The Rusper Players deliver a Prescription for Murder

Spokeswoman Mary Holford-Walker said: “In the seemingly quiet town of Bere Knighton in Devon, there is never a dull moment for Dr Richard Forth. Not only does he have a hectic work schedule and an awkward friendship with his ex-girlfriend, but his wife, Barbara, is constantly ill and nobody knows what is wrong with her…”

There will be three performances, all to be held at Rusper Village Hall, RH12 4PR: Friday, March 24 at 8pm; Saturday, March 25 at 8pm; Sunday, March 26 at 2.30pm.

Tickets £15 (include coffee and cake in the interval). Proceeds in aid of St Mary Magdalene Church restoration fund.

Ticket sales: Trudy Dolan 01293 851656; [email protected]

As Mary says, the group began in 2019 when two friends said “Let’s write a play.”

“And so, the Rusper Players amateur dramatic group emerged. An enthusiastic, if mainly untried group of locals. The play was a roaring success. Unfortunately, the pandemic stopped further productions but due to public demand The Rusper Players will be on stage again at the end of March.

“Another thriller. but this time, Norman Robbins’s Prescription for Murder. I chose this play because now I know the cast well, I wanted a proven vehicle that could showcase them all. Be it Clive Dolan, who having starred as a butler in our previous production has stepped up magnificently to his new role as the gruff and rather stressed Dr Richard Forth. Or Angie Hill, previously the beautiful perpetrator, but now with a precarious path to navigate. Or the Revered Nick Flint, as Allan, a bowls fanatic, with a rich West County accent that makes us roar with laughter every time he speaks.

“Prescription for Murder is definitely a challenge. We started rehearsals straight after Christmas. Initially, the Rusper Players looked over their scripts and reeled at the amount of lines involved. But rehearsing diligently twice a week has produced amazing results. As the weeks went by and the game and gallant crew learnt those lines and absorbed their stage directions I suddenly felt that the play had sprung to life.

"Mary Dawe is hilarious as Dorothy, a cheery middle aged char woman. Whereas the cool Barbara, played by Shona Lidstone, the beautiful if mysteriously sickly wife of the good doctor is a perfect foil to Dorothy’s northern bluntness.

"Mary, the bowl’s fanatic’s long suffering and down to earth wife is brilliantly portrayed by Carrie Johnson and Chris Dawe, the tragic victim in his last outing re-emerges as a charming computer salesman, who appears to have uncovered a terrible deception.

“Prescription for Murder is a rich combination of a cleverly written and ingenious plot, littered with red herrings, punctuated by many hilarious moments.”

Ticket sales: Trudy Dolan 01293 851656; [email protected]