The Ladykillers

The Lady Killers - HADIT does it again! 27-30 November 2019

This stage adaptation from the 1955 film of the same name was a delight all round. It had everything you need for a great night out - a story line most improbable, a set that defies the limitations of the Methodist Hall stage with an upstairs, downstairs, kitchen, roof top and even a railway tunnel, and a truly motley crew of larger than life characters.

This was a strong team, ably coordinated by Paul Archer both off-set as director and on-set as the self-important gang leader who wants this bank robbery to be a work of artistic merit.

His crew of incompetent criminals were magnificent to a man/woman - Tim Smallwood's cross-dressing conman, Jon Haddock's punch-drunk boxer, Jim Driver's OCD spiv, and Jo Elliot's cold-blooded killer who's afraid of the dark - all managed the marrying of farce and comedy while never sacrificing our belief in their characters.

Sue Shearsmith gave a stirling performance as elderly fantasist Mrs Wilberforce, and Martin Chapman deserves a special mention for his dual role as the weary 'here we go again' police officer and as the pretentious leader of the wonderful 'Loose Collection of Elderly Ladies' taken in by the gang's supposedly modern musical performance - worthy of Little Britain!

All praise as always to the back stage crew, and thank you HADIT for enlivening our winter evenings with another unique production. More power to your collective elbows!

Valda Dagnell