Hope Theatre – until 14 October 2024
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
3***
Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller’s stylish thriller is set in a drab coastal pub next to a train station. When a Newcomer (Meg Clarke) mistakenly gets off the train and must wait in the pub for the last train of the night, she is propositioned by the pub Regular (Paddy Echlin) and the Lady (Katherine Lea). The proposition isn’t sexual, rather they want her to kill the Sheriff (David Carter) and then jump on the train, leaving them in the clear and her a rich woman.
The setup is slow and measured, with pace and intrigue mounting as the appearance of the Sheriff and the last train approaches. The programme cites Hitchcock and the Coen brothers as influences, and there is a weird 70s/80s UK police thriller atmosphere in this bland pub making it feel almost otherworldly – out of place and out of time – rather than a faded North-Eastern coastal port. Hannah Williams’ efficient design and Sameer Aggarwal’s atmospheric lighting create an increasingly sinister feel.
As the Newcomer weighs up her answer, pregnant pauses, meaningful looks and various negotiation offers circle as the characters dance around each other. The pair depict the Sheriff as a cruel monster who has the town living in fear without disclosing too much about their own lives. The affected stiffness of the three characters is a huge contrast to the Sheriff, who fills the stage with an animalistic energy when he finally enters.
Clarke, Echlin and Lea nail the melodramatic calmness of the absurd situation and David Carter’s brutality as the Sheriff is tremendous. There are some plot holes among the twists and turns, but Brimmer-Beller takes the audience on a wild, fun ride – perhaps a longer, more fleshed out version of the story would be even more satisfying. Brimmer-Beller codirects with Phoebe Rowell John and, bar a few blocking issues during pivotal scenes, they create an atmospheric and entertaining play. Port City Signature is a real treat for fans of dark thrillers.