A Sting in the Tale

‘A Sting in the Tale’ was written in 1986 by Croydon born playwright Brian Clemens, and his long time co-writer, Dennis Spooner, who died within months of finishing this play. Brian Clemens, who is an authority in real life crime, was responsible for many of TVs drama series in the 1970 and 80s such as ‘The Avengers’ and ‘Danger Man’.

This unusual ‘whodunit’ – could it be biographical? - is being presented by the Harbour Theatre, in their Golden Jubilee Year. This two-hour play is showing at the Port Cineaste Building, 70 Adelaide Street, Fremantle. Curtains up at 8.00 pm nightly until 5^th October. There is a matinee on Sunday 29^th September at 2.00 pm. 

The scene is a study / sitting room in an Oxford country house. On one side of the stage is a quality desk with modern office equipment and research facilities. The other side of the room has an old table, outdated typewriter and piles of books. Centre stage is a large settee, a trunk as a coffee table, with French windows behind leading to the garden beyond (set painting Isabella McGavock). This excellent set gave a clue to the relationship of the main characters. 

       The study is in darkness. The French windows open and a man’s silhouette can be seen in the moonlight. Another door flies open and in the shaft of light from the passageway, a bearded man can be seen. Within seconds there is a gunshot, the bearded man falls to the floor. The assailant carries the body to the trunk and closes the lid. The room light goes on … and an argument breaks out.

      ‘I told you it wouldn’t work’ stated Nigel Forbes (Michael Dornan) the arrogant author and owner of the house, to his highly strung, daggy co-writer, Max (Marcus McGavock). Max twitches before rattling of a dozen suggestions of how to improve the scene. This is the way that these playwrights test out their plots. Nigel has had writer’s block for some time and the royalties are drying up.

       When their beautiful secretary, Jill (Chloerissa Eadie) climbs out of the trunk, she removes the false beard before pointing out that she hasn’t been paid for months. When Nigel’s miserable nagging wife, Ann (Meredith Hunter) asks for a few quid to do her shopping, the writers suddenly realise that they must be more inventive and get back to basics.

        A visit from Detective Inspector Berry, (Andy Markland), one of their biggest fans, gives them a new lease of life to create the perfect murder.

Director, Pat Stroud, has been in the theatre for years and her skills show as she handles the various genres of this play. There is the dry humour, the tension and the ‘whodunit’ scenario. The cast were excellent. The two writers were on stage for almost the whole play without missing a beat. The chemistry between the two leads was superb. Meredith cleverly created a wife that every man could quite happily hate. Chloerissa glowed as the poor downtrodden secretary, and Andy received applause for his re-enactment of a part in an old play by the authors.

As always at the Harbour, the technical operations were well above average. Excellent mood lighting by Rob Tagliaferri, coupled with well edited, appropriate atmospheric music by Vanessa Gudgeon.

This is a fun, most entertaining play that shows the immense amount of work that goes into constructing a mystery script. A good night out – if you can get a ticket!