Ngaio Marsh
Light Thickens
Dedication
For James Laurenson, who played The Thane
and for Helen Thomas (Holmes), who was his Lady, in the third production of the play
by The Canterbury University Players.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Peregrine Jay — Director, Dolphin Theatre
Emily Jay — His wife
Crispin, Robin, Richard — Their sons
Annie — Their cook
Jeremy Jones — Designer, Dolphin Theatre
Winter Meyer — Dolphin business manager
Mrs. Abrams — Secretary
Bob Masters — Stage manager
Charlie — Assistant stage manager
Ernie James — Property Master
Nanny — Miss Mannering’s dresser
Mrs. Smith — Mother of William
Lighting manager
Stage-door keeper
Restaurateur
SCOTLAND YARD
Roderick Alleyn — Chief Superintendent
Fox — Detective Inspector
Thompson — Detective Sergeant
Bailey — Detective Sergeant
Sir James Curtis — Pathologist
Chapter 1
FIRST WEEK
Peregrine Jay heard the stage door at the Dolphin open and shut and the sound of voices. The scene and costume designer and the lighting manager came through to the open stage. They wheeled out three specially built racks, unrolled their drawings, and pinned them up.
They were stunning. A permanent central rough stone stairway curved up to Duncan’s chamber. Two turntables articulated with this to represent, on the right, the outer facade of Inverness Castle or the inner courtyard, and on the left, a high stone platform with a gallows and a dangling rag-covered skeleton, or, turned, another wall of the courtyard. The central wall was a dull red arras above the stairway, open to the sky.