Written By
Ernest Dudley and Arthur Watkyn
Where and When
8th – 10th November 1979 @ The Allendale Centre, Wimborne
The Plot
Brian Cartwright, impecunious adventurer, blackmails four unfortunates unwittingly involved in a crime. As zero hour approaches he invites them all to dine with him; he has received an annonymous and threatening note foretelling his death at this same hour and thus includes Dr Morelle among the guests. The threat materializes, and Morelle sets about discovering the murderer from among the guests. In an exciting climax, during which the murder scene-is re-enacted, the authors finally allow the sleuth to corner his man (or woman?) in which operation he is ably assisted by Miss Frayle and an obliging journalist, also invited to the feast.
Cast
- Brian Cartwright – Arthur Brooks
- Miles – Peter Brooks
- Philip Troon – Simon Jackson
- June Lister – Jane Sherwill
- Evelyn Wells – Raymonde Grenville
- Nigel Forbes – David Sherwill
- Guthrie – Spencer Hare
- Dr Morelle – David Green
- Miss Frayle – Hannah Bradley
Creative Team
- Director – Thelma Dryden
- Set Design – Thelma Dryden and Caroline Hickmott
- Stage Management – John Anthony, Elizabeth Anthony and Roy Bruin
- Lighting and Sound – Robert Cooper
- Properties – Kathy Macauley, Mavis Hazleden and Sarah Anthony
- Prompt – Muriel Brooks
- Font of House and Box Office – Wendy Bruin and the Allendale Centre staff
- Advertising – Jan Stevenson
Preview
New faces in the cast
Blackmail and murder are among crimes committed at Wimborne’s Allendale Community Centre this week – or so Wimborne Drama Club would have us believe. The crimes are important events in the script of the club’s latest production, Dr. Morelle, which is on tonight, tomorrow and on Saturday.
The play is a comedy thriller set in 1953 and based on a war-time radio series. It tells of blackmail and
threats to the life of Brian Cartwright (played by Arthur Brooks), who Invites the suspects, a detective
and a reporter to dinner – with unfortunate consequences. The club have two new faces in the cast – David Sherwill, usually their lighting expert, who plays one of the suspects, and Peter Brooks as Miles, the
man-servant, seen in the picture on the floor after being hit on the head.
Also pictured are (left to right) David Green Dr. Morelle, the invesigator; Spencer Hare as Guthrie, the reporter, and Hannah Bradley as Miss Frayle, Morelle assistant.
Gallery
Reviews
Predicted murder
Well known radio sleuths from the 1940s – Dr Morelle and his unlikely assistant, Miss Frayle – made a comeback in the ’70s at the weekend when Wimborne Drama Club presented its version of the odd-ball couple’s adventures at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.
This play by Ernest Dudley and Arthur Watkyn followed – in 1950 – countless radio shows broadcast over British overseas and continental networks; several books and a film. But for all their fame I am afraid the twosome’s antics fell rather flat with me for I have never been a great fan of detective thriller stories, comedy or otherwise.
I must admit however the play did have some clever touches. I never did guess how the murder was committed until Dr Morelle himself revealed the method. And Hannah Bradley as Miss Frayle breezed on stage like a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stuffy cast. The portly David Green was also well-cast as the stiff, starchy and somewhat pompous hero. Dr Morelle whose dry references to Miss Frayle’s stupidity are often more than unkind but amusing.
The rest of the cast however, were unremarkable though solid, and Athrur Brooks as murder victim Brian Cartwright did warm to his part after a slightly sticky start.
The set design by Thelma Dryden and Caroline Hickmott, however, was most effective and – with the help of Wimborne furnishers Tappers – gave a good sense of the period in which the play was set.
The play is basically a whodunnit with victim Brian Cartwright convinced that he is going to be murdered at precisely 9:00 that night when all the lights are due to go out – and of course he is. And Cartwright, a self confessed eccentric has the novel idea of inviting Dr Morelle and a reporter to dinner that night so that they can have the privilege of interviewing the murdered man before he is murdered.
