Busybody by Jack Popplewell: Arcade Players Make a Classic Feel Current and Hilarious

I didn’t expect to laugh as much as I did. Busybody by Jack Popplewell is one of those plays you might assume would feel dated – a 1960s office, a dead body that disappears, and a lot of shouting. But the Arcade Players’ production at The Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton felt anything but old-fashioned. It was fast, slick, and genuinely funny.

From the moment the curtain rose, there was an energy that never let up. The show had all the pace of a sitcom and the sharpness of a well-rehearsed sketch, with that added buzz you only get from live theatre. Farces can be difficult – the timing has to be immaculate or everything falls flat. But here, the whole production clicked into place. What could’ve easily been a chaotic mess turned out to be one of the funniest, most enjoyable shows I’ve seen in a while.

Making Farce Feel Fresh

Busybody is a classic British farce. It starts with Mrs Piper, a cleaner at a city office, discovering a dead body in the boss’s office. But by the time the police arrive, the body has mysteriously vanished. What follows is a twisting chain of cover-ups, mistaken identities, finger-pointing, and more than one suspicious motive.

Written by Jack Popplewell in the early 1960s, Busybody might not be the most well-known play today, but its script is full of potential for comic gold. His writing is quick-witted and chaotic, but what really made this production shine was how current it felt. The script wasn’t altered significantly (except for a gender-swapped role and some modern references), but the tone, delivery, and overall pace were updated in a way that made the whole thing feel relevant. No line was thrown away. It was a reminder that, when performed with the right energy, a 60-year-old comedy can land just as well as a new one.

The physicality, in particular, had a modern sharpness to it. Characters didn’t overplay their reactions – they let the words do the work, with just enough body language to sell the moment. The facial expressions, the subtle glances, the perfectly timed pauses – all of it served the script instead of overshadowing it. And it paid off. The audience was laughing throughout, not just at the punchlines, but at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation.

Comic Chemistry That Stole the Show

At the heart of the production was the comic chemistry between Kate Davis-Hill (Mrs Piper) and Alex Chalk (Superintendent Baxter). Their dynamic lit up every scene they shared – and they shared a lot of them. Kate played Piper with gleeful meddling energy, full of passive-aggressive wit and unshakeable certainty. Alex, in contrast, brought a large, commanding physical presence – tall, broad, and visibly done with everyone’s nonsense.

What made it even funnier was that Baxter was clearly suffering from a cold the entire time. Sniffling, grumbling, and increasingly desperate to be anywhere else – ideally in bed with a hot water bottle – he stumbled through the investigation like a man who’d rather be unconscious. The visual mismatch between the two – this towering, broad-shouldered detective constantly outmanoeuvred by a pint-sized cleaner – became its own running gag. Every time he tried to regain control, Piper would steamroll right over him with another unsolicited opinion or perfectly timed interruption.

It could’ve easily tipped into slapstick, but it didn’t. The balance between the two characters was so well-judged that it stayed just on the right side of absurd. There was a real rhythm to their scenes – like they were speaking different languages, but somehow still having a conversation. It was sharp, silly, and completely believable.

Kate had the audience laughing immediately, with her brilliant take on Mrs Piper. Her performance reminded me of the late great Caroline Aherne, really embodying that lovable working-class woman who you wanted to go to the pub with. She even managed to bring character to Mr Piper, a role that is in name only.

Alex built on this with his unique take on Baxter. He struck a brilliant balance between exasperation and precision, and while the earlier section described his physical presence and comic rhythm, it was also his restraint that stood out. He gave one of my favourite detective portrayals (and I know my fictional detectives!) – subtle, deliberate, and just daft enough to keep you completely engaged. Up there with John Nettles’ Barnaby as a legend!

Busybody by Jack Popplewell – The Ensemble Cast

The rest of the cast more than held their own, too. This was one of those rare productions where no one faded into the background.

