Brackley Players present a hilarious black comedy

Brackley Players present Richard James’ comedy “whodunnit” A Fete Worse Than Death from Wednesday 29 to Friday 31 May 2024, at Southfield Primary Academy in Brackley.

In this entertaining black comedy, TV’s Inspector Brady, actor Ray Martin, is invited to open Thornton Village Fete. Little does he know that ambition, infidelity and marrow envy will lead to death in the country produce tent, leaving Ray to solve a real-life murder – without the aid of his scriptwriters!

The cast features Dave Toman as Malcolm, the bullish chairman of the fete committee and contender for Thornton’s biggest marrow, Helen Price as his downtrodden wife Bunny, Peter Milne as hapless historical re-enactor Nigel, Lynn Milne as fete organiser Trish, Simon Young as local vicar Father Mike, Amanda Howson as ‘spinster of the parish’ Miss Parmenter, with Chris Epps as TV actor and celebrity Chris Martin.

The play is directed by Lynn Milne whose directorial credits for Brackley Players include Out of Focus and A Kick in the Baubles, along with numerous one act plays, in addition to taking roles in many pantomimes and plays, including Pearl in Amanda Whittington’s comedy Ladies Day. Lynn also wrote a set of six short plays which were performed by members of Brackley Players for broadcast on Brackley Community Radio during lockdown.

Lynn commented: “We’ve got a great cast together for A Fete Worse Than Death – with a lovely mix of longstanding and newer members of the Players. We’ve had a lot of fun rehearsing this lovely play and getting to grips with the larger-than-life characters and petty rivalries of this little village of Thornton. And we hope to bring a bit of the atmosphere of the traditional village fete to Southfield’s school hall.”

Brackley Players will present the hilarious murder mystery A Fete Worse Than Death on three nights, from Wednesday 29 to Friday 31 May 2024 starting at 7.30pm, at Southfield Primary Academy, on Banbury Road in Brackley. Tickets are £12, with concessions priced £10, and they can be bought in person from the Old Hall Bookshop in Brackley town centre or online at www.brackleyplayers.org.uk. Tea and coffee will be available, and audiences are welcome to bring along their own cold food and drinks (no nuts).

This amateur production of A Fete Worse Than Death is presented by arrangement with Lazy Bee Scripts.