Murder mystery with comedic twist set to entertain local theatre-lovers at Goldfields Repertory Club

Rivalling the latest season of White Lotus or even a good game of Cluedo, the Goldfields Repertory Club’s adaptation of The Hardcase Hotel is sure to entertain this season.

Directed by Lauren Chapman-Holle and Ainsley Nysschen, and performed by arrangement with David Spicer Productions, the play follows the vacation stays of a motley crew who have been banned from the five-star resorts of Europe.

Paul Andinach’s Juan Carlos and Chloe Astill’s Aileen work tirelessly to meet the needs of the wild, weird and wacky rich until a murder-mystery throws a dark shadow over the hotel.

It is up to Juan Carlos and Aileen to figure out which of the oddball guests committed the crime at the Italian countryside hotel.

Running as the club’s Christmas show, the theatre seating has been swapped out for tables and chairs, and each table is set to share a grazing box from Raj’s Copper Bowl.

Co-director Chapman-Holle told the Kalgoorlie Miner the club decided to switch up its Christmas show offering to give audiences something fresh.

“Last year our Christmas show was Nuncrackers the Musical so we just wanted to look for something that was going to be a bit different for audiences but still a really enjoyable, fun show for people to come along and enjoy some wonderfully produced live dinner theatre,” she said.

“We found this script by Devon Williamson, who is a New Zealand playwright, and it really appealed to us — (it) had some fun characters in it, so we went for it.

“We were very lucky to have a really talented cast that auditioned, including a couple of first-time performers who have just blown us away with their accents, their singing, and their characterisation for brand newbies.”

It will be the first time performing with the club for Indi Harris and Jack Moloney, who play the annoying Americans Barb and Walter Buckley.

The pair are naturals on stage and both perform fast-paced solo numbers with impressive vocals.

On the music choices, which were decidedly modern despite the play’s setting of 1936, Chapman-Holle said the songs were selected to fit the character’s moods.

“Although the show is set in 1936, we went for songs that we felt fit the moods and the characters and the moment in the show, rather than having the audience listen to songs from the period,” she said.

The six musical numbers are from familiar voices such as Elvis Presley, Meghan Trainor, Marvin Gaye and Dua Lipa.

Michelle Burton’s French accent is just right for Valerie du Pont, as is Yvette Smith’s ocker Australian accent for Shirley, and Nikki Owen’s pompous British accent for Lady Doncaster-Smith.

Fitted with a hotel lobby desk and lounges, the set is modern and clean, and the lighting and sound effects draw the audience into the classic comedy-murder mystery masterpiece.

The show will run across December 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16, with a matinee sponsored by BHP on December 10.

Doors open at 7pm and the approximate finish time is 10pm.

Tickets for this festive event are priced at $60 per person and can be purchased at goldfieldsrepclub.org.au.