Another Murder in Cheriton!

A special outdoor village-wide event in aid of

Another

Saturday 17th June 2017 1

E M I CR E FIL

IL 2PM T N U PENED O E B O NOT T POINT TART S YOUR IS

www.thecheritonplayers.org.uk

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Another

From our Chair It’s the mid-1950s, the war is over, a new queen has been crowned, spam fritters, salmon sandwiches, tinned fruit with evaporated milk, fish on Fridays and spam salad for high tea every Sunday. School milk, the nit nurse, ‘music and movement’ and skirts tucked into knickers. The Festival of Britain, Doo-Wop and Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Peace reigns and life is good, but wait…a murder…in Cheriton?

A body has been discovered and the police need your help. As you wander around the village you’ll come across suspicious characters lurking. With the help of clues and your questioning of the suspects, will

you be the ones to bring the culprit to justice?

We wish you an enjoyable afternoon and thank you for supporting this Cheriton Players/Village Hall Committee event with 75% of the profits going towards the purchase and refurbishment of the village hall.

Cheriton Players’ next production will be in the Village Hall on November 15th-18th. Visit our website at www.thecheritonplayers. org.uk and on Facebook and Twitter to keep abreast of all of our news.

Happy detecting!

Marilyn Weston

Cheriton Players is a small friendly theatre group always keen to encourage new members to join us onstage, backstage and front of house. If you are interested in joining the Players, please get in touch through the website www.thecheritonplayers.org.uk or by email to thecheritonplayers@gmail.com You can also join our mailing list through the website to receive our regular newsletters and details of future productions. We would love to hear from you!

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Introduction & Timetable Overview There has been a murder. Wally Patch, a well-respected naval officer, in charge of nuclear weapons, working at HMS Flowerpot and married to Poppy Patch, has been found dead in the porch outside the Village Hall. Wally was also chairman of the Cheriton Players and was at the Village Hall last night, along with the other players for the final dress rehearsal of The Battle of Cheriton, a play which re-enacts the famous battle which took place in 1644. Wally was proud to be playing the leading role of his own ancestor, Sir William Waller, the well-known Parliamentarian and stalwart of Cromwell’s army. A cursory investigation of the body reveals his own briefcase beside him with the lock broken, and some sugar crystals in a brown paper envelope which had been torn open in his inside pocket. Wally was also chairman of the Board of the local cottage hospital, St Mungos.

Approximate timetable You will have to set off to start your investigation as soon as possible after 2.00pm. You are expected back at the School Hall (please use rear entrance) for the barbecue at 6.00-6.15pm. If you wish to hand in your Charge Sheet for marking, you will need to do so before 6.45pm.

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Briefing and start time 2.00pm Tea & soft drinks will be served in the Village Hall to help your little grey cells 3.30-5.30pm Back to the School Hall to finalise solution and then relax your little grey cells 6.00pm Bar opens 6.00pm Hand in your Charge Sheet for marking no later than 6.45pm Supper (barbecue) 6.00-7.00pm Revelation of the solution 7.15-7.45pm Presentation of prizes 8.00pm Relax and enjoy the rest of the evening with a glass or two and chat over where you went wrong!

Car Parking If you have not already done so, please park your car in the field next to the Church (marked on the map) to avoid congestion in the village.

4 in blue

Toilets There are toilets at the Village Hall, the Flower Pots pub and the School (school is open at 6.00pm).

Refreshments Tea and soft drinks in the Village Hall 3.30-5.30pm A licensed bar will be open for drinks 6.00pm - 9.30pm at the school (drinks not included in ticket price!)

Introduction & Timetable What you need to do/know • Once you have opened your pack you need to discover where the suspects and clues are located. The map will help you to do this. All detectives have different starting points, so consult the back of your envelope and the front cover of your Crime File to find out your team’s starting point.

The order in which you visit the suspects thereafter is up to you. This is just to stagger the start.

• In order to solve the murder, you will need to piece together all the information at your disposal. Information can be found by: • Finding and talking to the people involved in the murder • Finding the clues around the village • Visiting the Incident Room (the Village Hall) • In order to discover where the suspects and clues are, look on your map (centre pages) and when you think you have found the right place, search for the symbol on the right (a green ‘Sherlock’ symbol) and you will have found the right place.

