If it’s courtroom drama you’ve after – then don’t go to court…
We’re six months away from panto-season, yet in a former courthouse at the National Justice Museum the components of panto-esque musical comedy with an essence of murder mystery, are playing out with real-life “Queen of comedy” Marie Lloyd (Susan Earnshaw) as the central character in the dock.
As she’s tried for the murder of magician the Great Merconi, found in his dressing room after being strangled allegedly by her garter – the jurors (the audience) are asked to decide, whether the evidence presented against Marie can confirm beyond reasonable doubt her guilt of the vengeful act. There is plenty of incriminating evidence of course; a garter embroidered with Marie’s initials and an explicit motive. But as the plot unravels, and thickens, new suspects emerge.
Lilly Lovage (Anna Mitcham) a talented legomaniac, wardrobe assistant Claudia Dawn (Sarah Kordas) and stage doorman, Charlie Welkin (Jeremy Loloyd Thomas) all represent a possibility for suspicion, but the latter with his admissible grunts and mumbles (which are left to be translated by his honour, the Judge (John Lyons)) is the most riveting and indeed most likely.
Inclusive, exciting, fun and to much of the audience’s surprise – musical, Karen Henson’s Marie Lloyd and the Music Hall Murder, is the final play of the Classic Thriller Season to be staged, this year, and she definitely saved the best until last!
Whether the components of a thriller are there, is open to the jurors, but if a diversion from the genre was intentional, it paid off. The marital harmony of hyperbolic gesticulations, outpourings of monologues and at times, improvisations make the discomfort the hardwood seating, of the room, offers, more-than bearable.
For me, what made this work so well, is that Henson has done her research – Lloyd’s ties to Nottingham date back to the 20th century from a brief stint on tour in a 1916 performance of The A.B.C Girl, which coincidentally led to Lloyd’s demise as an actress due to an “inability to act” – but none of the cast could be accused of that here.
The occasional mention of key landmarks in Nottingham – Sherwood makes an appearance, as does the newly renovated and now no-longer-named Turf Tavern – provide familiarity and a chuckle from the audience. Though the play’s central irony stems from an absence of punchlines present in Earnshaw’s own script. If the renowned “Queen of comedy” was present in a room, courtroom or not, I’d anticipate her evoking a chuckle or two.
Defending barrister, Mr Blowers’s (David Giltbrook) performance is astonishing, having huge boots to fill thanks to meaty chunks of dialogue you’d well associate with a member of the court. A commendable job of swaying the jury in his closing statement and better still, taking entertainment to an alternative level due to creative slip-ups (or cover-ups) often left me wondering “was that supposed to happen?” I can’t help but feel a prosecuting barrister may have helped lighten the load on Giltbrook and potentially offered the opportunity for a bit of “on-stage” banter.
The music hall is really bought to life thanks to David Osmond, the serious (slightly nervous) court usher with a somewhat interesting vocal range when addressing the court. He often instigates the arousal of classic favourites such as “Down at the old Bull and Bush” while larger than life “dame” Miss Sachet Aweigh (Andrew Ryan) delivers double entendres which admittedly we’d all like to see more of in court.
The play concludes with a “not guilty” verdict from the jurors which helped lighten the load of my own guilt about enjoying myself so much in court!
Review by Nadya Jaworksyi
