Grand Opera House York – until Saturday 10th March 2018. Reviewed by Michelle Richardson
4****
Strangers on a Train is based on the Patricia Highsmith’s first novel, published in 1950, made famous by Oscar winning Alfred Hitchcock film, adapted by Craig Warner.
Two strangers, Charles Bruno and Guy Haines, meet on a train crossing America. Haines just wants to be left alone to read his book, but his new acquaintance, Bruno, is just one of those annoying, infectious people that won’t take no for an answer and is continually pouring Haines out a drink from his bottomless hip flask. Once the alcohol has taken affect and inhabitations lowered the talk turns to murder! Surely what Bruno is proposing is just a joke and is only the drink talking?
The cast as a whole are really quite good, with the main protagonists well cast, delivering strong performances. Chis Harper as Bruno is the stand out performer of the show, funny, manic and decidedly creepy. We firstly see him as the spoilt rich kid, loud and brash, wanting everything on a plate, resenting his father for limiting his funds, why should he work when he can have things for free? He certainly convinces with Bruno, an alcoholic with mummy issues. He becomes more and more psychotic, totally fixated by Haines, and managing to wheedle his ways into Haines life. Jack Ashton plays the somewhat quieter Haines, becoming more and more trapped as he is being manipulated by Bruno. His world is falling apart, a character in torment. There is strong support from John Middleton, as Arthur Gerard, the private eye who solves the mystery, but to be honest Bruno has left too many clues for it not to be solved, Hannah Tointon as Haines’s frilly fiancée and then wife Anne, who is far tougher than she first appears, and Helen Anderson, Bruno’s fragile mother, whose very close relationship with her son is toxic and uncomfortable.
David Woodhead has produced a very clever set. From the initial visual on stage of the American flag, we were introduced to sliding panels revealing different scenes, including the inside a train carriage, an office, a bedroom and a house. The last scene involved a train yard, this was atmospheric and very believable. The show was delayed on the night I went to see it, due to technical difficulties, which after seeing the intricate staging was not a surprise. I’m glad to say that part from that small delay no other problems were encountered.
Strangers on a Train is a good night out with suspense throughout, right until its dramatic conclusion.