THE order of the evening for St Simon and St Jude's latest production was marrows, mystery.. and murder.

A Fete Worse than Death starts as soon as you bought your ticket - with games and stalls set up around the theatre's seating area for visitors to take part in before the show starts - and the scene is set for a trip to the Thornton fete where poor Malcom (David Crank) is desperate to win back his trophy for the biggest marrow in the village. 

But his efforts are thwarted by the shifty vicar Father Mike (Eddie Done) who has cheated  by rubbing his oversized marrow with coffee beans. 

But no one cares to listen - not even his wife Bunny (Nicola Walsh) who is too busy having sweet nothings whispered into her ear by a Viking re-enactor called Nigel (Tony Meehan) - as they are all too busy waiting for suave TV actor Ray Martin (Colin Dean), known for his role as a top police inspector, to open the fete. 

But the "inspector's" speech offers the perfect time for one of them to commit the perfect crime - but who dunnit?

Busybody and chutney maker Miss Parmenter (Chris Wynn) and Gazette reporter Ms McDoodle (Barbara Lewis) are a hilarious double act as they swoon over poor Ray as they push him into stepping back into his inspector's shoes to solve the crime. 

Each character successfully and subtlety  makes their motive clear before deed has been done - the disgruntled organiser, the shunned wife, the vicar covering his back - any of them could have thrust the cake slicer in Malcolm's back. 

What ensues from there on is everyone trying to explain their reasons for not being in the photos taken my Ms Doodle during Ray's opening speech. Surely who was absent from the photo must be guilty?

But as the well executed projections of the photos onto the side of the stage show - every one of them is in the frame. 

Quick one-liners from fete organiser Trish Burton (Beth Alcock) and a few misplaced bible quotes from the vicar added more laughs from a very satisfied audience. 

What makes this production all the more unique is the half time break where the cast - still in character - mix with the audience and get them to say who they think did the deed. 

On top of that the audience never tired of the marrow innuendoes courtesy of Malcom - who despite his short lived part, makes an welcomed impact on stage. 

A Fete Worse than Death was an admirable debut by 22-year-old director Stuart McCaig who made the audience part of the production almost as much as the cast itself. 

The production is running until Friday, October 24.