It’s not very often you get the chance to see two different plays with the same cast on one day, writes Claire Faulkner.
But on Saturday (April 26) Reaseheath Hall was transformed into the George Hotel, and became the setting for two performances from the Mokushla Theatre Company.
Both productions were written and directed by Cat Hunter.
In the plays we meet Richard and Rachel Hartley, the staff working at the hotel and discover a tangled web of secrets, lies and deception. Nothing is as it seems, but who can the audience believe?
Room 13 was the first play to be performed.
Richard, played by Stephen Parker-Aiken has been using the hotel to meet his mistress Adele for a number of years, but when his wife Rachel, played by Ruth Jones insists they spend their wedding anniversary together, they all end up at The George.
Richard is found dead in room 13, the police investigate, and a murderer is arrested.
It’s a clever script, a classic Agatha Christie style whodunit, with plenty of twists, turns and misdirection.
During the interval I overheard a number of conversations from the audience trying to figure out who the murderer was. Everyone got it wrong.
Room 13 is easily a stand-alone piece of theatre, but in the evening the audience was treated to a second play; The Hartley Wedding.
Set five years before Room 13, we find out why the characters behave as they do and the real motivation for murder.
Both plays have a suitable feel of mystery about them, seeing two productions on the same day was effective and helped to engage with the characters.
Setting The George Hotel in the hall at Reaseheath worked well, it’s a beautiful space and fitted both productions perfectly.
It was also a testament to the cast and crew who performed brilliantly in an unfamiliar space and completely encompassed the surroundings to their full advantage.
Which, to the delight of the audience did include one character sliding down a banister. Although, I’m sure this was entirely planned.
I enjoyed seeing how the characters developed across both shows, particularly Adele played by Nina Croxton, Frances played by Trevor Hough and Jo played by Georgia Parker-Aiken.
Both plays had themes of domestic abuse, coercive control and misogyny.
In The Hartley Wedding, we see some characters in their true light and others lost, seemingly caught up in what is happening to them.
Mokushla Theatre will be performing both shows again on Saturday 10th May at Alsager Civic.
For more details, please visit their website Mokushlatheatre.online
Any surplus funds raised from the performances will be donated to The Team Lewis Trust.
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