New College History

New College Play 2005: The Real Inspector Hound

...A real success!

There were many highlights in 2005: great acting from the whole cast, with even performances, everyone seemed to star. A wonderful set design, great choice of music and excellent work by everyone involved in the play (to name a few!) resulted in The Real Inspector Hound being a real succcess! Over 600 people came to see the play, two of the three performances were sold out! The Real Inspector Hound was thoroughly enjoyable, the College was proud of everyone involved. Amy Morrison, Melanie Noble, Sam Wills and Sophie Arnold lead the production, ably assisted by all the cast and crew members!

The 2005 New College Play proved to be a big hit with audiences. The production was directed by Amy Morrison and Melanie Noble and produced by Sam Wills and Sophie Arnold. A production crew assisted with the play. In excess of 600 people attended the play over three nights (May 12-14, 2005).

For an amateur production it was a remarkably professional show from the quality of the stage and production design, through to the set, props, costumes, make up, lighting and acting. The play opens as two critics look out at the play audience waiting for the show to begin.

Birdboot, despite his marriage and impeccable morals, is more concerned with seeing the aspiring actresses off the stage and onto his bed, while his counterpart Moon is plagued by an almost violent neuroticism about his professional status.

Birdboot & Moon review the play by being in it! As the play progresses the audience watches with Birdboot and Moon as a very amusing murder mystery unfolds that bears a striking resemblance to Agatha Christie’s novels and plays. A mysterious stranger, Simon Gascoyne, is found about the manor and its residents and guests are cut off from the world. A murderer is on the loose in the vicinity of the manor, the police are conducting a search, and fog is rolling in off the moors.

A series of intriguing twists draws the audience deeper into the play’s plot. The story takes an ironic twist when the critics find themselves involved in the drama taking place on stage. In true Christie style by the time we reach the production’s climax we suspect everyone of doing the deed, only to have the murder’s identity revealed and find out there is even more to them than just being the villain!

Birdboot - what a hoot. Birdboot was played by the talented Tom Pryor	Felicity Cunningham Played by the vivacious Carolyn Macleod	Inspector Hound Matt Hamlyn impressed as the intrepid Inspector
Lady Cynthia Muldoon Laura Morrison made a fine Lady of the Manor	Lady Muldoon and Simon Gascoyne Laura Morrison and Andew Szwec	Major Magnus Muldoon Alistair Macleod made many fans in this starring role
Set pic The set was very impressive	Set Pic 2 The set was large	Set Pic 3 Close Up of the bedroom in the manor
Simon Gascoyne was ably performed by Andrew Szwec	The anxious Mr Moon Moon was played by the brilliant Jeremy Provan	The hiliarious Mrs Drudge was played by a very funny Fiona Goggins

Cast:
Birdboot – Tom Pryor
Moon – Jeremy Provan
Lady Cynthia Muldoon – Laura Morrison
Felicity Cunningham – Carolyn Macleod
Major Magnus Muldoon – Alistair Macleod
Simon Gascoyne – Andrew Szwec
Inspector Hound – Matt Hamlyn
Mrs Drudge – Fiona Goggins