Dangerous Obsession

As ever, a warm welcome awaited my arrival, and the front of house were attentive and helpful. This was the final performance of this well-known thriller, written by N.J.Crisp  and it was performed brilliantly to an appreciative audience.

The first striking element was the set, both realistic and solid; a rather grand conservatory, elegantly furnished, complete with velvet curtains, with a door on the right, which led to the interior of a luxury home belonging to Sally and Mark Driscoll. The set building team consistently expert in creating realistic settings and this was accomplished for this production. The backdrop depicted a lush green lawn, with lighting that impressed us of the summer sunshine on a late, hot, sticky afternoon.

Director, Chris Waters, had done a truly remarkable job directing this piece. His vision was clear throughout, and the behind-the-scenes stage crew workings were absolutely inspired; the atmospheric lighting well considered; and very well-planned effects; a great job by Colin Mears and Stan Vigurs; and all so capably coordinated by the very active stage manager, Dawn Vigurs.

There are parts of this tense play which are quite stylised and delivered at a pace, due both to the intense dialogue, intrigue, suspense and this worked perfectly with the naturalistic acting from the three cast members.

The play began with Sally Driscoll, played by Abby Simpson, happily pottering about in her conservatory, after a swim in the pool, listening to music, unaware she was being watched by an observer outside, John Barrett (Rod Bissett), dressed in a business suit. When he came to the door, Sally, believed him to be a salesman and sent him away but he returned, insistent on entering, claiming they had met previously at a social occasion. Sally desperately tried to recall where and when and looked for clues, but then admitted she could not remember him. As the conversation progressed, she began to feel uneasy and kept mentioning her husband Mark (Adam Woodward) would be home soon after work. John Barrett waited for her husband to come home. When Mark, entered, after a hard week, he appeared put out by this unexpected, uninvited visitor and he didn’t get the relaxed evening he bargained for. The Driscolls offered him a drink and then hoped to get rid of him, but Barrett had no intention of leaving until he had answers, and he wasn’t going until his mission was accomplished, and then, he opened his briefcase. The Driscolls apparent perfect life began to unravel as Barrett confessed his true intention of discovering who was to blame for his wife’s tragic car accident. Intruder, John Barrett changed from being placid to venomous as he resorted to desperate measures, including threats and use of a gun, to ensure the honesty of Mark and Sally Driscoll. He wanted to slowly unpack what really happened to his wife in Torquay, where they had all previously met. He seemed intent on blaming his wife’s death on someone. Dangerously obsessed, Barrett stripped away the conflicting secrets of the Driscolls’ apparently perfect lives. Tension built in the final scene resulting in a shock ending for the audience.

With a cast of three amazing actors on top form, it was very much of professional standard and crackled with suspense and intrigue from start to finish. A splendid performance from Abby Simpson who, remarkably, hadn’t performed an acting role before. She was perfectly cast, projected confidence and genuinely expressive as her character traversed different emotions including despair and empathy. Adam Woodward had the role of the husband, Mark, and gave a solid performance, delivering his lines with accuracy. His character portrayed initially power, influence and some patience, and then as the secrets unfolded, he faced a twisted revenge created by Barrett. He resigned himself to facing the reality of the dangerous situation he found himself in, and showed real fear; (perhaps this was the reason security system was installed in their house?) Rod Bissett mesmerised the audience with his unwavering characterisation of the menacing and persistent intruder, John Barrett. He appeared initially as a well-mannered man, quietly spoken and courteous but this impression rapidly changed as his frustrations and determination grew. As the tension mounted in Act 2, the pace of Rod’s slick actions and polished delivery added to the suspense, a talented actor.

Heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in this first class, thrilling, compelling production. Director, Chris Waters should be proud; the audience was enraptured, and every word of the script was delivered without hesitation. This production radiated hard work and real teamwork.  Thank you for inviting me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 As ever, a warm welcome awaited my arrival, and the front of house were attentive and helpful. This was the final performance of this well-known thriller, written by N.J.Crisp  and it was performed brilliantly to an appreciative audience.

 The first striking element was the set, both realistic and solid; a rather grand conservatory, elegantly furnished, complete with velvet curtains, with a door on the right, which led to the interior of a luxury home belonging to Sally and Mark Driscoll. The set building team consistently expert in creating realistic settings and this was accomplished for this production. The backdrop depicted a lush green lawn, with lighting that impressed us of the summer sunshine on a late, hot, sticky afternoon.

