The Curate's Farewell

My local drama group are putting on a fund raising event for the village church - a Murder Mystery evening. Poeple pay £10 and turn up to the Rectory garden (next to the church) where they assemble for a lovely meal and wine. The event is supposed to be a farewell celebration for the (fictious) curate. Of course, the curate, the churchwardens and their families are all actors - us. And a tale of intrigue, adultery and ultimately MURDER.

The cast rehearsing in the garden with a lovely view of the tower

View back down from the tower

The murder happens after the first course, and after the bellringing. I am a bellringer and also one of the actors. I think I am going to miss my dinner!! It will be a good chance to practice on the bells, as we are ringing for a wedding in the church the next weekend. Lovely.

I think you may guess who gets murdered by the title of the event! But I will tell you this much, the curate meets his end in the churchyard! The actors stay in character the whole evening, and the guests have to guess who did it - by watching the action and questionning the characters. At one point a couple get trapped in the tower and appear at the top. I had my phone with me, and so took a couple of snaps in the lovely evening light.

Looking east from the church tower

Looking west, towards my house, out of sight

You may notice that only one side of the road has houses. The other side was parkland belonging to the "big house" and( conveniently for the Squire) all the estate cottages on THAT side burned down over a hundred years ago. And the pub too, it was never rebuilt. The fire is rumoured to have been started by a spark from workers repairing the lead on this very tower roof.

After the puddings, a detective and a crime writer (also actors) turn up for the denouement and unravel the mystery of who did it, how and why! The script is very clever and I dont think anyone will guess how!

Lets hope it stays fine, as it wont be half so much fun in the village hall if wet. We only have half a dozen or so rehearsals, and my youngest daughter and I are busy learning our lines. It hasnt rained yet on a rehearsal night, but the gnats do bite around dusk. I am Chariman of the group and have had to give the OK to the Treasurer to buy the wine that we drink during the rehearsal - all in the name of accuracy you understand!