Wellington Theatre Company, “Inspector Drake and the Black Widow” by David Tristram

Review – by Helen Carroll

The superbly competent (I’m lying) Inspector Drake and PC Plod are responsible for more deaths than they clear up in this snappy, slashy, sharply comic murder mystery.

To be honest, there’s no mystery about the carnage that advances across the stage every time the inspector and his side kick attempt to clear up whodunit. Apart from Her Majesty’s force (or lack of), the maid multi tasked delivering a wide variety of lady(ish) victims into the house of horror.Heck, even the cat bought it.

The dark humour of the play is matched by the equally dark set and then contrasted by the slapstick comedy. Neat sound effects, a talking French window (shouldn’t he be home getting his vote in?) and large dose of craziness delivered a fun evening to close the 2022 Easter Festival of plays. What a blast to go out on!