Cakes, bakes mystery & murder! Join a cast of talented u3a members for the annual bake-off event… but be wary, these shady characters have been known to go to extreme lengths to secure the top prize. Bear witness to the crimes, unpick the suspicious activity and see if you can work out who dunnit! At the u3a’s first virtual murder mystery event!
Book your place here and join Chris Wright, subject advisor for Quizzes, and the amazing cast bringing the drama and mystery to life on your screens.
It’s the annual Bake-Off organised by U3A Organic Gardening & Cookery Group and the rivalry is intense. Rumours abound of cheating, jealousy, clandestine affairs and other shenanigans. Then a mysterious death... or three! Suspicion falls on the maker of a poisoned Bakewell Tart, but the bungling police are getting nowhere with their investigation. Fortunately, Hercules Parrot, legendary vicar and super sleuth, is on hand to help the audience work out who dunnit.
Audience members are encouraged to dress up and to bring your own baked goods to enter into the bake-off competition.
Read all about the characters here so you can be prepared to help solve the dastardly crimes!
Flora L Bouquet President of the u3a Organic Garden Produce & Cookery Group. Pretentious snob who regards the group as her fiefdom. GLORIA MILNE. Cambridge u3a
Delilah Doolittle. Vice-president and co-ordinator. Would love to be President. Dedicated Stoke City supporter (whose fans sing a crude version of “Delilah”). JAN SIMPSON. Madeley & District u3a
Reverend Hercules Parrot Patron. Legendary vicar and super sleuth who has solved several murder mysteries. CHRIS WRIGHT. Madeley & District u3a
Marigold Peabody Vegan fundamentalist and cat lover. GILL NEEDHAM Matlock Area u3a
Bert Toff Local non-organic farmer with a farm shop and a brand new combine harvester. BRIAN HYAM Brentwood, Shenfield and Hutton u3a’s
Colonel Digby Farquarson-Smythe. Hunting, shooting, fishing millionaire. Ex-SAS with a fearsome reputation for taking out the enemy. Now keeps bees as a hobby. MIKE MILNE. Cambridge u3a
Clodagh O’Toole. The Colonel’s Irish 12-bore toting game-keeper. Likes the whiskey. ROSE MARIE BRADLEY u3a Foyle
Morag Macdonald. Eccentric Scottish haggis addict and Rabbie Burns fan. MAUREEN CAMPBELL. E. Renfrewshire u3a
Lola Lust. Feisty, flirty, very fit Zumba teacher. An adopted child who got in lots of trouble as a teenager. SUSAN HEATON. Hale u3a
Jake Hick A thick pig farmer. Rumoured to be a “ladies man”. DAVID PRICE Shenfield u3a
Prudence Hick. Tough wife with a temper. Formerly a teacher at local High School. Dismissed for aggression and served time for ABH. JACKIE BUNT. St. Helens u3a
DCI Ivor Clewless A detective who doesn’t recognise his limitations, often arresting the wrong suspects. LEN STAINES. Madeley & District u3a
PC Percy Plodder Naïve sidekick. TONY POLWART. Madeley & District u3a
Mary Blackberry Famous TV cookery presenter. Guest judge. LINDA SOUTHALL. Causeway u3a
Pascal Patisserie Petulant, arrogant French chef and the second judge. RICHARD HILL. Wycliffe Lutterworth u3a
Norma Bates A weird American who once owned a motel where several guests mysteriously disappeared. JENNIFER MALIN. Lewes u3a
Tilly Truelove. A sweet lady who grows exotic fruit and vegetables on her remarkably fertile garden. On her own since her husband suddenly left to live abroad. VENIE MARTIN. Causeway u3a
Doc Martin Popular doctor, despite his rudeness and fierce temper. Definitely has a personality disorder. Recently moved here from Portwenn. PAUL DAVIDSON Bramhall u3a
Louisa Martin’s strident wife. Animal rights protester, hunt saboteur, anarchist and trouble maker. STELLA BURTON. Upminster u3a
Samwell Floggett. Auctioneer, rarely sober, rumoured to be on the fiddle. MARTIN HOUGHTON. West Wilts u3a
Written and produced by Chris Wright, Madeley & District u3a. Subject adviser Quizzes & Murder Mysteries
Director Georgia Laws, Learning, Advice & Volunteer Officer, u3a National Officer