Richmond Players are at it again with their latest theatrical offering, a performance of Bone-Chiller written by Monk Ferris.
Directed by Tracy Stedman, the play is performed by an ensemble cast of 13 actors, a number which begins to dwindle quite quickly.
A whodunit mystery comedy, Bone-Chiller takes place following the grisly death of Josiah Travers, with his friends and family all gathered to hear the reading of his last will and testament. When it is discovered that the will actually takes the form of a rebus, a sort of picture puzzle, it’s up to the group to decode its meaning.
The group is made up of of an eclectic bunch of characters including the family butler and servants, a puzzle maker, a police officer and the executor of the late man’s estate.
With the 13 cast members all on stage together for most of the play, the task of co-ordinating the blocking so that no character is hidden from view by any other wasn’t easy, and required skilled direction.
While many of the cast live within the area, in locations such as Windsor and Agnes Banks, others come from further away, such as South Penrith, or even as far as Bronte.
They know their characters well, each describing how theirs fits in and interacts with all the others on stage.
Lauren Cole, who plays the role of Kissy Travers, grandniece of Josiah, says of her character: ‘‘She’s a bit flirty, a bit bubbly, but a lot smarter than she actually appears to be. Like Gossip Girl basically — a cross between Blair and Serena.’’ If you’ve read the play or seen it performed before, don’t worry. One benefit of having the entire cast on stage at the same time is the potential for actors who aren’t speaking to utilise props for mime purposes, so there will definitely be some of that to look forward to.
Bone-Chiller will have a five-performance run starting on Saturday, August 9 at 7.30 pm. Further shows will happen on August 16 and 23, at 2 pm and 7.30pm on both of these days, at Richmond School of Arts.
■To book tickets visit www.richmondplayers.com.au.
