Dial M for Murder

                             

I was warmly welcomed on arrival and  was able to discuss the performance at the end with Director Maree Noons and most of the cast.

I am never disappointed with the set at this small studio and once again it was very attractive. Designed by Simon Reader and built by the society it represented the living room of the Wendices’ flat in London. Two entrances had been created, one being the front door of the flat. Various items of furniture including a chaise-longue, desk (with phone) and a grandfather clock were placed on stage. The lighting was appropriate and there were some good sound effects eg footsteps in corridor outside the flat. Costumes were from the society wardrobe and were in the 1950s period .

Casting was particularly well done and all the characters performed their roles extremely well with good projection to the audience. Movement around this small stage was somewhat frantic at times but good blocking ensured that every space was used.

Richard Kemp-Luck, as Tony Wendice and Gemma Holman-Quinn as his wife, Sheila Wendice were particularly well matched.  Richard was superb as the retired tennis player and had some wonderful expressions and movements. His role dominated the script so very well done Richard ! Gemma was wealthy and very confident and played the emotional scenes especially well. She was having  an affair with Max Halliday, a crime writer. Max was well played by Rob Porter in a rather dull and dour way. He was quietly confident with a calming manner and certainly a good thinker as he worked out the plot !

I thought that Greg McDowell was brilliant as Captain Lesgate, an old university acquaintance of Tony. Greg played the role of this small time criminal in a thoroughly shifty, devious and sly manner. Chris Holman was Inspector Hubbard, a slow and pedantic policeman investigating the murder. This was a good role for Chris who projected this rather serious character well. Slow but sure, he unravelled the mystery in the end.

There were two minor roles. Jordan Brown was the burly policeman who appeared at the very end and ,off stage, Simon Reader was the radio announcer.

This was a clever and entertaining script which kept the enthusiastic audience guessing until the end !

Many congratulations to Director, Maree Noons for bringing this challenging production to the stage. The cast rose to the challenge and were very well supported by all the crew. Well done everyone. I enjoyed it immensely.

 

 

  

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