Dial M for Murder

This play written by Frederick Knott in 1952 tells the tale of a retired tennis pro and his scheme to have his rich socialite wife killed so he can inherit her money and live happily ever after – or can he? The most well known version of this piece is the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film starring Ray Milland as the tennis pro and Grace Kelly as his wife. Trevor Nicol’s superb direction brought out the very best in the talented cast and the audience were spell bound from the start to the final curtain. Neil MacDonald as the scheming and manipulative husband Tony Wendice, in this his debut role with the group, was excellent. He carried the supercilious air of one who thought he could get anything he wanted as to the manner born and his delivery of his lines in a cut glass accent was meticulous and all the more menacing for it. Alison Ozog gave a perfectly nuanced performance as his naive and trusting wife Margot who thwarts Tony’s plans to be rid of her not once but twice – firstly by killing the attacker hired by him to strangle her and secondly by escaping the hangman’s noose with the help of her one time lover and a dogged police inspector. Tom Masterton as Captain Lesgate, the old school mate of Tony’s who he coerces to kill Margot, gave a very convincing portrayal of a swindler willing to do anything for money. Matthias Kremer as TV thriller writer Max Halliday, and Margot’s lover, was another who gave a strong, convincing performance especially in Act Two with his interactions with Chief Inspector Hubbard. Andy Pyott’s Chief Inspector handled the portrayal of the seemingly bumbling plod beautifully - never revealing his true suspicions of Tony’s cunning plans until the final scene with Max and a devastated Margot. Allen Perrin’s set of the Wendice’s London Maida Vale flat was an outstanding representation of a home of the early 1950’s with excellent attention to detail. Costuming was appropriate to the era and character – especially those of Margot ranging from an elegant evening gown to a sensible tweed suit. Congratulations to The Florians for delivering another outstanding production.

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