Director, Chris Waters, had done a truly remarkable job directing this piece. His vision was clear throughout, and the behind-the-scenes stage crew workings were absolutely inspired; the atmospheric lighting well considered; and very well-planned effects; a great job by Colin Mears and Stan Vigurs; and all so capably coordinated by the very active stage manager, Dawn Vigurs.

There are parts of this tense play which are quite stylised and delivered at a pace, due both to the intense dialogue, intrigue, suspense and this worked perfectly with the naturalistic acting from the three cast members.

The play began with Sally Driscoll, played by Abby Simpson, happily pottering about in her conservatory, after a swim in the pool, listening to music, unaware she was being watched by an observer outside, John Barrett (Rod Bissett), dressed in a business suit. When he came to the door, Sally, believed him to be a salesman and sent him away but he returned, insistent on entering, claiming they had met previously at a social occasion. Sally desperately tried to recall where and when and looked for clues, but then admitted she could not remember him. As the conversation progressed, she began to feel uneasy and kept mentioning her husband Mark (Adam Woodward) would be home soon after work. John Barrett waited for her husband to come home. When Mark, entered, after a hard week, he appeared put out by this unexpected, uninvited visitor and he didn’t get the relaxed evening he bargained for. The Driscolls offered him a drink and then hoped to get rid of him, but Barrett had no intention of leaving until he had answers, and he wasn’t going until his mission was accomplished, and then, he opened his briefcase. The Driscolls apparent perfect life began to unravel as Barrett confessed his true intention of discovering who was to blame for his wife’s tragic car accident. Intruder, John Barrett changed from being placid to venomous as he resorted to desperate measures, including threats and use of a gun, to ensure the honesty of Mark and Sally Driscoll. He wanted to slowly unpack what really happened to his wife in Torquay, where they had all previously met. He seemed intent on blaming his wife’s death on someone. Dangerously obsessed, Barrett stripped away the conflicting secrets of the Driscolls’ apparently perfect lives. Tension built in the final scene resulting in a shock ending for the audience.

 

With a cast of three amazing actors on top form, it was very much of professional standard and crackled with suspense and intrigue from start to finish. A splendid performance from Abby Simpson who, remarkably, hadn’t performed an acting role before. She was perfectly cast, projected confidence and genuinely expressive as her character traversed different emotions including despair and empathy. Adam Woodward had the role of the husband, Mark, and gave a solid performance, delivering his lines with accuracy. His character portrayed initially power, influence and some patience, and then as the secrets unfolded, he faced a twisted revenge created by Barrett. He resigned himself to facing the reality of the dangerous situation he found himself in, and showed real fear; (perhaps this was the reason security system was installed in their house?) Rod Bissett mesmerised the audience with his unwavering characterisation of the menacing and persistent intruder, John Barrett. He appeared initially as a well-mannered man, quietly spoken and courteous but this impression rapidly changed as his frustrations and determination grew. As the tension mounted in Act 2, the pace of Rod’s slick actions and polished delivery added to the suspense, a talented actor.

  

Heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in this first class, thrilling, compelling production. Director, Chris Waters should be proud; the audience was enraptured, and every word of the script was delivered without hesitation. This production radiated hard work and real teamwork.  Thank you for inviting me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 As ever, a warm welcome awaited my arrival, and the front of house were attentive and helpful. This was the final performance of this well-known thriller, written by N.J.Crisp  and it was performed brilliantly to an appreciative audience.

 The first striking element was the set, both realistic and solid; a rather grand conservatory, elegantly furnished, complete with velvet curtains, with a door on the right, which led to the interior of a luxury home belonging to Sally and Mark Driscoll. The set building team consistently expert in creating realistic settings and this was accomplished for this production. The backdrop depicted a lush green lawn, with lighting that impressed us of the summer sunshine on a late, hot, sticky afternoon.

Director, Chris Waters, had done a truly remarkable job directing this piece. His vision was clear throughout, and the behind-the-scenes stage crew workings were absolutely inspired; the atmospheric lighting well considered; and very well-planned effects; a great job by Colin Mears and Stan Vigurs; and all so capably coordinated by the very active stage manager, Dawn Vigurs.

There are parts of this tense play which are quite stylised and delivered at a pace, due both to the intense dialogue, intrigue, suspense and this worked perfectly with the naturalistic acting from the three cast members.

