Phryne heads to the theater to watch a production of "Ruddigore" at the behest of her old friend Bart. However, the leading man Walter Copland dies on stage, drawing Phryne into a world of acting and a ghost story from long ago...
Tropes:
- Accidental Murder: As a result of Murder by Mistake below, Gwilym Evans gets a falling sandbag to the back.
- At the Opera Tonight: Played with because one of the cast members is killed during the opening night of Ruddigore. Naturally Phryne and Co. are there to see it in person.
- Functional Addict: Walter had an opium addiction, and needed a flask with some laudanum in it in order to perform.
- Love Triangle: There was one between Dorothea, Bart and Maurice. Maurice was the one to kill Dorothea when she chose Bart over him and proceeds to ruin Bart's reputation years later.
- Murder by Mistake: It was revealed that Gwilym Evans's murder was this. The killer had been intending to kill Phryne but Jack had tackled Phryne out of the way and Gwilym had the misfortune of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
- Never Suicide: Dorethea Curtis was found dead in her dressing room, apparently having taken her own life. It was actually Maurice Sheffield who killed her.
- Summation Gathering: Phryne gathers everyone on the stage at the theatre to reveal the murderer.
- Tampering with Food and Drink: Walter is killed when someone pours laudanum into his flask (well, more than was already in there).
- You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: Despite mutual invitations to be on a First-Name Basis at the end of "Murder on the Ballarat Train" and the fact that Phryne now almost always calls him "Jack", this episode marks the first time in the series that Jack calls her "Phryne" — and he only does it after she's nearly been taken out by a falling counterweight.
