Nottingham Theatre Royal – until 13 August 2022
Reviewed by Louise Ford
3***
Everyone loves a good murder!
The final offering for this year’s Summer Classic Thriller Series, at the Theatre Royal is a psychological thriller by Emlyn Williams. It was written in 1935 and has been made into two films. The first in 1937 had an impressive cast and received a host of nominations and awards.
The setting, as with all good mysteries, is a country cottage set in a dark wood. There is a feeling of ennui and all of the characters appear to be waiting for something to happen. Life is dull and no one is really who they seem. The play opens with a dramatic lighting effect and a voice over intoning a verdict. The curtains open to reveal a very domestic scene. Complete with a red leather chesterfield. Whilst at first sight it would appear to be the traditional setting for a who-dunnit, we know from the outset who committed the crime. It is not a who-dunnit with a sleuth or amateur detective, it is rather an exploration of the characters and the people trapped in the play.
The sitting room belongs to Mrs Bramson (Karen Henson) an elderly hypochondriac who appears to be wheelchair bound. She is fussy and bad tempered and doesn’t have a good word for anyone until Dan (David Osmond) comes on the scene. Also trapped in the house is Mrs Bramson’s niece Olivia (Sarah Wynne Kordas) and their regular lunch time guest and Olivia’s suitor Hubert (Andrew Ryan). Hubert offers Olivia a way of escaping her dismal lot, by marrying him. Unfortunately he is too dull and boring for his proposal to have any appeal. Although rather surprisingly he did make a joke once! Olivia writes poetry as a means of escape but she is drawn to the charismatic and chameleon like character of Dan. What lengths is she prepared to go to, to get his attention?
The household is run by two domestics. The cook Mrs Terence (Susan Earnshaw) all bustle and gossip, with a good line in backchat, and Dora (Juliette Strobel) the maid of all works. Dora is distracted and accident prone and it becomes clear that she has a dark secret. As a result of her confession Mrs Bramson agrees to have it out with Dora’s young man, Dan. Rather to everyone’s surprise Dan charms Mrs Bramson and soon he has her eating, her chocolates, out of his hands
The tension mounts in the house when Inspector Belsize (Jeremy Lloyd Thomas), from the yard comes to call. He announces that a young woman has gone missing and his force are combing the woods looking for her body. From this point the tension starts to mount and some of the characters start to fall apart. The tension and build up is managed very well. It is occasionally balanced by some flashes of humour and sarcastic comments. The ending as Dan starts to unravel and commits another murder is inevitable. It is well played and leaves the audience feeling sorry for him although they are not quite sure why.