The play began with Sally Driscoll, played by Abby Simpson, happily pottering about in her conservatory, after a swim in the pool, listening to music, unaware she was being watched by an observer outside, John Barrett (Rod Bissett), dressed in a business suit. When he came to the door, Sally, believed him to be a salesman and sent him away but he returned, insistent on entering, claiming they had met previously at a social occasion. Sally desperately tried to recall where and when and looked for clues, but then admitted she could not remember him. As the conversation progressed, she began to feel uneasy and kept mentioning her husband Mark (Adam Woodward) would be home soon after work. John Barrett waited for her husband to come home. When Mark, entered, after a hard week, he appeared put out by this unexpected, uninvited visitor and he didn’t get the relaxed evening he bargained for. The Driscolls offered him a drink and then hoped to get rid of him, but Barrett had no intention of leaving until he had answers, and he wasn’t going until his mission was accomplished, and then, he opened his briefcase. The Driscolls apparent perfect life began to unravel as Barrett confessed his true intention of discovering who was to blame for his wife’s tragic car accident. Intruder, John Barrett changed from being placid to venomous as he resorted to desperate measures, including threats and use of a gun, to ensure the honesty of Mark and Sally Driscoll. He wanted to slowly unpack what really happened to his wife in Torquay, where they had all previously met. He seemed intent on blaming his wife’s death on someone. Dangerously obsessed, Barrett stripped away the conflicting secrets of the Driscolls’ apparently perfect lives. Tension built in the final scene resulting in a shock ending for the audience.

 

With a cast of three amazing actors on top form, it was very much of professional standard and crackled with suspense and intrigue from start to finish. A splendid performance from Abby Simpson who, remarkably, hadn’t performed an acting role before. She was perfectly cast, projected confidence and genuinely expressive as her character traversed different emotions including despair and empathy. Adam Woodward had the role of the husband, Mark, and gave a solid performance, delivering his lines with accuracy. His character portrayed initially power, influence and some patience, and then as the secrets unfolded, he faced a twisted revenge created by Barrett. He resigned himself to facing the reality of the dangerous situation he found himself in, and showed real fear; (perhaps this was the reason security system was installed in their house?) Rod Bissett mesmerised the audience with his unwavering characterisation of the menacing and persistent intruder, John Barrett. He appeared initially as a well-mannered man, quietly spoken and courteous but this impression rapidly changed as his frustrations and determination grew. As the tension mounted in Act 2, the pace of Rod’s slick actions and polished delivery added to the suspense, a talented actor.

  

Heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in this first class, thrilling, compelling production. Director, Chris Waters should be proud; the audience was enraptured, and every word of the script was delivered without hesitation. This production radiated hard work and real teamwork.  Thank you for inviting me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 As ever, a warm welcome awaited my arrival, and the front of house were attentive and helpful. This was the final performance of this well-known thriller, written by N.J.Crisp  and it was performed brilliantly to an appreciative audience.

 The first striking element was the set, both realistic and solid; a rather grand conservatory, elegantly furnished, complete with velvet curtains, with a door on the right, which led to the interior of a luxury home belonging to Sally and Mark Driscoll. The set building team consistently expert in creating realistic settings and this was accomplished for this production. The backdrop depicted a lush green lawn, with lighting that impressed us of the summer sunshine on a late, hot, sticky afternoon.

Director, Chris Waters, had done a truly remarkable job directing this piece. His vision was clear throughout, and the behind-the-scenes stage crew workings were absolutely inspired; the atmospheric lighting well considered; and very well-planned effects; a great job by Colin Mears and Stan Vigurs; and all so capably coordinated by the very active stage manager, Dawn Vigurs.

There are parts of this tense play which are quite stylised and delivered at a pace, due both to the intense dialogue, intrigue, suspense and this worked perfectly with the naturalistic acting from the three cast members.

