WRITE ME A MURDER
A thriller by Frederick Knott

Faced with such a title you might instantantly anticipate a thriller with an ingenious plot that has been devised to kill somebody in a murder story and is then twisted into reality. And that is precisely right! To begin with! There are many more surprises in store in this intriguing tale of Clive and David Rodingham, two brothers who inherit the family fortune upon the death of their father.

Frederick Knott, author of DIAL M FOR MURDER and WAIT UNTIL DARK and one of the world's most successful thriller writers, invites you to solve the dilemma of not only who is the murderer but also who is the victim in this intricate maze of clues and crimes and cross and doublecross.

By arrangement with Josef Weinberger Ltd.

ANTHONY HOUGHTON (The Hon David Rodingham) Anthony trained at the Arts Educational School. His theatre credits include: Valet/Major Domo in AMADEUS (Theatre Royal, York); Peter Quince in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (UK tour); the Attendant spirit in COMUS (USA); Lennox in MACBETH and Montjoy in HENRY V (Arundel Castle); Ickes in ANNIE (UK tour); SEVEN SONNETS OF MICHELANGELO (Lyric, Hammersmith); CONVERSATIONS WITH MY FATHER (Old Vic, London); GIOVANNI'S ROOM (Drill Hall, London); VORTIGERN (Bridewell Theatre, London). Credits for regional repertory theatre include: THE AGATHA CHRISTIE FESTIVAL (23 plays over 12 weeks) at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff; the musical, JUDY; THE GLASS MENAGERIE; WUTHERING HEIGHTS; NOISES OFF; ROMEO & JULIET; MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS GOT HER HEAD CHOPPED OFF. Pantomimes include: JACK AND THE BEANSTALK; DICK WHITTINGTON, ALADDIN; THE SNOW QUEEN; BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE WIZARD OF OZ. Television: POIROT (LWT); CHUCKEVISION (BBC); AGENT Z and THE PENGUIN FROM MARS (BBC). Films: THE SIAMESE COP; THE KETTLE; DON'T GIVE UP.

PAUL JERRICHO (Charles Sturrock) Paul left the Drama Centre in 1968, and has since enjoyed a varied and colourful career in TV, film and stage. Notable theatre includes his West End debut in ARTURO UI with Leonard Rossiter; THE BIKO INQUEST at the Riverside Studios with Albert Finney; Manningham in GASLIGHT at Salisbury Playhouse; Dionysus in THE BACCHAE at Bristol Old Vic; Banquo in MACBETH, and Hortensio in THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, both for the British Actor's Theatre Company, set up by Kate O'Mara and Peter Woodward. Paul is an associate member of the company. TV credits: THE ICE HOUSE; THE BILL; A LIKENESS IN STONE; THE JUMP; THE BIKO INQUEST; and DOCTORS. He has recently filmed an episode of FOOTBALLERS WIVES, still to be screened. Paul was also a regular in such favourites as TRIANGLE, HOWARDS WAY, and DR WHO in which he played The Castellen, and uttered that immortal line…'Oh no!…Not the Mind Probe!' And most recently he has been seen playing Lord Hutton in THE HUTTON ENQUIRY on Sky Television Film credits: BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY; THAT GIRL FROM RIO; CRY FREEDOM; THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK; FORCED MARCH, and L'ACCOMPAGNATRICE. Paul's directing credits of note are, THE LONG AND THE SHORT AND THE TALL (Albery, West End), UNDER MILK WOOD and TALKING HEADS (Both Wimbledon Studio), and the World premiere of THE CUCKOO AND THE NIGHTINGALE. This production, concerning Rudolf Hess, is at present under consideration by West End producers, and a film script is now doing the rounds in Hollywood. He last appeared at Sonning in DOUBLE CUT, and is delighted to have been asked back.

KITTY LUCAS (Julie Sturrock) Kitty trained with the National Youth Theatre and went on to graduate with Honours from the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art three-year acting course. She started her professional career at the age of 9, playing Belinda Cratchit and Little Fan in A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton. Her theatre credits include: Juliet in ROMEO AND JULIET at the Cliveden Shakespeare Festival, Diasta in RAPE OF THE BELT at the Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton, Julia in THE GHOST TRAIN at the Southwold Summer Theatre and Pekoe in ALADDIN at the Players' theatre in London. Last year, Kitty was the juvenile lead of the Pitlochry Festival Theatre where her roles included Henrietta Angkatell in THE HOLLOW, Liza in THE QUEEN OF SPADES and Elaine Harper in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. Television credits include a CRIMEWATCH reconstruction and a presentation for WATCHDOG, both for the BBC. Most recently, Kitty appeared as Ginny in Alan Ayckbourn's RELATIVELY SPEAKING at the Northcott Theatre, Exeter and the Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke.