But it still remains to Dr Morelle to discover who was the murderer and how he did it when all doors and windows were locked and no-one was in the room with Cartwright at the time of the shooting. And I will tell you that none of Cartwight’s four “friends” whom he was blackmailing at the time was the murderer.
‘Doctor’ drama at Wimborne
A famous radio character “born” during the Second World War relived at the Allendale Centre in the person of private eye Dr Morelle – presented in a comedy thriller of that name by Wimborne Drama Club.
Understandably the play, written by Ernest Dudley and Arthur Watkyn, with it’s blatantly contrived situations, was decidedly dated; but the players wee very much on their toes and gave a good account of themselves.
The story concerned an adventurer who, having received a note foretelling his death at a specified hour, suspected that the writer to be one of four persons whom he was blackmailing. Inviting them all to dinner on the fatal evening, he also invited the Doctor and his girl assistant together with a newspaper reporter. After the meal, alone in a locked and darkened room he was shot “before your eyes”. And the doctor was left with the job of dicovering the murderer!
As the blackmialing adventurer Brian Cartwright, Arthur Brooks gave an understanding performance; and David Green was admirably cast as Dr Morelle, being ably partnered by Hannah Bradley as his zany assistant, Miss Frayle. Well contrasted in their respective roles were the four black mail victims – Jane Sherwill portraying Cartwright’s actress ex-mistress, June Lister; Raymonde Grenville appearing as his former secretary, Evelyn Wells; Simon Jackson playing Evelyn’s fiance, Philip Troon; and David Sherwill acting convincingly as the drunken driver Nigel Forbes, whose recklessness gave rise to the incident which provided Cartwright with the opportunity for blackmail.
Making his first appearance in a full-length play, Peter Brooks, gave a sincere characterisation as the butler, Miles; as did Spencer Hare in his role as the reporter.
The play was produced by Thelma Dryden, who also designed the very attractive study setting in conjuction with Caroline Hickmott. John and Elizabeth Anthony and Roy Bruin stage-managed; Robert Cooper was responsible for lighting and sound; Kathy Macauley, Mavis Hazleden and Sarah Anthony were in charge of properties; and Murile Brooks was prompt. Front of house duties were undertaken by Wendy Bruin and centre staff; and Jan Stevenson was publicity manager.
Wartime Dr. brought to life by players
A famous radio character created during World War Il came to the Allendale Centre last week-end in the person of private eye Doctor Morelle presented in a comedy thriller of that name by Wimborne Drama Club.
Understandably the play written by Ernest Dudley and Arthur Watkyn – with its blatantly contrived situations, was dated but the players were very much on their toes and gave a good account of themselves.
As the blackmailing adventurer Brian Cartwright, Arthur Brooks – one of club’s stalwarts – gave an understanding performance, and David Green was admirably cast as Dr. Morelle, being ably partnered by Hannah Bradley as his zany assistant Miss Frayle.
Well contrasted in their respected roles were the four blackmail victims: Jane Sherwill portraying Cartwright’s actress ex-mistress, June Lister; Raymonde Grenville appearing as his former secretary Evelyn Wells, Simon Jackson playing Evelyn’s fiancee Philip Troon; and David Sherwill acting convincingly as the drunken diiver, Nigel Forbes, whose recklessness gave rise to the incident which provided Cartwright with the opportunity for blackmail.
Making his first appearance in a full-length play, Peter Brooks gave a sincere characterization as the butler, Miles, as did Spencer Hare in his role as the reporter, Guthrie,
The, play was produced and directed by Thelma Dryden, who also designed the attractive study setting in conjunction with Caroline Hickmott. John and Elizabeth Anthony and Roy Bruin stage-managed; Robert, Cooper was responsible for lighting and sound; Kathy Macaulay, Mavis Hazelden and Sarah Anthony were in charge of properties: and Muriel Brooks prompted, Front of house duties were undertake by Wendy Bruin and theCentre staff; and Jan Stevenson was publicity manager.
Programme