The play began with Sally Driscoll, played by Abby Simpson, happily pottering about in her conservatory, after a swim in the pool, listening to music, unaware she was being watched by an observer outside, John Barrett (Rod Bissett), dressed in a business suit. When he came to the door, Sally, believed him to be a salesman and sent him away but he returned, insistent on entering, claiming they had met previously at a social occasion. Sally desperately tried to recall where and when and looked for clues, but then admitted she could not remember him. As the conversation progressed, she began to feel uneasy and kept mentioning her husband Mark (Adam Woodward) would be home soon after work. John Barrett waited for her husband to come home. When Mark, entered, after a hard week, he appeared put out by this unexpected, uninvited visitor and he didn’t get the relaxed evening he bargained for. The Driscolls offered him a drink and then hoped to get rid of him, but Barrett had no intention of leaving until he had answers, and he wasn’t going until his mission was accomplished, and then, he opened his briefcase. The Driscolls apparent perfect life began to unravel as Barrett confessed his true intention of discovering who was to blame for his wife’s tragic car accident. Intruder, John Barrett changed from being placid to venomous as he resorted to desperate measures, including threats and use of a gun, to ensure the honesty of Mark and Sally Driscoll. He wanted to slowly unpack what really happened to his wife in Torquay, where they had all previously met. He seemed intent on blaming his wife’s death on someone. Dangerously obsessed, Barrett stripped away the conflicting secrets of the Driscolls’ apparently perfect lives. Tension built in the final scene resulting in a shock ending for the audience.

 

With a cast of three amazing actors on top form, it was very much of professional standard and crackled with suspense and intrigue from start to finish. A splendid performance from Abby Simpson who, remarkably, hadn’t performed an acting role before. She was perfectly cast, projected confidence and genuinely expressive as her character traversed different emotions including despair and empathy. Adam Woodward had the role of the husband, Mark, and gave a solid performance, delivering his lines with accuracy. His character portrayed initially power, influence and some patience, and then as the secrets unfolded, he faced a twisted revenge created by Barrett. He resigned himself to facing the reality of the dangerous situation he found himself in, and showed real fear; (perhaps this was the reason security system was installed in their house?) Rod Bissett mesmerised the audience with his unwavering characterisation of the menacing and persistent intruder, John Barrett. He appeared initially as a well-mannered man, quietly spoken and courteous but this impression rapidly changed as his frustrations and determination grew. As the tension mounted in Act 2, the pace of Rod’s slick actions and polished delivery added to the suspense, a talented actor.

  

Heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in this first class, thrilling, compelling production. Director, Chris Waters should be proud; the audience was enraptured, and every word of the script was delivered without hesitation. This production radiated hard work and real teamwork.  Thank you for inviting me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 As ever, a warm welcome awaited my arrival, and the front of house were attentive and helpful. This was the final performance of this well-known thriller, written by N.J.Crisp  and it was performed brilliantly to an appreciative audience.

 The first striking element was the set, both realistic and solid; a rather grand conservatory, elegantly furnished, complete with velvet curtains, with a door on the right, which led to the interior of a luxury home belonging to Sally and Mark Driscoll. The set building team consistently expert in creating realistic settings and this was accomplished for this production. The backdrop depicted a lush green lawn, with lighting that impressed us of the summer sunshine on a late, hot, sticky afternoon.

Director, Chris Waters, had done a truly remarkable job directing this piece. His vision was clear throughout, and the behind-the-scenes stage crew workings were absolutely inspired; the atmospheric lighting well considered; and very well-planned effects; a great job by Colin Mears and Stan Vigurs; and all so capably coordinated by the very active stage manager, Dawn Vigurs.

There are parts of this tense play which are quite stylised and delivered at a pace, due both to the intense dialogue, intrigue, suspense and this worked perfectly with the naturalistic acting from the three cast members.

The play began with Sally Driscoll, played by Abby Simpson, happily pottering about in her conservatory, after a swim in the pool, listening to music, unaware she was being watched by an observer outside, John Barrett (Rod Bissett), dressed in a business suit. When he came to the door, Sally, believed him to be a salesman and sent him away but he returned, insistent on entering, claiming they had met previously at a social occasion. Sally desperately tried to recall where and when and looked for clues, but then admitted she could not remember him. As the conversation progressed, she began to feel uneasy and kept mentioning her husband Mark (Adam Woodward) would be home soon after work. John Barrett waited for her husband to come home. When Mark, entered, after a hard week, he appeared put out by this unexpected, uninvited visitor and he didn’t get the relaxed evening he bargained for. The Driscolls offered him a drink and then hoped to get rid of him, but Barrett had no intention of leaving until he had answers, and he wasn’t going until his mission was accomplished, and then, he opened his briefcase. The Driscolls apparent perfect life began to unravel as Barrett confessed his true intention of discovering who was to blame for his wife’s tragic car accident. Intruder, John Barrett changed from being placid to venomous as he resorted to desperate measures, including threats and use of a gun, to ensure the honesty of Mark and Sally Driscoll. He wanted to slowly unpack what really happened to his wife in Torquay, where they had all previously met. He seemed intent on blaming his wife’s death on someone. Dangerously obsessed, Barrett stripped away the conflicting secrets of the Driscolls’ apparently perfect lives. Tension built in the final scene resulting in a shock ending for the audience.