MICHAEL PERCIVAL (Constable Hackett/ Director) This is Michael's eighth play at The Mill, and his third here as director. Earlier in the year he directed BUILDING BLOCKS, and he last appeared as an actor in October 2002, playing the convict Jules in MY THREE ANGELS. Best known in this country for playing the amiable, but extremely dim M15 agent Dexter in THE PIGLET FILES for London Weekend TV, he has worked extensively in the theatre, both as actor and director, being involved in more than 300 productions. He still holds the record as the youngest ever professional theatre director, directing for the first time at the age of 19 years and 8 months. He was Director of the St Helen's Theatre Royal and the Malvern Festival Theatre, and directed most of the early productions for Duncan Weldon's Triumph Theatre Company. He has also directed as a freelance at several of Britain's repertory theatres. In the West End he was Associate Director of ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD, and most recently in Australia he produced a promenade version of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at a vineyard in New South Wales. More than 100 appearances on TV, ranging from the impossibly good Mr Mitchell in the first two years of GRANGE HILL to the sinister and dangerous Peter Crew in THE SCULPTRESS. Most recent UK movies, 101 DALMATIANS and FIERCE CREATURES, and in Australia FIGURES IN MOTION. Latest TV appearance was as the Reverend Ottermole in the series MY UNCLE SILAS with Albert Finney.

JENNIFER PIERCEY (Dr Elizabeth Woolley) Scottish-born, Jennifer started her career there at the Byre Theatre, St Andrews, going on to work for The Unicorn Theatre for children, in London. Then she worked solidly in repertory theatres all over the country. She worked for Alan Ayckbourn in Manchester, going on to work for him in Scarborough and in the West End in JOKING APART and REVENGERS' COMEDIES. Sue joined the National Theatre under Sir Laurence Olivier at the Old Vic, in MACBETH, THE CHERRY ORCHARD and THE FRONT PAGE. At the same time she appeared in Trevor Griffiths's ALL GOOD MEN at the I.C.A. She toured Australia with Michael Blakemore's THE FRONT PAGE and came back to the West End to appear in Zeffirelli's production of SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY at the Queens Theatre and John Dexter's production of EQUUS at The Albery. She played in THE SLAB BOYS at the Royal Court, MARRIED LOVE at Wyndhams and PRESENT LAUGHTER at the Aldwych. She joined the R.S.C. to appear in GOLDEN GIRLS which also played in The Pit. Jennifer has appeared in two award-winning films, FRIEND OR FOE, and ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE. She has appeared in many television plays and series, including MY UNCLE SILAS, as Albert Finney's sister Cora. She is perhaps best known as Nicholas Lyndhurst's mother in THE TWO OF US. Her favourite medium is radio - she has worked twice with the Radio Drama Company and has much radio work to her credit.

JULIAN SIMS (The Hon Clive Rodingham) Julian trained at Mountview Theatre School. Theatre includes: OUTSIDE EDGE (Windsor Theatre Royal and No. 1 Tour), THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG (Royal Theatre, Northampton), THIRST (King's Head), TREASURE ISLAND (Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea), SEVEN DEALY SINS (Arcola Theatre), CYRANO DE BERGERAC (The Bridewell), and PHILOCTETES (The Cockpit). TV includes several episodes of SMACK THE PONY (C4), CASUALTY (BBC), EASTENDERS (BBC), SHARPE'S GOLD (Carlton), DOWN TO EARTH (BBC), THE VANISHING MAN (Carlton), SEX 'N' DEATH (BBC), THE BILL (Carlton), THIEF OF SMILES (Carlton), ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE (C5) and LA TRAVIATA (BBC). Julian made his cinema debut in the British comedy STILL CRAZY where he played the role of Steven Greenblatt. Other film work includes Dr Green in the horror-flick THE CALLING directed by Richard Caesar. Writing credits include two stage-plays: TRUE COLOURS (produced at The Grace Theatre) and APARTMENT 2001 (winner of The Thames TV Theatre Writer Bursary Award). His sit-com, IF SYMPTONS PERSIST was broadcast on Radio 2 in 1998 and he has also written sketches for C4's Bafta winning show SMACK THE PONY, THE ARMSTRONG & MILLER SHOW (Carlton) and THE STATE WE'RE IN for the BBC.

