Boundary Players

The Boundary Players web site is at www.boundaryplayers.co.uk.

Last production

Silhouette, 9th to 13th February 2010
By Simon Brett. Act 1 of this ingeniously structured play revolves around the murder of Martin Powell, a successful actor (and husband to Celia Wallis) in the study of his own home. Celia is quite clearly in the clear with an alibi and an answer to all of Inspector Bruton’s questions. However, things do not look so comfortable for Neville Smallwood, the stalker-come-journalist-come-stalker who is found to have been asleep in Celia’s bed at the time of the murder. Or so his story would suggest. To Detective Inspector Bruton, the evidence he gathers in Act 1 makes it a clear-cut case as to the identity of the offender. However, only is it until Act 2 in which events take place before the murder it becomes apparent to the audience that it is not quite so simple. Why was Neville Smallwood in Celia Wallis’ bed at the time of the Martin Powell’s murder? Why was Martin Powell home so unexpectedly? Who was the furtive figure seen to be silhouetted against the front door? And who exactly is Detective Inspector Bruton?

Where

The William Penney Theatre, inside AWE at Aldermaston. Click here for a map. The entrance to the theatre can be found on the A340 Basingstoke to Newbury road, just before the Heath End Roundabout at Tadley. There is ample free car parking next to the theatre.

Box office

07947 295 826, or via the web site.

Review of Silhouette

9th to 13th February 2010. 

This was the NWN review.

Guessing to the end Boundary Players: Silhouette, at the William Penney Theatre, Tadley, from Tuesday, February 9 to Saturday, February 13 When the police arrive to investigate the murder of actor Martin Powell at his home in Sussex, it appears to be a fairly straightforward case. At the house they discover the actor's estranged wife Celia and the strangely eccentric young journalist Neville Smallwood, whose obsessive behaviour, police record and hatred towards Martin make him a prime suspect. However, all is not as it seems in Silhouette, Simon Brett's thriller, which was performed by Boundary Players at William Penney Theatre last week. Having given the audience a chance to jump to conclusions in the first act, the author takes us back in time in the second half to view the events that actually led up to the murder. This was an original script, written in Brett's very witty style, and director Mary Robinson's cast gave a polished performance. Jim Milne, as DI Bruton, was particularly strong and really captured the character of the interrogating officer. He was well supported by Dave Stephenson as DS Fisher, responding cheerily to the inspector's constant demands, and Davina Harris as the slightly mysterious and well-informed Wpc Leach. Pat Archer gave a confident performance as Celia, exchanging waspish comments with Martin (nicely played by Richard Mier) while deviously manipulating the hapless Neville - though I felt she remained a little too composed at the sight of Martin's body. Clive Lewington was suitably star-struck and unnerving as Neville, with some excellent mannerisms, but he was somewhat older than the script suggested (the line about cradle snatching could perhaps have been dropped). Sam Robinson as the scene-of-crime officer rounded off the cast - it was a nice touch that, whenever the study curtain was pulled back, he was seen busily attending to the body. Producer Paul Robinson and the backstage team provided well-managed sound and light, as well as an imaginatively dressed theatrical set (I loved the cardboard cut-out from Annie Get Your Gun). Overall, a very enjoyable evening's entertainment - the gasp from the audience when the hooded man revealed his identity showed that the suspense was well maintained to the end. MARK LILLYCROP

Previous productions

Party Piece, 20th to 24th October 2009
Going Postal, 12th to 16th May 2009
Rebecca, 10th to 14th February 2009
The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of Macbeth, 21st to 25th October 2008. See the review in the archive.
Murder at the Manor, 10th November 2007
An Inspector Calls, 16th to 20th October 2007. See the review in the archive.
Noises Off, 15th to 19th May 2007. See the review in the archive.
Deadly Nightcap, 23rd to 27th January 2007
Alarms and Excursions, 17th to 21st October 2006. See the review in the archive.
Outside Edge, 9th to 13th May 2006. See the review in the archive.
Jekyll and Hyde, 7th to 11th February 2006. See the review in the archive.
The Weekend, 9th to 12th November 2005. See the review in the archive.
The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of A Christmas Carol, 26th to 30th April 2005. See the review in the archive.
A Touch of Danger, 25th to 29th January 2005.
Lettice and Lovage, 19th to 23rd October 2004. See the review in the archive.
Out of Sight, Out of Murder, 27th April to 1st May 2004. See the review in the archive.
Bedroom Farce, 27th to 31st January 2004. See the review in the archive.
Deckchairs, 21st to 25th October 2003. See the review in the archive.
The Happiest Days of Your Life, 29th April to 3rd May 2003. See the review in the archive.
How the Other Half Loves, 4th to 8th February 2003. See the review in the archive.
Bonaventure, 22nd to 26th October 2002. See the review in the archive.
Look Who's Talking, 14th to 18th May 2002. See the review in the archive.
The Joyride, by Georgina Reid. 5th to 9th February 2002. See the review in the archive.
84 Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff. 6th to 10th November 2001. See the review in the archive.
They Came from Mars and Landed Outside the Farndale Avenue Church Hall in Time for the Townswomen's Guild's Coffee Morning, by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jr. 15th to 19th May 2001. See the review in the archive.
House Guest, by Francis Durbridge. 6th to 10th February 2001. See the review in the Archive.
Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, by Oscar Wilde. 7th to 11th November 2000. Here's the review.
Look No Hans, by John Chapman and Michael Pertwee. 9th to 13th May 2000. Here's the review.