Moonlite Theatre to stage suspense thriller

BACCHUS Marsh’s Moonlite Theatre group is preparing to bring a gripping suspense thriller, based on true events, to the stage this month.

The community theatre group is presenting six performances of Rope by arrangement with ORiGiN™ Theatrical on behalf of Samuel French A Concord Theatricals Company.

Directed by Shannon Nicholson and featuring a cast of eight, the classic suspense play by Patrick Hamilton, delves into the twisted minds of two friends who take crime to an unnerving psychological level.

Their chilling experiment with murder, based on the real-life Leopold and Loeb case, unravels in a way the stage audience is unlikely to forget.

Vice president of the Moonlite Theatre community group, Tim Hawthorne said he is looking forward to playing the supporting role of character Kenneth Raglan in the production.

“It’s a thrilling drama, a suspense drama and there’s a bit of comedy hidden in there as well,” Mr Hawthorne said.

“It’s also up for the Victorian Drama League Community Theatre Awards which will be announced November.

“We started rehearsals in early July. It’s going very well. We’re all gelling and just fine-tuning everything now. This is where we can now build on character.

“It’s a well known play and we had to pay for that rights to stage it but we thought it would be a riveting play to put on.”

Rope will be staged in the group’s home performance venue, the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Hall in Bacchus Marsh, at 8pm on Friday 17 and 24 October, and also at 2pm and 8pm on Saturday 18 and 25 October.

Tickets are through Trybooking.