 

With a cast of three amazing actors on top form, it was very much of professional standard and crackled with suspense and intrigue from start to finish. A splendid performance from Abby Simpson who, remarkably, hadn’t performed an acting role before. She was perfectly cast, projected confidence and genuinely expressive as her character traversed different emotions including despair and empathy. Adam Woodward had the role of the husband, Mark, and gave a solid performance, delivering his lines with accuracy. His character portrayed initially power, influence and some patience, and then as the secrets unfolded, he faced a twisted revenge created by Barrett. He resigned himself to facing the reality of the dangerous situation he found himself in, and showed real fear; (perhaps this was the reason security system was installed in their house?) Rod Bissett mesmerised the audience with his unwavering characterisation of the menacing and persistent intruder, John Barrett. He appeared initially as a well-mannered man, quietly spoken and courteous but this impression rapidly changed as his frustrations and determination grew. As the tension mounted in Act 2, the pace of Rod’s slick actions and polished delivery added to the suspense, a talented actor.

  

Heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in this first class, thrilling, compelling production. Director, Chris Waters should be proud; the audience was enraptured, and every word of the script was delivered without hesitation. This production radiated hard work and real teamwork.  Thank you for inviting me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 As ever, a warm welcome awaited my arrival, and the front of house were attentive and helpful. This was the final performance of this well-known thriller, written by N.J.Crisp  and it was performed brilliantly to an appreciative audience.

 The first striking element was the set, both realistic and solid; a rather grand conservatory, elegantly furnished, complete with velvet curtains, with a door on the right, which led to the interior of a luxury home belonging to Sally and Mark Driscoll. The set building team consistently expert in creating realistic settings and this was accomplished for this production. The backdrop depicted a lush green lawn, with lighting that impressed us of the summer sunshine on a late, hot, sticky afternoon.

Director, Chris Waters, had done a truly remarkable job directing this piece. His vision was clear throughout, and the behind-the-scenes stage crew workings were absolutely inspired; the atmospheric lighting well considered; and very well-planned effects; a great job by Colin Mears and Stan Vigurs; and all so capably coordinated by the very active stage manager, Dawn Vigurs.

There are parts of this tense play which are quite stylised and delivered at a pace, due both to the intense dialogue, intrigue, suspense and this worked perfectly with the naturalistic acting from the three cast members.

The play began with Sally Driscoll, played by Abby Simpson, happily pottering about in her conservatory, after a swim in the pool, listening to music, unaware she was being watched by an observer outside, John Barrett (Rod Bissett), dressed in a business suit. When he came to the door, Sally, believed him to be a salesman and sent him away but he returned, insistent on entering, claiming they had met previously at a social occasion. Sally desperately tried to recall where and when and looked for clues, but then admitted she could not remember him. As the conversation progressed, she began to feel uneasy and kept mentioning her husband Mark (Adam Woodward) would be home soon after work. John Barrett waited for her husband to come home. When Mark, entered, after a hard week, he appeared put out by this unexpected, uninvited visitor and he didn’t get the relaxed evening he bargained for. The Driscolls offered him a drink and then hoped to get rid of him, but Barrett had no intention of leaving until he had answers, and he wasn’t going until his mission was accomplished, and then, he opened his briefcase. The Driscolls apparent perfect life began to unravel as Barrett confessed his true intention of discovering who was to blame for his wife’s tragic car accident. Intruder, John Barrett changed from being placid to venomous as he resorted to desperate measures, including threats and use of a gun, to ensure the honesty of Mark and Sally Driscoll. He wanted to slowly unpack what really happened to his wife in Torquay, where they had all previously met. He seemed intent on blaming his wife’s death on someone. Dangerously obsessed, Barrett stripped away the conflicting secrets of the Driscolls’ apparently perfect lives. Tension built in the final scene resulting in a shock ending for the audience.

