Busy Body

Venue : Woodrush High School

Date : October 1975

Genre : Comedy

Director

Val Archer

Val Archer
Director

Phil Lett
Director

Cast

Estelle Shutkever
Mrs Piper

Bob Aldridge
Richard Marshall

Mike Beamish
Detective Constable Goddard

Phil Lett
Detective Superintendent Baxter

Pam Davey
Claire Marshall

Willa Hislop
Marian Selby

Gerry Solomon
Robert Westerby

Karen Haste
Vickie Roberts

Crew

Gerry Smith
Stage Manager

no profile image

George Cope
Lighting

Brenda Castle
House Manager

Ivan Castle
House Manager

Sybil Parr
Properties

Jack Parramore
Properties

Crew

Gerry Smith
Stage Manager

George Cope
Lighting

Brenda Castle
House Manager

Ivan Castle
House Manager

Sybil Parr
Properties

Jack Parramore
Properties

Production Gallery

Production Reviews

Busybody Succeeds Despite Late Changes

The view is frequently expressed that comedy is the most difficult kind of stage entertainment to put over effectively but it is certainly a medium in which the members of Wythall Dramatic Society excel.

Dominating the show was Estelle Shutkever as 'Mrs Piper' and office cleaner who gaily "bossed" all and sundry and offered words of wisdom on every aspect of the case in hand, to the distraction of the CID personnel and the unbounded delight of the audience.

The part was long and demanding one but Estelle carried it off to perfection.

Phil Lett also gave an excellent portrayal of Detective Superintendent Baxter, an officer of the murder squad.

Supporting his superior when he was not dallying with the office typist pertly played by Karen Haste, was Mike Beamish as Detective Constable Goddard. Willa Hislop gave a convincing performance as Marion Selby, another member of the staff, suffering from pangs of unrequited adoration for her boss.

Bob Aldridge starred as Richard Marshall, the murdered man who later turned up very much alive (in fact it was not until the last act that anyone learned who "the body" really belonged to) and Pam Davey brought considerable ability to her role as Mrs Marshall who had one or two skeletons concealed in her cupboard.

Last but not least was Gerry Solomon who, whatever part he plays always radiate so much charm that one sometimes wishes that the society would occasionally cat him as a hero instead of making him end up (as he invariably does) as a villain or a corpse!

The excellence of the play was particularly commendable on this occasion since circumstances had necessitated a change in direction with a consequent "switching round" of parts after rehearsals had commenced. Val Archer and Phil Lett who took over as joint producers, did a first-rate job and obtained a very polished result.

P.K.S, Local Newspaper 1975