Busybody

A comedy by Jack Popplewell, premiered in London in 1964.Performed by STADS at St. Teilo’s Church Hall, Bishopston in March 1994.

SynopsisDetective Superintendent Harry Baxter is plagued by two busybodies – a corpse that vanishes and the officious office cleaner, Mrs Piper, who finds it. Motives for murder abound – all the office staff and the corpse’s wife are suspect. His self-control snaps completely when the corpse himself walks in alive and well. But Mrs Piper still insists that there was a body, and it is she who finally identifies both corpse and murderer and actually obtains a confession. Busybody is a parody of the classical “Whodunnit”, rather like the famous Peter Sellers Pink Panther films.

Director/Producer

  • Dorothy Morris

Cast (in order of appearance)

  • ‘Mrs Piper’ ~ Donna McOnie
  • ‘Richard Marshall’ ~ Robin Wayne
  • ‘Det Const Goddard’ ~ Lee Davies
  • ‘Det Supt Baxter’ ~ David McOnie
  • ‘Claire Marshall’ ~ Claire Hardy
  • ‘Marian Selby’ ~ Julie Greenwood
  • ‘Robert Westerby’ ~ Ian Evans
  • ‘Vickie Reynolds’ ~ Simone Hazell

Backstage

  • Stage Manager ~ Alan Bailey
  • Assistant ~ James Atkinson
  • Lighting ~ Alan Bailey
  • Prompt ~ Alison Shepherd
  • Props ~ Wendy Kane, Val Hiorns
  • Sound Effects ~ James Atkinson
  • Make-up ~ The cast

Photos

The Cast Left to right: Claire Hardy ("Claire"), David McOnie ("Baxter"), Donna McOnie ("Mrs Piper"), Robin Wayne ("Richard"), Ian Evans ("Robert"), Julie Greenwood ("Marian"), Simone Hazell ("Vickie").

The Cast
Left to right: Claire Hardy (“Claire”), David McOnie (“Baxter”), Donna McOnie (“Mrs Piper”), Robin Wayne (“Richard”), Ian Evans (“Robert”), Julie Greenwood (“Marian”), Simone Hazell (“Vickie”).