KATS have barely had time to lay down their Fiddle and park up Tevye’s milk cart before they launch headlong into their next production.

This local theatre group are definitely showing their versatility as they move from toe-tapping, high-energy musical to classic comedy whodunnit? After their much-acclaimed success with Fiddler on the Roof, the actors are now ensconced in a classic murder mystery. Was it Lady Dorothy, in the library with a dagger? Or the maid in the dressing room with a decanter of poisoned sherry? You will have to go along to the show to find out.

Murder in Play is a play within a play. When a third-rate repertory company decides to produce “Murder at Priorswell Manor” total chaos ensues. The actors are more interested in their own egos than the quality of the production. There is jealousy, rivalry and back-stabbing, not to mention an alcoholic in charge of a fire-arm and an off-stage affair. Simon Brett’s hilarious text and the numerous red herrings keep the audience guessing until the final moments of the play.

Murder in Play was commissioned for, and premiered at, the Cheltenham Festival of Literature in 1993. Playwright Simon Brett was awarded an OBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours ‘for services to literature’, and in 2014 received The CWA Diamond Dagger, one of the highest accolades in the crime writing world. His TV and radio credits also include No Commitments and After Henry and the wonderful Bill Nighy played the part of his detective, Charles Paris, in excellent adaptations of his novels by Jeremy Front on Radio 4.

At a time when local theatres and am-dram groups up and down the country are seeing lower numbers attending live shows, KATS are working very hard to reverse this national trend. One way of doing this is by positively encouraging new, young talent into the theatre. This production, for example, is directed by Beth Tucker a recent Drama Graduate from Aberystwyth University. For her directorial debut she is being supported and mentored by Mike Davies, an actor and director with many years of experience including his very successful production of KATS 2017 summer play, Entertaining Angels.

Live theatre is such a great experience for the whole family and priced at just £8 on Wednesday and Thursday and £9 on Friday and Saturday nights, you would be hard-pushed to find a better way to spend a September evening. This show is very suitable for anyone aged from 10 to 110.

Murder in Play is on at Malborough Village Hall, near Salcombe, from 19 to 22 September. Don’t be fooled by the village hall location, for show-week the venue is completely transformed into a fully functional theatre with 14 rows of tiered seating, a licensed bar and plenty of on-site car parking. Tickets are available from Kingsbridge Information Centre 01548 853195 and you can pay by card over the phone.

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