Theatre review: ‘Secondary Cause of Death’ a primary cause for laughter

A scene from Secondary Cause of Death on at Theatre Hawkes Bay’s Playhouse Theatre until February 24.

Following Theatre HB’s success with Peter Gordon’s Murdered to Death in 2023, audiences are treated to the second instalment of the trilogy, again directed by Stephanie Drew.

Secondary Cause of Death is set in early spring 1939 at Bagshot House, opened for discerning guests by its new owner Colonel Craddock, once again portrayed convincingly by Chris Chambers.

The play unfolds entirely within the confines of the library.

Chambers also appears as his doppelganger and actor for hire Cardew Longfellow to really confuse things. Although getting a bit shouty at times, he manages the two characters admirably.

Peter Gordon masterfully crafts this trilogy as a delightful spoof on Agatha Christie’s classic whodunits, infusing the narrative with hilarity and ingenious wordplay. The crew is to be congratulated on the effective set and clever use of special effects. The cast kept the pace lively and with the exclusion of a couple of minor gaffs in the second half, did extremely well overall to maintain the atmosphere of the ageing manor amid the chaos and the body count. The production was extremely well received by the audience.

From Matt Aplin’s confident portrayal of the European Count to Rach Keith’s enthusiastic depiction of the lisping female army captain, each character was suuitably cast and executed their roles with aplomb.

Emma Bowyer’s Lady Isadora struck just the right balance of melodrama, while Phoebe Pether delivered a convincingly naive performance as Nurse Parsley in her stage debut.

Lizzie Robertshaw portrayed the sturdy matter-of-fact amateur sleuth Cynthia Maple with strength and a very firm handshake, while Samantha Grant-Smith’s slightly menacing cook, Mrs Tuthill, added an extra layer of intrigue. Carol Williams made a brief but memorable appearance as housekeeper Martha Armstrong.

The arrival of the hilariously dim-witted Police Inspector Pratt, portrayed superbly by Jesse Smith, added another layer of comedy to the proceedings. His well-timed delivery of lines such as “the last person to see her alive must have been the first person to see her dead” elicited uproarious laughter from the audience.

Smith’s dedication to the role, described as a mix of hilarity, insightfulness, and a touch of pain during rehearsals, was evident throughout the performance.

While the play may be titled Secondary Cause of Death, this production proved to be a primary cause for laughter, leaving audiences thoroughly entertained and eagerly awaiting the next instalment of the trilogy.

Details

Secondary Cause of Death

Theatre Hawkes Bay’s Playhouse Theatre

On until February 24 at 7.30pm

Tickets through i-ticketReviewed by by Jane Sowersby