 

With a cast of three amazing actors on top form, it was very much of professional standard and crackled with suspense and intrigue from start to finish. A splendid performance from Abby Simpson who, remarkably, hadn’t performed an acting role before. She was perfectly cast, projected confidence and genuinely expressive as her character traversed different emotions including despair and empathy. Adam Woodward had the role of the husband, Mark, and gave a solid performance, delivering his lines with accuracy. His character portrayed initially power, influence and some patience, and then as the secrets unfolded, he faced a twisted revenge created by Barrett. He resigned himself to facing the reality of the dangerous situation he found himself in, and showed real fear; (perhaps this was the reason security system was installed in their house?) Rod Bissett mesmerised the audience with his unwavering characterisation of the menacing and persistent intruder, John Barrett. He appeared initially as a well-mannered man, quietly spoken and courteous but this impression rapidly changed as his frustrations and determination grew. As the tension mounted in Act 2, the pace of Rod’s slick actions and polished delivery added to the suspense, a talented actor.

  

Heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in this first class, thrilling, compelling production. Director, Chris Waters should be proud; the audience was enraptured, and every word of the script was delivered without hesitation. This production radiated hard work and real teamwork.  Thank you for inviting me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 As ever, a warm welcome awaited my arrival, and the front of house were attentive and helpful. This was the final performance of this well-known thriller, written by N.J.Crisp  and it was performed brilliantly to an appreciative audience.

 The first striking element was the set, both realistic and solid; a rather grand conservatory, elegantly furnished, complete with velvet curtains, with a door on the right, which led to the interior of a luxury home belonging to Sally and Mark Driscoll. The set building team consistently expert in creating realistic settings and this was accomplished for this production. The backdrop depicted a lush green lawn, with lighting that impressed us of the summer sunshine on a late, hot, sticky afternoon.

Director, Chris Waters, had done a truly remarkable job directing this piece. His vision was clear throughout, and the behind-the-scenes stage crew workings were absolutely inspired; the atmospheric lighting well considered; and very well-planned effects; a great job by Colin Mears and Stan Vigurs; and all so capably coordinated by the very active stage manager, Dawn Vigurs.

There are parts of this tense play which are quite stylised and delivered at a pace, due both to the intense dialogue, intrigue, suspense and this worked perfectly with the naturalistic acting from the three cast members.

The play began with Sally Driscoll, played by Abby Simpson, happily pottering about in her conservatory, after a swim in the pool, listening to music, unaware she was being watched by an observer outside, John Barrett (Rod Bissett), dressed in a business suit. When he came to the door, Sally, believed him to be a salesman and sent him away but he returned, insistent on entering, claiming they had met previously at a social occasion. Sally desperately tried to recall where and when and looked for clues, but then admitted she could not remember him. As the conversation progressed, she began to feel uneasy and kept mentioning her husband Mark (Adam Woodward) would be home soon after work. John Barrett waited for her husband to come home. When Mark, entered, after a hard week, he appeared put out by this unexpected, uninvited visitor and he didn’t get the relaxed evening he bargained for. The Driscolls offered him a drink and then hoped to get rid of him, but Barrett had no intention of leaving until he had answers, and he wasn’t going until his mission was accomplished, and then, he opened his briefcase. The Driscolls apparent perfect life began to unravel as Barrett confessed his true intention of discovering who was to blame for his wife’s tragic car accident. Intruder, John Barrett changed from being placid to venomous as he resorted to desperate measures, including threats and use of a gun, to ensure the honesty of Mark and Sally Driscoll. He wanted to slowly unpack what really happened to his wife in Torquay, where they had all previously met. He seemed intent on blaming his wife’s death on someone. Dangerously obsessed, Barrett stripped away the conflicting secrets of the Driscolls’ apparently perfect lives. Tension built in the final scene resulting in a shock ending for the audience.

 

With a cast of three amazing actors on top form, it was very much of professional standard and crackled with suspense and intrigue from start to finish. A splendid performance from Abby Simpson who, remarkably, hadn’t performed an acting role before. She was perfectly cast, projected confidence and genuinely expressive as her character traversed different emotions including despair and empathy. Adam Woodward had the role of the husband, Mark, and gave a solid performance, delivering his lines with accuracy. His character portrayed initially power, influence and some patience, and then as the secrets unfolded, he faced a twisted revenge created by Barrett. He resigned himself to facing the reality of the dangerous situation he found himself in, and showed real fear; (perhaps this was the reason security system was installed in their house?) Rod Bissett mesmerised the audience with his unwavering characterisation of the menacing and persistent intruder, John Barrett. He appeared initially as a well-mannered man, quietly spoken and courteous but this impression rapidly changed as his frustrations and determination grew. As the tension mounted in Act 2, the pace of Rod’s slick actions and polished delivery added to the suspense, a talented actor.

