A Murder Has Been Arranged At The Little Theatre Leicester Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Leanne W
The Little Theatre is a small volunteer run theatre in the centre of Leicester. Opposite is a carpark and it is surrounded by bars and eateries. This is another amateur production which shows off the array of talent (both on and off stage) of this fabulous local venue.
A Murder Has Been Arranged is a 1930 thriller play written by Emlyn Williams, known for its suspenseful and supernatural themes.
Sir Charles Jasper (Andrew Webster) An eccentric man fascinated by the mystical. He is about to inherit £2 million on his 50th birthday, but only if he survives the night. To celebrate, he throws a party on the stage of the deserted St. James’ Theatre, which is rumoured to be haunted due to mysterious deaths that occurred there years ago. The celebration takes a dark turn when Maurice Mullins (Paul Large), Sir Charles’s long-lost nephew and the alternate heir to the fortune, unexpectedly arrives. Maurice, claiming to be a novelist, persuades Sir Charles to write what he says is a chapter for his new book. In a chilling twist, Sir Charles realizes too late that he has been tricked.
Directed by John Ghent, a longstanding member and director of the theatre, this play joins a long list of his previous works, however this one felt somewhat lacklustre. Unfortunately, much of the humour was lost to the timing and at times farcical and melodramatic acting, which also hampered any opportunity to create the suspense.
Where they play is a success is in the strength of the female cast. Mrs Wragg (Angela Hill) a domestic character, providing comic relief is a joy to watch and has the role spot on. Mrs Arthur (Nadine Hossent) is equally formidable and humorous in her role. Miss Groze (Joy Brankin-Frisby) is suitably stiff in the presence of her employer. There were some cast members who it was tough to understand why they had been cast in their roles, which did not aid the creation of tension and often were silly and unbelievable. Additionally, it seemed that many characters were underdeveloped and the relationships between characters were lost. The arrival of ‘a woman’ a supernatural character was never going to be easy to portray but, in this performance, it was unconvincing and amateur.
I was however really impressed by one particular aspect of the set, designed by Phil Newman, was the picture which hung on the wall. This was very clever in the ghostly faces which occasionally appeared. The rest of the set was the theatre, though it was more like a living room ‘on the stage’ but the additional aspects of the theatre such as the curtains and ornate fixtures of the frontage were excellent at creating the feeling of being in a 1930s theatre.
In all, this is an amateur production and for that standard it is good. I don’t think the choice of play allowed for the opportunity for the cast to excel as they usually do. However, it is always good to get out and support local theatre, take the opportunity to do so.
The Play runs until Saturday 1st November 2025 with tickets available priced between £17 and £19.50
thelittletheatre.co.uk/whats-on/a-murder-has-been-arranged/
Rating: 3/5