• If you see a black ‘Sherlock’ symbol with a red line through it, this means NO ENTRY. Please respect these signs, both for people’s privacy and your own safety. You will also be in the church/churchyard at some point, so please show due respect there. Thank you.

• It is suggested that you spend no more than 3-4 minutes with each suspect as you have a lot of information to gather and a fair way to walk, as well as clues to find and interpret.

• When you have gathered all the information, complete your Charge Sheet.

• The winner will be determined in the following way: • You will identify the murderer correctly with the correct means, motive and opportunity.

• You will have identified why you have eliminated all the other suspects and the clues that have led you to this elimination.

• If no one identifies all the clues, the person/team who has identified the most and has the correct answer will be the winner.

THE JUDGES’ DECISION IS FINAL Another

Another

Important • If you are lost or in an emergency, please call 07799 603995 or 07850 653946.

• When you find clues, please leave them in place once you have looked at them.

• In order to receive your supper, please keep your sticker (donations gratefully received for u12s’ supper and ‘seconds’).

• The church clock will chime at 6.00pm so listen out for it and make your way to the School.

• During the afternoon, there will be a number of stewards who will have blue stickers on. Please ask them for help with directions etc if you need it.

• Look at your envelope/Crime File cover to find out where you must start your investigations.

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The Scene

T

he Cheriton Players were due to open The Battle of Cheriton this afternoon for the matinee performance of the play. Written and directed by Kim Burgess, an author who has come to live in Cheriton, the play tells the story of the battle between Royalist Lord Hopton and Roundhead Sir William Waller, which Waller eventually won, leaving King Charles’ plans to move into Kent and Sussex in disarray.

Following the dress rehearsal last night, where the full cast was assembled, together with the back stage and supporting crew, it appears that Wally returned home to be greeted by his wife Poppy, only to realise that he had left his briefcase at the Hall where he had left it on arrival for the rehearsal. As his job was a sensitive one aboard HMS Flowerpot, he told his wife he was immediately going back to recover it.

Although he didn’t return immediately, his wife went to bed and didn’t miss Wally until he wasn’t at the breakfast table for his customary bacon and eggs. She called the police, who found the body at 7.42am in the porch outside the Village Hall. At present, it is estimated that Wally died between 10.45pm and midnight.

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The list of suspects on pages 10-13 includes all those who are deemed to have had the opportunity to commit the murder. Not all members of the cast of The Battle of Cheriton are included in this list as they have been eliminated due to cast-iron alibis for the time of the murder.

Investigating Team Although the local constabulary are undertaking the investigation, and have prepared a number of reports already, because the victim is a Naval Officer, Vice Admiral Redbeard, a naval intelligence officer from the local fleet, and currently stationed at HMS Flowerpot, has been drafted in to help with the enquiries.

Local Enquiries PC Bobby Copper represents the local police force. He is not a suspect, however he has managed to collect some significant information throughout the morning by chatting to all the suspects. He is very willing to impart his knowledge to any detectives who might help him!

Acknowledgements Cheriton Players would like to thank the following:

Liz Bourne and David Burnfield, creators of ‘Another Murder in Cheriton’ The Cast: Jan Conway, Mike Cornter, Pauline Cornter, David Cradduck, Helena Gomm, Charlie Hellard, Rebecca Leadley, Angela Ledsham, Paul McTaggart The Catering/Bar Crew: Roger & Alyson Bennett, Tim Conway, Sally Cradduck, Sue & Jamie Herdman, Denby Johnstone, Annabel Peters, Ed Ridley, Craig Robb Stewards, helpers and supporters, especially Paul Hellard, David Wright, Marilyn Weston, Kevin Gover, Tracey Anderson, Craig Robertson, Geoff Ellis Pauline Cornter and Jan Conway for sourcing costumes Andrew Goldsworthy for the use of his marquee All the owners of the suspects’ locations: Simon & Penny Scott, Will & Sophie Beardmore-Gray, Julian & Claire Hartwell, Rupert & Isabel Boissier, Rev Graham Bowker (for the use of the Church), Roger & Alyson Bennett, Will & Nicola Cecil, Jo Bartlett and Paul Tickner at The Flower Pots Inn Cheriton Primary School for the use of their hall and playground Nicola & Will Cecil for the use of their field for car parking Hellards Estate Agents for sponsoring the Crime File and posters Henrietta Hellard for the use of her ‘millennium map’ Raimes Sparkling Wine and The Brooklands Concorde (Brooklands Museum Trust) for their generous prizes Steve Bohill-Smith, Jan Conway and Gussie Raimes who helped to provide these prizes Kevin Gover for his 50s disco and Winchester Today for promoting this event free of charge Ian Lock of Nexus Design for designing our poster and programme The Flower Pots Inn for the loan of glasses Lewis Pullinger and Paul Hellard for bringing their classic cars along Anyone else we have overlooked and/or who helped in any way!

