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