  

Heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in this first class, thrilling, compelling production. Director, Chris Waters should be proud; the audience was enraptured, and every word of the script was delivered without hesitation. This production radiated hard work and real teamwork.  Thank you for inviting me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 As ever, a warm welcome awaited my arrival, and the front of house were attentive and helpful. This was the final performance of this well-known thriller, written by N.J.Crisp  and it was performed brilliantly to an appreciative audience.

 The first striking element was the set, both realistic and solid; a rather grand conservatory, elegantly furnished, complete with velvet curtains, with a door on the right, which led to the interior of a luxury home belonging to Sally and Mark Driscoll. The set building team consistently expert in creating realistic settings and this was accomplished for this production. The backdrop depicted a lush green lawn, with lighting that impressed us of the summer sunshine on a late, hot, sticky afternoon.

Director, Chris Waters, had done a truly remarkable job directing this piece. His vision was clear throughout, and the behind-the-scenes stage crew workings were absolutely inspired; the atmospheric lighting well considered; and very well-planned effects; a great job by Colin Mears and Stan Vigurs; and all so capably coordinated by the very active stage manager, Dawn Vigurs.

There are parts of this tense play which are quite stylised and delivered at a pace, due both to the intense dialogue, intrigue, suspense and this worked perfectly with the naturalistic acting from the three cast members.

The play began with Sally Driscoll, played by Abby Simpson, happily pottering about in her conservatory, after a swim in the pool, listening to music, unaware she was being watched by an observer outside, John Barrett (Rod Bissett), dressed in a business suit. When he came to the door, Sally, believed him to be a salesman and sent him away but he returned, insistent on entering, claiming they had met previously at a social occasion. Sally desperately tried to recall where and when and looked for clues, but then admitted she could not remember him. As the conversation progressed, she began to feel uneasy and kept mentioning her husband Mark (Adam Woodward) would be home soon after work. John Barrett waited for her husband to come home. When Mark, entered, after a hard week, he appeared put out by this unexpected, uninvited visitor and he didn’t get the relaxed evening he bargained for. The Driscolls offered him a drink and then hoped to get rid of him, but Barrett had no intention of leaving until he had answers, and he wasn’t going until his mission was accomplished, and then, he opened his briefcase. The Driscolls apparent perfect life began to unravel as Barrett confessed his true intention of discovering who was to blame for his wife’s tragic car accident. Intruder, John Barrett changed from being placid to venomous as he resorted to desperate measures, including threats and use of a gun, to ensure the honesty of Mark and Sally Driscoll. He wanted to slowly unpack what really happened to his wife in Torquay, where they had all previously met. He seemed intent on blaming his wife’s death on someone. Dangerously obsessed, Barrett stripped away the conflicting secrets of the Driscolls’ apparently perfect lives. Tension built in the final scene resulting in a shock ending for the audience.

 

With a cast of three amazing actors on top form, it was very much of professional standard and crackled with suspense and intrigue from start to finish. A splendid performance from Abby Simpson who, remarkably, hadn’t performed an acting role before. She was perfectly cast, projected confidence and genuinely expressive as her character traversed different emotions including despair and empathy. Adam Woodward had the role of the husband, Mark, and gave a solid performance, delivering his lines with accuracy. His character portrayed initially power, influence and some patience, and then as the secrets unfolded, he faced a twisted revenge created by Barrett. He resigned himself to facing the reality of the dangerous situation he found himself in, and showed real fear; (perhaps this was the reason security system was installed in their house?) Rod Bissett mesmerised the audience with his unwavering characterisation of the menacing and persistent intruder, John Barrett. He appeared initially as a well-mannered man, quietly spoken and courteous but this impression rapidly changed as his frustrations and determination grew. As the tension mounted in Act 2, the pace of Rod’s slick actions and polished delivery added to the suspense, a talented actor.

  

Heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in this first class, thrilling, compelling production. Director, Chris Waters should be proud; the audience was enraptured, and every word of the script was delivered without hesitation. This production radiated hard work and real teamwork.  Thank you for inviting me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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