I must admit, when I received an invitation from Paul Smith, the technical operator at Cardiff Players theatre group to the opening of The Hollow at The Paget Rooms, I was a tad sceptical and nervous about what to expect.

Aside from a couple of West End musicals, the only plays I'd ever seen were school nativities. Also (and please don't judge me!) but I know very little about Agatha Christie.

Despite writing for a living, English literature has never been my strong point.

But I'm open to new experiences. I arrive on Thursday evening (March 31), about 15 minutes before curtains are due to go up, theatre programme in one hand and large gin and tonic in the other, anxiously awaiting what's to come as I settle in my seat.

I was surprised by how many people had shown up – the amateur theatre novice in me didn't expect an almost full house, particularly Andrew RT Davies MS sitting a few rows in front.

Then, the curtains are drawn and the Cardiff Players' first play in more than two years begins.

Curtain up!

The Hollow starts with Sir Henry, played by James Dixon, and Henrietta, played by Flora Freeman, sitting comfortably in their country home, Sir Henry reading the paper and Henrietta, an artist, working on a sculpture. A perfect setting for a murder mystery to unfold. They're waiting for guests to arrive, including John, a doctor and his wife, Gerda. John appears arrogant and commands the room. But as for Gerda, she's guarded and hides behind the handbag she carries over her forearm. Niamh Keoghan, who plays Lady Angkatell, is the standout talent of the production. Her comedic timing, not to mention vibrant stage presence was The Hollow's backbone. I think the rest of the audience agreed. Every time Lady Angkatell crept back on stage, I could feel everyone on the edge of their seats waiting for another funny, forgetful quip. Again, amateur theatre novice. But it was clear Niamh was very much involved in her character from beginning to end. She was quite simply a joy to watch. Strong performances also came from Izzy Mae Dawson, who plays Midge, another visiting relative caught up in all the commotion and eventually declares her true feelings for Edward, played by Robin Matthews. Veronica, played by Ella Parry, is a Hollywood actress that was once in a relationship with John and so happens to be staying in the same area as she shoots another picture. She's confident, self-indulged, and immediately has her sights set on John once again after dropping by the house to borrow a box of matches. After some flirtatious banter in front of Gerda and other guests, she invites John to where she's staying after he has dinner with the group, only for him to return in the early hours of the morning. This is where things get very complicated. Tales around John's behaviour come to light, his womanising ways even with Henrietta are a revelation and the build-up all becomes too much for one person. Just a little off stage, you hear John pleading for his life before a gunshot. He eventually collapses on the floor in the sitting room, losing blood and slipping away in front of the shocked group of onlookers back from a stroll in the garden. But who would go as far as to shoot John? During the interval, sipping another gin and tonic as I enter my bid for the silent auction (the Georgian two-seater sofa used on the set!) I overheard some chatter that the play was due to end at 10:30 – an hour and a half away. Although there was still plenty of great energy from the cast, the length made it challenging to follow the rest of the story. And, without giving too much of the story away, the murder culprit was an obvious choice. Nonetheless, the experience of amateur theatre was heart-warming. You could tell the Cardiff Players were thrilled to be back on stage after two years of Zoom productions. We look forward to seeing future productions from the group.

The play will run until Saturday, April 2 at The Paget Rooms on Victoria Road.

Tickets for The Hollow are available here for £12 each. You can also buy them at the door but in cash only.