BMDS murder mystery is a masterpiece of comic timing

Like a giant Cluedo board game brought to life, A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody will have the audience guessing ‘whodunnit’ in a classic murder mystery with a comic twist.

The plot centres around a wealthy Englishman who has made his fortune in the US and who now covets a playboy lifestyle by trying to bump off his wife.

Most of the action takes place in the drawing room, involving poison and other dastardly means of murder.

And yes, there is also a butler.

Gumshoe

The action revolves around five main characters and a hardboiled detective named Inspector Plotnik — a genius comic turn by Stephen Notman.

Mr Notman’s entrance into the Perry mansion was a hilarious start to a mesmerizing performance in which he has the New Jersey accent and gumshoe-speak down to a T.

The entire cast, however, excelled on opening night.

Kelvin Hastings-Smith and Carol Birch sparked and enthralled us as the warring husband and wife, Matthew and Julia Perry.

Izabella Arnold and Malachi Simmons also fizzed as ditzy daughter Bunny and her fiancé Donald Baxter.

Serving the Dom Perignon throughout is Adam Gauntlett as the dry, weary butler Buttram, the butt of many jokes.

Janice Howell did a fantastic job directing Ron Bernas’ script. The orchestration of comic timing was masterful, particularly in the Hallowe’en costume party scenes.

It is difficult to remember the BMDS cast and crew are all volunteers when a production of this quality is staged in Bermuda.

The attention to detail is evident throughout the set — a 1940s drawing room featuring period books, furnishings and furniture.

As for the costumes, they also shimmer and captivate, deftly complementing the drama of the script.

A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody does have its sinister moments but is a heart-warming play about love, fate and relationships.

An excellent evening’s entertainment.