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A B

C

1

3 I

8

H

1

The Village Hall (start point, Incident Room and toilets)

2 The School Hall (including toilets) open from 6pm

A The Flower Pots (including toilets) - open all afternoon B

Church Porch

C

The Old Rectory Coach House (entrance from churchyard)

D Burnt Platt – garden (entrance from churchyard) E

Cheriton Cottage – greenhouse (entrance from Hill Houses Lane)

G

4 D

E

9

F

2

3

F

Scene of the Crime (Village Hall Porch)

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Car Parking (Godwins Field)

Brook Cottage (garden room)

Another

Another

G Magnolia Cottage (car port) H Martyrwell (garden) I

Memorial tree on green

Detectives

Officials

Signs at location

Stewards

Suspects

No entry

The Suspects Poppy Patch Charming wife of Wally, having been married to him for thirty years, she appears distraught at the death of her husband. She is a keen gardener and often wins prizes at the local gardening shows for both her produce and flowers.

She is particularly keen on ‘unusual’ plants. Has been a member of the ‘Players’ for over five years and in the current play plays the part of a nursemaid to Lord Hopton’s children.

Notes

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Penny Pincher With her own accountancy firm in Winchester, Penny is ideally placed to be the Treasurer of Cheriton Players, as her knowledge of accounting is second to none. Her main hobbies include cooking, at which she excels as well. As someone who believes in ‘giving back’ to the community, Penny does the books of the local cottage hospital, St Mungos, on a voluntary basis. Penny prefers to take a back seat in productions and doesn’t usually tread the boards.

Notes

The Suspects Chummy Lovegood Chummy is a midwife at the local cottage hospital. She has not been in Cheriton all that long, however she is fast gaining a reputation as the ‘hand to hold’ for women giving birth. Although she is a midwife at St Mungos, she also presides at home births when women wish to remain in their own homes. She is known locally as ‘The Angel of Life’. In the play, she is playing the part of ward to Sir William Waller. She has only been in the Players for a short time, having only lived locally for just over a year.

Notes

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Babsy Windsor Babsy is a general nurse also at St Mungos. Before coming to the cottage hospital in Cheriton, she undertook research for a well-known specialist in London. Nowadays, she works in whichever specialism requires her, and is usually to be found in one of the clinics rather than on a general ward. Her husband is Arthur Chippendale (she is a very modern woman and has kept her own name). In the play, Babsy is playing the part of mistress to Lord Hopton.

Notes

The Suspects Alf Wight Alf is a vet and a descendant of the Lord Hopton who is featured in the re-enactment. He has been researching his family history and is particularly interested to see how the Players would portray the story. He has discovered many interesting facts about the battle and is really looking forward to seeing if they have been incorporated into the play.

Notes

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Arthur Chippendale An antiques dealer, married to Babsy Windsor, who is also a keen gardener. He has often been in competition with Poppy Patch and there is a friendly rivalry between the two of them, although Arthur tends towards less ‘organic’ gardening methods than Poppy.

Notes

The Suspects Louisa Baird Working for the recently instigated Southern Television, Louisa is currently researching for a specialist antiques programme about artefacts from the Civil War. She has come to Cheriton to watch the play to see if there is any interesting information she hasn’t previously discovered.

Notes

Kim Burgess Wrote the play and is directing it as well. She also works at HMS Flowerpot as an administrator, and therefore has known Wally in his capacity both as boss and chairman of the Players. She has written a number of plays previously for local amateur dramatic performances, including the Christmas classic The Rat Bait, the well-known Fifty-Two Stairs and the soon to be previewed Murder on the 4.50 from Waterloo.

Notes

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Past Productions The Even Greater Cheriton Variety Show April 2017 Cash on Delivery November 2016 A Month of Sundays March 2016 Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime Nov 2015 Third Week in August June 2015 The Great Cheriton Variety Show

April 2015 Oh Clarence!

