-- Until October 26 The top floor flat of a very chic condominium, newly erected on the cliffs of England's south coast, provides the setting for the latest offering by the BMDS. Just four characters create a maelstrom of mystery and gruesome intrigue in a thriller which is guaranteed to send delicious frissons of fear through `whodunit' fans at Daylesford.

All the ingredients which make `murder mysteries' so universally appealing have been laced with a strong dose of wit in this "keep 'em guessing'' drama by Edward Taylor.

His title of `Murder by Misadventure' provides the first clue in a cleverly-crafted play where the concept of an unfortunate accident becomes the key ingredient in the eternal quest for "the perfect murder''.

Using the same scenario of two bickering crime writers which proved such a success in `Deathtrap' (a neat method, of course, of introducing this brain-teasing topic -- who else would sit around endlessly discussing this sort of thing?), Taylor then has great fun with a plot that twists and turns to the very end.

Not surprisingly, the author of the TV classic, `Dr. Finlay's Casebook', has come up with a plot which brims with action and a chattily realistic dialogue that positively sparkles with ironic understatement.

Gavin Wilson, one of Bermuda's true stars of the theatre, who is as at home this time around in the role of director as he is as an actor, has come up with another winner with this production. Technical know-how, which keeps the pace skimming along and an inimitable sense of timing, enables him to keep the audience agog with anticipation.

He is helped, of course, by a superb cast whose beautifully articulated speech, coupled with years of thespian experience, enables them to fully utilise the elegant setting for their unfolding drama: the mere act of standing quite still, perching on the edge of an armchair, or lolling on the sofa, as performed by this quartet, is, in itself, a lesson in stagecraft.

It is, of course, almost impossible to discuss their performances without giving at least part of the plot away, but it's probably safe to say that husband and wife duo, Ken and Tricia Morgan, take on the same roles in the play. As frostily elegant as the apartment she has created around her, Tricia Morgan provides just the right foil as she goes about the business of smoothing down cushions and providing the occasional cup of coffee for the word-sparring partners.

Ken Morgan, who is a master of the laid-back, casual approach, uses this talent to the hilt in his role as the more practical, computer-slogging half of the award-winning writing team. It is fascinating to watch the indolence become increasingly flecked with lip-curling malice as he attempts to deal with the excesses of his liquor-loving partner. This latter role is played by Arthur Lugo, who captures perfectly, the cheery exuberance of Riggs, the acknowledged `brains' of the outfit whose flights of fancy provide the springboard for their lucrative partnership. Lugo, the possessor of a finely resonant voice which is given full rein here, is an actor whose body language is as finely tuned as the spoken word.

Completing the quartet is Brian Webb as Inspector Egan and it is with his appearance in the second act, that the play takes on a whole new aura of menace. This performance, full of smiling innuendo which hovers between the obsequious and -- just when everyone starts to relax -- razor-sharp intelligence, is simply brilliant. How beautifully he handles, for instance, the moment when the inspector satirises himself, laughingly admitting that his sudden, barked instruction to "sit down and shut up!'' is but part and parcel of the police officer's craft in thoroughly unnerving this trio, who are already flailing in a sea of mutual suspicion.

Outstanding sets seem to have become the rule at Daylesford. This one, designed by John Thomson, Sue Bendell and Gary Lounsbury, and lit by Annette Hallett in strictly realistic mode, is no exception. The functional `yuppie' luxury is softened by a hint of the wide blue yonder which beckons outside the double-glazed windows.

As Mr. Wilson himself admits, murder mysteries are, above all, fun to do. They cater to our love of escapism, where apparently ordinary people get involved in preposterous events. When they are as well written as this, and performed with such obvious relish, it is easy to see why they have carved out such a distinctive niche in contemporary theatre.

BMDS, as a whole, incidentally, also deserve in their 50th anniversary year, a special thanks for providing such consistently fine entertainment at such little cost. The modest charge of $10 admission to all Daylesford productions has to be the best value on offer for entertainment of any kind in Bermuda.

PATRICIA CALNAN THE PLOT THICKENS -- Tricia and Ken Morgan in a scene from the BMDS production of `Murder By Misadventure', currently on show at Daylesford.

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