Jonathan Niton (A man) Jonathan has just finished a A Level course at The Reading Blue Coat School and is currently working to fund a Gap year after which he intends to take-up a place at drama school to train in acting. Jonathan is delighted to make his professional debut at The Mill in WRITE ME A MURDER.

DANIEL COLLINS (Set designer) Dan has worked in theatre since 1992 when he started as a flyman at Harrogate Theatre. From the fly floor he went on to become a props maker and then realising he preferred painting; a scenic artist. Dan has worked all over the country from Pitlochry to Ipswich as well as abroad in Hungary and the U.A.E He has designed five pantos for Harrogate as well as the musical FROM A JACK TO A KING and Alan Ayckbourn's ABSENT FRIENDS. POOLS PARADISE is the first show he's designed for The Mill, where he started working as Design Assistant in December '02.

JANE KIDD (Costume Designer) Jane who is our Resident Costume Designer, trained in Fashion Design at Berkshire College of Art. She freelanced in knitwear and dress design for five years before joining The Mill as Wardrobe Mistress, and enjoys a variety of making both period and modern costumes of which she has made many whilst at The Mill. Some of Jane's recent costume designs include MOVE OVER MRS MARKHAM, TAKING STEPS, UNDER THE YUM-YUM TREE, TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS, CHASE ME COMRADE, FUNNY BUSINESS, FUNNY ABOUT LOVE, MY THREE ANGELS, INSIDE JOB, SEASON'S GREETINGS, BUILDING BLOCKS, A FOOT IN THE DOOR, POOLS PARADISE, BOYS WILL BE BOYS and THE MATING GAME.

ROSLYN NASH (Lighting Designer) Roslyn trained at Mountview Theatre School and has worked at The Mill for over ten years. She started as Technical Assistant and now has the pleasure of being the Production Manager. Over the years she has been given the opportunity to light many of the productions - a few recent ones include: WHO KILLED SANTA CLAUS?, TAKING STEPS, TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS, CHASE ME COMRADE, FUNNY BUSINESS, MY THREE ANGELS, SEASON'S GREETINGS, A FOOT IN THE DOOR, POOLS PARADISE, BOYS WILL BE BOYS and THE MATING GAME.

SALLY HUGHES (Artistic Director) Sally spent her early years in Venezuela and Argentina and after finishing her education in England, she then trained for the stage as an actress at The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. On graduating she was given her first engagement by John Fernald who directed her in COMING OF AGE. Then followed ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN at The Bush and CATCHPENNY TWIST at The King's Head Theatre. In 1984 Sally took over the post of Artistic Director of The Mill At Sonning from Peter Egan and has directed and appeared in many of its productions, including DAMES AT SEA (an excerpt of which was included in The Royal Gala Performance in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales), and most recently she appeared as Ginger Mercer in the musical TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS. The most recent plays Sally has directed at The Mill are ALL FOR MARY, WHO KILLED SANTA CLAUS, INSIDE JOB, A FOOT IN THE DOOR and POOLS PARADISE. Sally enjoys a career outside of The Mill and has played leading parts in the BBC series LATE EXPECTATIONS and LAURA AND DISORDER in which she played Wendy Craig's daughter-in-law. Other TV appearances include: DON'T WAIT UP, KEEPING UP APPEARANCES, BRUSHSTROKES & MULBERRY. Sally directed the National Tour of PASTIMES, starring Rosemary Leach and William Gaunt and also directed BAREFOOT IN THE PARK by Neil Simon at the Jermyn Street Theatre in the West End. Sally recently appeared in TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS, at the King's Head, London.

FREDERICK KNOTT (Playwright) Frederick Knott only wrote three plays yet his spine-tingling thrillers ran successfully on Broadway in the 1950's and 1960's, and have been standards in summer stock, regional theatre and touring productions throughout the world. His famous scripts DIAL M FOR MURDER, and WAIT UNTIL DARK were also adapted into films, and WRITE ME A MURDER opened on Broadway in 1961 and had a long run.. Born in 1916 in China to an English missionary family, Knott earned a law degree from Cambridge University and served in the British Army from 1939-1946, achieving the rank of major. He died in December 2002, aged 86.