May 2014 An Inspector Calls Dec 2013 A Bolt from the Blue April 2013 Season’s Greetings Nov 2012 Murdered to Death May 2012 Clerical Errors Nov 2011 Alice June 2011 Blithe Spirit Nov 2010 Don’t Dress For Dinner April 2010 Together4Christmas December 2009 Ten Times Table April/May 2009 The Ghost Train November 2008 Habeas Corpus April 2008 ’Allo ’Allo November 2007 Murder in Cheriton!

May 2007 The Champion of Paribanou

January 2007 Parallel Lines November 2006 Table Manners April 2006 A Christmas Carol December 2005 Out of Order April 2005 Idol Talent January 2005 The Noble Spaniard November 2004 Jungle Fantasy May 2004 The Real Inspector Hound & Black Comedy November 2003 Oliver!

January 2003 Don’t Utter a Note May 2002 Forty – Not Out! December 2001 Murder in Play March 2001 Confusions November 2000 An Evening’s Entertainment March 2000 Move over Mrs Markham

November 1999 Party Piece November 1998 After the Ball is Over April 1998 And then there were None

November 1997 Cat on the Fiddle April 1997 Love’s a Luxury November 1996

She Stoops to Conquer April 1996 Key for Two November 1995 ‘Bless ’em All’ May 1995 Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime Nov 1994 Pardon Me, Prime Minister April 1994 Variety Music Hall November 1993 Murder in Company April 1993 Worzel Gummidge November 1992 Outside Edge April 1992 My Fair Lady November 1991 Two One-Act Plays April 1991 Lock up Your Daughters November 1990 Haul for the Shore May 1990 Best of Old Time Music Hall

February 1990 Tons of Money November 1989 The Late Mr. Larrington April 1989 Merry Christmas Music Hall

December 1988 Man Alive April 1988 The Wind in the Willows

December 1987 I’ll Get My Man May 1987 Music Hall Jan/Feb 1987 Laughter in the Dark December 1986 Salad Days April 1986 The Proof of the Poison December 1985 Gala Music Hall September 1985 Charley’s Aunt May 1985 Music Hall February 1985 Small Hotel November 1984 Beyond a Joke May 1984 Music Hall February 1984 Play On! November 1983 Present Laughter May 1983 Old Time Music Hall February 1983 And So To Bed November 1982 Here We Come Gathering April 1982 Music Hall February 1982 Book of the Month November 1981 Pride and Prejudice May 1981 Music Hall Jan/Feb 1981 The Full Treatment November 1981 Fish Out of Water May 1980 Music Hall February 1980 A Friend Indeed November 1979 Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime April 1979 Music Hall January 1970

Jam Tomorrow November 1978 White Sheep of the Family April 1978 Old Time Music Hall Jan/Feb 1978 Love Birds November 1977 Running Riot May 1977 Jubilee Revue January 1977 Your Obedient Servant November 1976 Person Unknown April 1976 Old Time Music Hall January 1976 The Importance of Being Earnest

November 1975 Wolf’s Clothing April 1975 Old Time Music Hall Jan/Feb 1975 Love’s a Luxury November 1974 Sailor Beware April 1974 Old Time Music Hall Jan 1974 See How They Run November 1973 Doctor in the House April 1973 Old Time Music Hall January 1973 Quiet Weekend November 1972 Who Lies There April 1972 Old Time Music Hall January 1972 Pools Paradise November 1971 Something to Hide April 1971 Old Time Music Hall January 1971 Beside the Seaside November 1970 Trap for a Lonely Man February 1970 Man Alive November 1969 Busybody May 1969 Sleeping Partnership February 1969 Dear Delinquent November 1968 Goodnight, Mrs Puffin May 1968 A Pig in a Poke February 1968 Wanted One Bod November 1967 Still Life & Speaking Terms July 1967 Flat Spin May 1967 The Happiest Days of Your Life

February 1967 See How They Run October 1966 The Bride and the Batchelor April 1966 Breath of Spring November 1965 Blithe Spirit November 1964 Pools Paradise May 1964 One Man Banned November 1963 Haul for the Shore November 1962 Friends and Neighbours March 1962 Here We Come Gathering Nov 1961

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Murder in Cheriton...

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