players excel with their sets. This production did not disappoint, with Terry Gates providing the atmosphere, which Eileen Sprat complemented with her props.