CAT’S CRADLE
TYLDESLEY LITTLE THEATRE
Until Saturday

A TRULY tangled tale is being expertly unpicked by a talented cast in Tyldesley.

Tyldesley Little Theatre (TLT) got 2014 off to an entertaining and intriguing start on Tuesday evening with a psychological mystery thriller.

Written by Leslie Sands, described upon his death in 2001 as a master of gritty realism on stage and screen, Cat’s Cradle is set in a small English village where, 12 years before the time of the play's action, a six-month-old baby boy was kidnapped.

Cue the arrival of Inspector Frost who is back to reinvestigate the case he previously failed to solve.

He is less than welcome at The Cresswell Arms where the wedding of young Sarah Fulton and Sir Charles Cresswell's nephew is due to take place.

The play really does keep you guessing as the characters brood, lie, snipe and conspire throughout the two acts until the truth is revealed.

Paul Ward makes a superb Detective Frost, with his character’s quips and sarcastic comments expertly delivered and serving to lighten the tone.

Alex Clarke and Carly Lomax play Sam and Peggy Fletcher, who run the inn, and do a great job of keeping you wondering just what their involvement is.

Ingrid Folkard-Evans plays Pamela Fulton with conviction, portraying her as snooty and seemingly cold-hearted, as does Alana Howarth-Lees, as her sweet-natured daughter Sarah.  

The role of tormented Miss Merton is in safe hands with TLT stalwart Winnie Beatty, Ian Hunter has all the stage presence needed to pull off the role of an influential Sir and Connor Parkinson puts in a good performance as journalist Bob Marriott.

Theatre-goers have until Saturday to see them unravel the Cat’s Cradle, directed by Jenny Whur.