Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime
Written by Constance Cox
16 – 19 October 1968
This play is based on an 1890’s story by Oscar Wilde about Lord Arthur Saville who is engaged to lovely Sybil Merton. Her pet chiromantist Podgers has read Lord Arthur’s palm and foretold he would commit a murder. Lord Arthur desires a blissful married life and therefore feels duty bound to get the murder over with first. Despite help from his butler and the cheerful anarchist Winkelkopf, attempt after attempt fails. Then news comes that Podgers is a charlatan; Lord Arthur is free and the carriage awaits to take him to the wedding rehearsal. Alas, it contains Winkelkopf’s newest bomb. Lord Arthur saves himself by tossing it into a horse trough. As the dust settles, two policemen appear and march the unhappy young man away and another postponement notice has to be sent to The Times.
Cast
Baines- Alex Baird
Lord Arthur – Peter Janes
Sybil Merton – June Janes
Dean of Paddington – Cedric Best
Lady Clementina Beauchamp – Margaret Lawrence
Lady Julia Merton – Audrey Christianson
Mr Podgers – Tony Stebbing
Nellie – Janice Howe
Herr Winkelkopf – Barry Hullett
Crew
Stage Manager – Michael Fryatt
Assistant Stage Manager – Martin Wood
Properties – Edna Rand and Linda Hutchinson
Decor – Sheila Fryatt
Sound – Gordon Lawrence and Len Blake
Lighting – Sheila Fryatt
Ladies’ Costumes – Theatre Wardrobe
Men’s Costumes and Wigs – Nathans