The Edge Of Darkness

Brian Clemens has a most impressive CV through creating, writing and producing many of the seminal TV crime series of the 60s and early 70s.

“The Edge Of Darkness”, written in 1975, is a thriller in the classic mould. The title itself shouts mystery, intrigue and danger. It is a riveting yarn set in a remote waterside house in the English countryside. From the moment the curtains opened to reveal yet another outstanding Blackburn Arts Club set, which deservedly attracted a round of applause, (designed by Therese Ball and Anne Starks), we knew we were in for dark dastardly deeds. Penny the maid played by Neely Jillings and Hardy (Robin Brown) quickly took us through the exposition while engaging in a comic double act around the preparations for the celebration tea. Neely is a joy to watch. She is a natural on stage possessing the enviable ability to create roles that are always engaging and clever. Penny’s lack of education demonstrated by her mispronunciation of certain words added a hint of humour to the austere character of the story. Neely has a real sense of the dramatic. (I think that was the quote, referring to Penny).

 Robin Brown, (Hardy) wearing a becoming wig was in full command of his character. He convinced us that he was genuinely up to no good. It is to Brian Clemens’s credit that Hardy fools us right up to the very last moments of the play. Yes, we know that we are being conned, but we like to maintain that tiny frisson of feeling that maybe, just maybe, Hardy is the villain of the piece.  How clever we are to see through the double bluff that Clemens has maybe offered us, we smugly tell ourselves.

Then the crafty Cranwells arrive. They are a jumpy nervous couple clearly totally psychologically tainted with the enormity of the caper they have planned. Richard Cranwell as Max, always a good stage name for a bounder, had taken over the role with ten days’ notice to curtain up. Given the wholeness of his characterisation perhaps directors ought to revise the length of their rehearsal schedules. I liked Richard’s mixture of feigned kindness and evil self-interest. Seen from the perspective of the whole play it was chillingly creepy.

Tammy Mason as his wife was the perfect foil. Anguished, uncertain and yet drawn towards her supposed newly rediscovered daughter.

Jacqueline Green whose complexion has certainly improved since I last saw her at this venue, was the daughter in question, Emma. Her costumes were magnificent. Jackie is a confident performer gaining in assurance as her experience grows.  She gave us an Emma who drew us to her. Moving easily around the stage as her false hopes of regaining her past came to nothing, she built a character in Emma destined to remain hard done by and tragic.

Making a dramatic exit, matched only by the drama of his exit, Jonathan Mallinson introduced us to Ivan Livago. He does not spend long in the house before he is dispatched by Max but he has just enough time to tell us a fabulous pack of whimsy about his relationship to Emma. When emphasising certain points in his narrative Ivan became terrible.  It is a shame he is eliminated so soon as I would have liked to have seen more of Jonathan.

Director Therese Ball is always going to produce a satisfying production. Her position of characters around the stage is clever. Though a tad too much behind the sofa in the opening scene perhaps. (Sorry, Therese).

I enjoyed this unsettling tale of mystery. Well done to all concerned.

Thank you as ever to the Arts Club for your warm welcome. I was delighted to find flyers for other societies productions tucked into my programme. More societies should do this I feel. Co-operation amongst groups is essential to maintain and grow our audiences and to keep the flag of quality amateur theatrics flying.

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