"Brash With A Body"

The Nelson Repertory Theatre climaxed a very successful year with a comedy-thriller which drew near-capacity audiences for its seven-night season. "Brush With A Body", the hilarious story of an Irish sweep with an unquenchable thirst for good liquor and knowledge, who finds a body stuffed up a chimney of a very respectable house. The disposal of the body and the tension engendered by the appearance of the police inquiring into another matter, provided audiences with a delightful evenIng.

Gerald Stewart, as the sweep, Mr Flaherty, was in magnificent form, as was the emotional psychiatrist Henry (Howard Mathison). They received excellent backing from Mrs Wailing (Barbara Campbell) and the other eight characters.

Mr Flaherty himself

At ease, with a glass at hand, Mr Flaherty displays the shoe which fell from the chimney to Henry, and sees in it the chance to make a few bob,

Sarah (Hilary Carter) also had some problems

Mrs D'Arcy (Winifred Green, had her nose (and what a nose) put out of joint.

Henry confides to his mother (Barbara Campbell) that he is being blackmailed by Flaherty and learns how the body came to be in the chimney.

Cynthia (Freda Allison) and Henry do not share Sarah's amusement over a photograph

Rosita (Julia Reid), the cause of much of the panic, is hustled out of sight by Flaherty.

Henry and Flaherty come to an understanding

Mrs Walling, who had come to an understanding with Flaherty to dispose of the body, faints in the police sergeant's (Alistair Gibbons) arms.

A very Jittery Henry pays scant attention to his fiancee Pamela (Patricia Urwin) as he impatiently listens for sounds of the activities of Flaherty upstairs.

All fearful eyes turn to the garden where the police sergeant has just opened Flaherty's bag in his quest for a stolen cup.

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The Nelson Photo News

No 50 : December 12, 1964

"Brash With A Body"