How this Central West theatre company brought one of the classic murder mysteries to life in Carcoar

You are then tapped on the shoulder and asked to deliver a verdict. No, you haven't been called up for jury duty at Orange local court, but rather come to the end of one of the most in-demand shows in the Central West.

Pinnacle Players was founded in 2019 with the aim of bringing a different kind of theatre to Orange and surrounds.

They got off to a bang with 'Art a comedy' before putting on the 'Vicar of Dibley' and the colourful 'Song Contest: The Almost Eurovision Experience'.

Next to grace the stage is Agatha Christie's 'Witness for the Prosecution' which will takeover the historic Carcoar court house.

Partner Peter Young said the company had discovered a niche in the market by making their shows as immersive as possible.

"There's a gap for something different," he told the Daily.

"So far we've sold out our other shows, there certainly appears to be a gap we're filling now in what is smaller-scale works in atmospheric venues that match the show.

"It's never been our intention to use the theatre. There are plenty of people who use it and use it well.

"Our plan was to create experiences, that's how we ended up doing a show about art in an art gallery, the Vicar of Dibley in a hall that looked very much like a church and now we're doing a courtroom drama in a real courthouse.

"It won't be your average night at the theatre."

Such is their commitment to that immersion, the audience in Carcoar will be up close and personal with one member randomly selected at the end of the night to read out the verdict.

"It was built in the late 1800s and operated until the 1950s and it's pretty much been untouched except for being beautifully maintained by the Carcoar and District Historical Society," Mr Young said of the court house.

"It's a perfect size, we can fit 50 audience members in there and the audience will be sitting in the jurors area, the media box and the dock. They will really be part of the court case."

So, how do you go from a story about art, the comforting Vicar of Dibley and a Eurovision-inspired joyride into a murder, written by one of the greats of the genre?

Mr Young said he had noticed a resurging interest in Christie's works and having a murder mystery certainly helps to attract eyeballs.

"Agatha Christie seems to be in the forefront at the moment," he explained.

"The Mousetrap is playing professionally in Sydney at the moment. The Kenneth Branagh films are out there, it's been on television forever. There's this desire to revisit her work which is so well written. People love a murder mystery with a twist.

"The accused is hapless Leonard Vole and doesn't seem to quite understand the predicament that he's in. Of course there's a twist but it all centres around Leonard, did he do it? Who knows, you won't find out until the end.

"The are some wonderful character roles for actors such as the lead defence barrister Sir Wilfred. That's a fantastic role for Adam Ryder who is a local actor.

"It's wonderful to play a gruff old barrister who rules the roost in the courthouse. There's some nice juicy roles."

Those juicy roles have been eagerly snapped up by actors from across the Central West, from veterans of the stage to complete newcomers.

"All actors are from the Central West, many from Orange, Molong and Blayney.

"We've also got some new people to the group. We also have a nice little cameo from Brian Griffiths who is actually from Carcoar, he'll be our local star."

The show runs from November 4-19 and all things going well, Peter, fellow partner Jeff Thorn and creative consultant Janice Harris will be on the lookout for the next show or rather, venue.

"It's always a challenge to find the right work for the right location," he said.

"It's not as simple as booking a theatre and putting a show on. It's finding a location then finding a show.

"We have to balance our artistic desires with not losing buckets of money. Orange has been so supportive. All the shows leading up have been complete sellouts. Each production funds the next one."

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