Narrogin Repertory Club sells out The Hardcase Hotel at the Thornton Theatre in first production of 2025

The Narrogin Repertory Club’s first production for 2025 has come to a close with the show selling out the last four nights of its six-night run. Playing at the town’s Thornton Theatre from March 27-29 and April 3-5, The Hardcase Hotel is a murder mystery by New Zealand playwright Devon Williamson. Local doctor Ilario Da Silva and Geoff Page co-directed the play as well as playing key roles in the drama alongside Sharna Odlin, Joan Armstrong, Deb Broad and Regina Razumovskaya. Others in the cast were Louise Cameron, Trevor Williams and Jacqui Early. The set — depicting a remote cliff side Italian hotel — was hand-painted by Dr Da Silva in black-and-white providing a contrast to the vibrant costumes worn by the cast. The plot follows the murder of a guest and features quirky staff and guests with absurd accents and bright costumes. With the hotel cut off by flash flooding, hotel manager Juan Carlos, played by Dr Da Silva, must work out which of the oddballs is the killer and why. “I wanted to create a very eccentric five-star hotel lobby as the backdrop to the wacky and quirky characters in the play,” he said. Dr Da Silva said the 105-year-old club — which stages its next performance in September — welcomed new members. “We are always happy to see new faces and encourage potential actors and volunteers to come and join us,” he said.