A little-known murder mystery written more than 80 years ago will return to the stage this September after its director spent months searching for the right script.
Arena Theatre will present Lady in Danger at the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre in Thornlie on September 4, 5, 11 and 12.
Director Sharon Mobilia said she chose the play because she wanted to stage a mystery that audiences would not already know the ending to.
“I love murder mysteries and whodunnits but it’s very hard to find one that people won’t know the ending to,” she said.
Ms Mobilia discovered the script while searching online and through local libraries before finding Project Gutenberg Australia, which hosts works in the public domain.
“I found the Gutenberg project completely by accident,” she said.
“There are hundreds of scripts in the public domain, lots that didn’t age well, but the gem I found was written and set in the 1940s, which is still a popular era.”
The play was written in 1942 by Australian playwright Max Afford. Ms Mobilia said she had never heard of him before finding Lady in Danger, but wanted to give his work another audience.
“We live in a throw away society and I guess this play has become a bit of a quest of resurrection,” she said.
Choosing an unfamiliar play was a risk, she admitted.
“It was a huge gamble putting on a play that no one has heard of, by an author that no one knows or remembers,” she said.
“It’s always in the back of your mind that we won’t have an audience to perform to as people prefer the familiar. But I was proven wrong as ticket sales are strong.”
The production features a cast of eight performers with different levels of experience, including newcomers, returning actors and university-trained performers. Several cast and crew members include Augusta Manowski, Callum Hunter, Nicki Arbon, Dale Pendlebur, Mandy Tenly, Alistair Irwin, Dante Joyce, Tom Leadbeatter.
Ms Mobilia said one of the biggest challenges had been finding costumes and props from the 1940s.
She built the set herself, with help from community Facebook groups and online tutorials.
“I have managed to build the entire set myself,” she said.
Set in post-war London, Lady in Danger follows journalist Bill and aspiring playwright Monica Sefton after a man is found dead in their flat. As police investigate, Monica discovers the clues mirror the plot of a play she is still writing.
Ms Mobilia hopes audiences enjoy trying to solve the mystery before the final scene.
“We have been very secretive about the ending,” she said.
“I know the audiences are going to have a great time seeing our show. Everyone has a little detective inside of them and a night out with friends at the theatre having a laugh and solving a murder – perfect!”
