ONE of the problems of reviewing a murder mystery, is you can't spill the beans or the whole point of the show is lost.

What I am able to do is once again applaud the skills of the Thurrock Courts Players company who continue to bring us a myriad of varied entertainment at the Thameside Theatre.

As a group they are consummate of staging dramatic tale-telling and moments of great hilarity as their catalogue of work is ever-expanding.

Last time out, Courts brought us the wonderous musical story of Little Voice. This week's offering, with opening night on Wednesday, 15 October, was a world away from that tale of a northern town – opting instead for middle England and the shrewd, unassuming detective work of Agatha Christie's Miss Jane Marple.

Having just commented on Court's 'ever-expanding' cannon, this is actually the second time they have performed 'A Murder Is Announced'.

The first was 40 years ago and among the cast was local theatre stalwart Vic Gray as Inspector Craddock. He remains in situ with Courts, leading from the front as chairman and, for this production, offstage as its director.

Stepping into the Inspector's shoes is Wayne Prince, who never fails to impress with the ease in which he takes on a role, making it his own with consummate ease. He was a remarkable Ray Say in Little Voice and here, in a completely different character and setting he knits the production together once more. He makes it all look so much easier than I am sure it is.

Joining him from Little Voice are Jill Snelling, who is as perfect a fit for Miss Marple as you could imagine, Little Voice herself, Sophie Nash, who was a far more visible than musically vocal presence and seemingly Thameside ever-present Michael Southgate – who only last week was a part of the wonderful TOPS on Stage's 'Come from Away'.

Where do these guys and girls get the time and energy?

As with almost every Courts ensemble  production I have seen, the company comes together in a supportive and caring way and they pitch headfirst into their characterisations. There was a touch of hesitancy through the opening act, but by the interval Christina Ashford (Letita Blacklock), Dawn Peat (Dora Bunner), Max Faulkner (Patrick Simmons), Victoria Grayling (Clare Swettenham), Natalie Hills (Phillipa Haymes and Lily Edmeades (Sgt Mellors) had introduced us to their characters and were heading into a convincing and tad more relaxed second half.

I can't use the adjective 'relaxed' about Stephanie Firth though; she's the comic centrepiece of the plot and as strong-minded maid and general factotum Mitzi she is a scene stealer.

That leaves George Andelon as Rudi Scherz, who must surely set a Thameside stage record for not being on stage during the production – but without him there would be no story.

And as I can't tell you how that story ends other than the chicanery of Inspector Craddock and Miss Marple eventually unravels more than one plot line, I'll leave it there. You'll have to find out for yourselves.

A Murder is Announced is on again on Thursday, 16 and Friday, 17. Both performances start at 7.30pm and tickets can be booked here. Go and find out just Whodunit and support your local community theatre at the same time!

Courts will be back in February with something very new. They will be performing Stephen Moffat's 'The Unfriend', written as recently as 2020. It's a dark comedy thriller with a criminal twist. I'm sure it will be right up Mitzi's street and I shall await the cast list with great expectation. I'm sure there will be familiar faces and perhaps some new - but I have little doubt it will be another noteworthy addition to 56 years of entertainment provided by a company the borough can continue to be very proud of.