• Rachel Ludlam was calm, clipped, and quietly hilarious as DC Goddard. Her dryness balanced out the madness and gave the play a strong backbone. She knew exactly how to land a line with the smallest shift in tone. I’ve seen Rachel in panto before, and my goodness, is she diverse! Her ability to take on different forms is astounding.
• Martin Mould gave a layered performance as Richard Marshall, managing to be both suspicious and oddly sympathetic. His scenes built real tension, but he never tipped into melodrama. He felt real, flawed, defensive, and unsure of his own innocence. Martin is a theatre veteran, and we go back a long way. This is certainly reflected in his performance, and it’s so good to see him on stage. He brought the kind of gravitas and experience that can hold a play together from the inside.
• Helen Parker as Claire Marshall was understated in the best way. She brought emotional weight and restraint, adding texture and realism to a show that could’ve become too chaotic without those grounded moments. Her subtle glamour and suspicious behaviour added complexity and intrigue to the plot, making her a character you watched closely. She brought just the right edge of vulnerability to the role.
• Sheila Poyzer played Marian Selby with steely elegance. Her presence was cool and calculated, and every glance felt loaded. She didn’t need many words – her expressions said plenty. Sheila’s sense of timing was impeccable, delivering lines with precision that consistently landed with impact. Wonderful performer. Her stagecraft gave the character a real sense of depth and mystery.
• Toby Lee was all swagger as Robert Westerby – the kind of man who thinks he’s cleverer than he is. He had brilliant comic instincts and a knack for landing a punchline with just the right amount of smarm. And that accent! One of the best RP accents I’ve heard in local theatre. Every movement, every gesture felt intentional – and funny.
• Grace Deakin gave a natural, energetic performance as Vickie Reynolds. She brought a youthful sharpness to the role, and her timing, especially in the ensemble scenes, was spot on. Grace is a dear friend of mine, and we played sisters in Hot Mikado, so it was genuinely lovely seeing her in such a brilliant role, completely owning it. She looked incredible too – her costumes were on point and suited the character perfectly. It was one of those roles where everything aligned: performance, styling, and presence. She had spark and style, and totally nailed it.

Each performance felt lived-in. For example, Grace especially shone in a scene where she was desperately trying to leave the office, yet Mrs Piper kept dragging her back in – the tension and timing of that moment drew one of the loudest laughs of the night. These weren’t just characters being read off the page – they were believable people caught in an increasingly ridiculous situation. It was the kind of ensemble that clearly trusted each other, and that made all the difference. The sense of camaraderie and shared timing was one of the production’s biggest strengths.

A Set with Real Character

You could tell from the moment you saw the stage that this wasn’t going to be a half-hearted production. The set was impressively detailed – plush seating, a gloriously broken water cooler, and shelving with so much detail, you could imagine it sitting in the office of any upper management. It struck that perfect balance between realistic and theatrical, giving the actors room to move while also helping the audience feel like they were genuinely peering into an office after hours.

There were moments where the set became part of the comedy, like Mrs Piper getting under the desk looking for clues, the ongoing broken watercooler joke, and the modernised MacBook prop, which would have been a typewriter in the original play.

The blocking was clever, too. Characters moved in and out of the space with purpose, creating an almost dance-like rhythm to the entrances and exits. Props – phones, files, pens, handbags – weren’t just used but integrated into the action. The desk became a hiding place, a pedestal, and a battlefield all at once.

Lighting and sound, courtesy of Mike Beedham, were clean and purposeful. Scene changes were slick, and the mood was always clear. There were a few moments where sound cues perfectly punctuated a visual gag, and it made all the difference. This was tech that supported the comedy without trying to steal the spotlight. The choice of music really worked, too. I recognised a few classic murder mystery themes woven into the transitions, which added a layer of wit and familiarity that absolutely delighted the murder mystery lover in me.

Direction That Understood the Assignment

Farce lives and dies on direction, and Hannah Reason and Miriam Deakin nailed it. Every beat felt intentional. They understood when to hold a moment and when to snap forward. The chaos was choreographed, not messy, and the pacing built naturally from a slow simmer to full-blown mayhem. I understand this is their first time working together as producers, and wow! I hope they do more, because this is a real talent for both.

They also knew when to trust silence. A few of the biggest laughs came from held pauses, knowing glances, or physical reactions with no dialogue at all. That kind of timing doesn’t happen by accident. It’s rehearsed, refined, and executed by a cast that’s been led well.

It was also clear that the creative team thought carefully about tone. This wasn’t farce for the sake of noise – it was character-driven comedy. The absurdity came from how real the stakes felt to the people on stage, and that authenticity grounded the whole show. The characters weren’t just playing at panic – they were genuinely invested, which made the humour land even harder.

Backstage, the operation was just as tight. Damon Pipes, Beverley White, Elaine Draper, and Lyn Jones handled set, props, and continuity with care, while Elaina Evans kept everything running smoothly as Stage Manager. There were no clunky transitions or awkward gaps – just smooth, professional delivery from start to finish.

An Outstanding Evening

This production of Busybody was more than just a well-done farce. It was a masterclass in ensemble performance, pacing, and comic timing. The Arcade Players took a tricky script and made it sing – not by reinventing it, but by performing it with care, intelligence, and joy.

It’s rare to see a show where every element, from the lead actors to the set dressing, feels equally strong. Even rarer to laugh so consistently across an entire evening. Judging by the crowd’s reaction – chuckles, belly laughs, and genuine applause after key moments – I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

If this is what Arcade Players bring to the table, their upcoming Twelfth Night (5–8 November 2025 at The Duchess Theatre) is definitely one to watch. And if you missed Busybody, you missed a great night out – sharp, funny, and delivered with real heart.