TALENTED Teesdale youth theatre group, the Turrets, are serving up an original whodunnit for two nights this week, while audiences feast on a three-course meal.
The Turrets’ senior group will perform ‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas, on Friday and Saturday, December 8 and 9, at 7.30pm at The Witham.
Turrets leader and playwright Christina Castling said: “Ever since I started in January, the seniors have been keen to do a melodramatic, larger than life, murder-mystery.”
Instead of purchasing a script the theatre group, which meets at the Barnard Castle arts venue every Wednesday during term time, opted to create their own crime drama, setting it in a sleepy Teesdale town.
The cast of characters, which includes Steve Sirloin the butcher, Lord and Lady Lartington Von Lyon and Mayor Mulberrybush, gives an indication the audience are in for a fun time trying to work out whether Constable Clouseau and his sidekick Sergeant Sidowitz will solve the mystery before coffee and mints are served.
Ms Castling added: “It is utterly ridiculous, and wonderful in equal measure. It promises to be good fun, very entertaining with delicious food, lots of laughter, plenty of hearty festive cheer and a couple of murders thrown in for good measure.”
Tickets for ‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas cost £20 per person or £114 for a table of six and includes a sumptuous three-course meal.
There will be a starter of winter vegetable soup followed by Christmas turkey and vegetable pie with mince pie and cream for desserts followed by coffee and mints donated by Chocolate Fayre.
She said: “It has been fantastic to watch the characters because they [Turret members] have to make sense of the motives for murder.”
All proceeds from the event, which will also feature a prize raffle and tombola, will go towards supporting the Turrets Youth Theatre. To book contact The Witham box office by telephoning 01833 631107 or go to thewitham.org.uk. There is an age limit of 12.
