A suspicious death, a gothic manor and five women with secrets to hide will take centre stage when Growl Theatre presents Ravenscroft this month.
Written by American playwright Don Nigro and directed by Pauline Davies, the dark comedy follows Inspector Ruffing as he investigates the suspicious death of a man at Ravenscroft Manor, uncovering secrets and lies among the manor’s residents.
Pauline said that Ravenscroft was set in Edwardian Yorkshire and had the elements of a manor house murder mystery, combined with witty dialogue and complex characters.
“There’s a theatricality about the structure of the play that makes it different to a typical whodunit – each scene flows swiftly from one to the next as the inspector interviews the household members,” Pauline said. “Each of them has secrets to hide and as he tries to untangle the truth, he becomes ever more embroiled in their complicated lives.”
She said the production would honour Nigro’s vision while keeping the audience’s focus on the action by reducing distractions.
“We’re working with a black background (as per the playwright’s advice) and using diffused and spot lighting to create a feeling of eeriness,” she said. “The humour is easy to achieve because it’s so cleverly written, but we’re not playing it for laughs – this is a life and death story after all!
“I’m certain the audiences will be blown away by our wonderful performers. Even in early rehearsals, the play was entertaining thanks to the hard work of these talented and enthusiastic actors.”
Unmasking Secrets at Ravenscroft Manor
Rhiannon Said plays Marcy, the mysterious governess at Ravenscroft Manor, whose composed exterior begins to unravel as her secrets are revealed.
“I always enjoy playing a character that loses her composure throughout the show and has a bit of a cry and shout on stage; I find it quite therapeutic,” Rhiannon said. “However, Marcy is also the most restrained character I’ve played in recent years, which has been a challenge.”
Rhiannon, also a Growl Theatre committee member, said one of her favourite jobs was welcoming audiences at the door and seeing familiar faces return.
“Community support means everything to groups like Growl Theatre,” she said. “Over the past six years, we’ve seen our audiences grow enormously, and much of that is thanks to the incredible support of local community groups.
“I really believe theatre and live entertainment should be accessible and affordable to everyone. We pride ourselves on putting on quality productions and giving audiences a wonderful night out that won’t break the bank.”
Tickets are $23 for adults, $20 for seniors and concession card holders, or $17 each for groups of more than six people. Get your tickets here.
Ravenscroft
- Saturday, 15 August – Saturday, 29 August (Fridays & Saturdays, 7.30pm; matinees 2pm)
- Windsor School of Arts
- 381 Lutwyche Road, Windsor
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