Revenge

Revenge follows four friends and their phobias. Amelia, an agoraphobic, Corrine with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, Petra, a claustrophobic, and Nigel, with a morbid fear of clowns. Having met whilst in therapy, they form a support group headed up by psychiatrist, Dr Malstrom. Over time, they become good friends and form an unbreakable bond, or so it seems. Meeting weekly for a book group, on the surface everything seems fine but there are two sides to every story and two sides to every human being. One, the persona people are allowed to see; the other, the side that is kept hidden. There are secrets left untold, secrets buried so deep they have festered, multiplied and turned into a raging fire that no amount of water can extinguish. These secrets are about to be revealed. Revenge is the feeding of a searing hunger that crosses time and cultures. Revenge is as old as humanity, dark and dramatic and occasionally endless. For one person that hunger is about to be appeased but sometimes the end is merely the beginning.

Under Mark Walker’s direction, Revenge maintained a brisk pace, punctuated by well‑timed jump scares and a steady stream of plot twists. Just as the audience felt confident in their suspicions, the narrative shifted again, keeping everyone alert. With a small cast of five, the production maintained a tight focus and kept the audience fully engaged. Jane Walker brought compassion and emotional clarity to Amelia, making her shift into vengeance all the more impactful. Bob Mutch gave Nigel an unexpected charm; his unusual phobias of fruit and clowns drew genuine empathy, which made the later revelation that he, too, was driven by revenge a surprise to all. Wendy Hopkins delivered a convincing and considered portrayal of Corinne, capturing the complexities of OCD and providing a moment of humour when returning Amelia’s knife. Carly Walker as Petra, brought youthfulness and understanding whilst trying to encourage Amelia to overcome her fear. Additionally, Alan Galway as Dr Malstrom brought a calming presence, so calming I was convinced that he was going to be the villain, I was wrong!

The production brought together a blend of live scenes along with blackouts supported by voiceovers narrating thoughts and dreams, enabling the audience to create their own visuals to support the narrative.

The set and props were minimal but purposeful and supported the storytelling and key elements of the script. The lighting was kept natural to reflect the setting of Amelia’s living room. An effective moment of lighting was during the break-in scene where torches were used to mimic real-life, creating a sense of unease. The final cool spotlight on Amelia, having enacted her revenge, provided a fitting conclusion.

Although there were occasional line stumbles, the cast maintained momentum and delivered a cohesive, engaging performance. The production balanced drama and suspense, keeping the audience invested throughout and delivering several unexpected moments.

Well done to all involved, it was a strong performance and a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

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