Lord Arthur

A noble but naïve Lord’s road to marriage is potholed with a quest to commit a murder in a dark Victorian comedy at Sheringham in March.

The Oscar Wilde classic Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime is being staged by the Little Theatre Players in a fundraising show mixing wit with poisonous and explosive plot lines.

The story springs from his Lordship’s meeting with a palm reader who suggests his destiny is to commit a murder before he can tie the knot with fiancée Sybil Merton. Luckily for his intended victims his attempts are comically and disastrously inept.

Director Hazel Martin said the play, first aired in the 1890s, “stands the test of time thanks to Wilde’s clever writing. It is wonderful to see the cast bringing the script to life in rehearsals. It is a joy.”

Lord Arthur (played by Torin Beattie is helped in his endeavours to marry Sybil (Anna Ryan) by his loyal butler Baines (Rod Feichtinger) and cheerful anarchist Herr Winkelkopf (Peter Blakeley).

His dubious palmist Septimus R Podgers is played by Robert Briggs, also known as the Little Theatre’s front-of-house manager.

Lord Arthur’s targets include elderly aunt Lady Clementina Beauchamp (Janet Hignett) and the Dean of Paddington (Steve Saunders).

Other cast members are the Lord’s aunt Lady Windermere (Parish Mullen), Sybil’s mother Lady Julia (Philippa Baillie) and Nellie the bumbling housemaid (Henrietta Small).

Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime runs at Sheringham Little Theatre from March 11-14 at 7.30pm (there is also a matinee at 2.30pm on 14th March). Tickets from www.sheringhamlittletheatre.com or 01263 822347

The shows are fundraisers for the theatre which is a charity-run community arts venue.