Yvonne Arnaud – until Saturday 6 July 2024
Reviewed by Heather Chalkley
5*****
This award winning adaptation by Patrick Barlow is farcical and funny yet carries all the suspense of the original film. It maintains the central themes of espionage, love and revelation at the same time as producing belly laughs. The ability to send up the medium of theatre whilst remaining true to the story, combining peril and comedy, is an art form in itself. Barlow takes the genius of Hitchcock and molds it into his own inspired method, making it as relevant today as it was in 1935 when first filmed.
Tom Byrne (Richard Hannay) is the constant in the production keeping us in tune with the storyline. He delivers the emotion of the original, beginning as an innocent, going on the run, falling in love and uncovering the truth, taking us on his emotional journey, all at pace and with perfectly timed physical humour. This is not possible without the slick teamwork of the whole cast. Safeena Ladha (Pamela/Annabella/Margaret) plays the femme fatale, Scottish farmers wife and leading lady, with supreme ease and a good dose of comedy. Eugene McCoy (Clown 1) has no need of lines; his body says it all and has the audience laughing out loud. Maddie Rice (Clown 2) delivers a performance to remember, having the most farcical quick character changes to keep you on your toes!
The sliding in of props just enough out of sync to be hilarious is key to the genius of this play. The creative team has no room to hide and do not disappoint.
This is a perfect play to escape into at a momentous time in this country’s political history. Leave it all outside and come and delve into this cerebral brain tickler!