The Mill, Sonning – until 8 November 2025
Reviewed by Marcia Spiers
4****
We all know that Gerald Durrell authored best-selling books about his life as a naturalist, zookeeper and explorer. I did not know he had written a horror story at all.
An antiquarian book seller Peter Letting (Nick Waring) is in prison for murder and due to be executed. John the Jailer (George Dillon) encourages him to document the horrors that took place to help clear his name, promising that his contacts on the outside and a further court hearing will enable Peter’s release.
The story commences near the conclusion of the tale and works back to the beginning……….
Peter receives a request to catalogue an extensive library of books in a remote Chateau in France by the nephew of a deceased French Marquis. The nephew Gideon De Teildras Villeray (Gregg Lowe) is someone he is already acquainted with but despite a warning from another business acquaintance Edward Mallory (Giles Taylor) not to take on the job, he decides to proceed.
Finding himself alone in the mansion in the middle of winter cut off from the world does not worry him as he has provisions and animals for company, then suddenly things take a horrific turn. He initially believes that his imagination is playing tricks on him but soon discovers this is not the case and concludes that decisive action is required to rid the dwelling and himself of the horrors that lie within.
Adapted and directed by Dugald Bruce-Lockhart from Durrell’s The Entrance, the set designed by Diego Pitarch is extremely clever providing the backdrop for multiple scenes and being especially spooky for darker moments. The Mill is a fantastic location for such a creation that really captures the atmosphere and suspense this play needs. I did wonder if we would truly see the horror within the mirror, but this was left to our imagination which in the end was the right way to depict a story which may be far better to read than to see. It has prompted me to try to find a copy!
All four actors gave good performances. I very much liked George Dillon’s casting as hard man come well educated John the Jailer. Giles Taylor was well suited to the role of chief prosecutor and Nick Waring was compelling as the very disturbed book seller. Finally, Greg Lowe brought panache as Gideon De Teildras Villerary.
As always, the creative team at the Mill do a fantastic job bringing these productions to a small stage with true impact. Well done to all of them.