This fabulous interactive production from DBY Interactive, was created, written and directed by the very talented actress Becky Brooks and credit to all the cast for an absolute knockout performance.
An eerie atmosphere, a dimly lit stage, audible low ramblings of a chant to a crescendo of music sets the haunting scene. Figures in hooded black cloaks with white masks mysteriously appear around the auditorium, with just one in red. Loud bells toll and the figures mysteriously disappear, and the murder mystery begins.
Within the Cockpit theatre which is set in the 17 th Century in the midst of civil war, where poverty, hunger and incurable sickness is rife, the local townsfolk are unnerved and wary of something they cannot lock their doors from, something which they believe haunts them, and is responsible ….. has suddenly entered their lives…. Witchcraft.
A soldier called Henry enters the stage and explains to the audience he has been sent to the outskirts of Prescot by Cromwell to check there is no rebellion, and before long he is entangled in a situation rapidly evolving into a secret trial outside the safety of the city walls.
The locals have become desperate and paranoid through hearing of Witch Hunts ripping through Europe, and decide to take matters into their own hands, and a secret trial is decided and conducted under Judge John Bradshaw, who is hilariously funny and very entertaining adding humour all the way through this very sad haunting situation and was the stand out actor in my eyes.
The audience are invited to be the jury of a woman the townsfolk believe to be a witch, a woman who appeared in the dead of night just a few days earlier, a vagabond whom they found in a barn. The accusers of her witchcraft are Martha Baggerly who found her, her brother Joseph Gray and his wife Elizabeth Gray.
She is brought on stage with a hessian sack covering her head and her hands bound by her accusers. She is accused of sorcery, seduction and murder and must prove her innocence. But with rumours spreading like the plague – is everyone telling the truth? This is for the audience to decide.
The accusers Martha, Elizabeth and Joseph and the accused woman’s version of events are movingly presented before the audience who then sift through the clues to make a final verdict of guilty or not guilty.
Soon after the verdict is given a much bigger picture emerges and a murder occurs and the audience then decide who they think the murderer is, write down their decision which is handed into the actors. The murderer is then revealed within the concluding part of the performance, and a prize is given for the chosen winners who guessed correctly.
This is the first time that DYB Interactive have premiered and performed one of their productions on a theatre stage such as this one, and they certainly did the Shakespeare North Playhouse proud. The audience absolutely loved it, they really got into the spirit of things during the trial and they excitedly participated. I hope this will be the first of many opportunities we are able to enjoy the fruits of their labour in such a setting as this one.
Check out dbyinteractive.com for further productions you will not be disappointed.
Murder Mystery by Trial, DBY Interactive at Shakespeare North Playhouse Prescot
See https://shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/event/city-of-curses/
Cast:-
Adam Gannon – Judge John Bradshaw
Charlie Griffiths – Witch on trial
Becky Brooks – Martha Baggerly
Neal Gavin – Joseph Gray
James Doorman – Henry the Soldier
Izzy Cook – Elizabeth Gray
Reviewer - Jill Ollerton
On - 14.05.26
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