Theatre and Dance Reviews

Reviewed at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage (June 2007)

Writing reviews of thrillers are always difficult because it’s so hard not to give anything away! Part of the joy of watching a decent one is that you don’t know what’s really happening and for me to go on about the whys and wherefores will totally ruin it for the potential audience – but here goes anyway!

The exciting thing about psychological thrillers is that the audience really feels a part of the action, because as one character messes with another’s head, by default they mess with the heads of those watching the action too. And this is true of Richard Harris’s Dead Guilty.

You start to think one thing, then doubt yourself. Then there’s the awful realisation when you understand what IS/HAS happened!

Intriguing

It’s intriguing - you think you know what’s going on, but you’re never really sure and of course while you’re sort of right, it’s not for the reason that you think and turns out to be far worse. Oh dear – I’m not doing very well am I?!

But there is no point me explaining what I mean because to do this would ruin the whole thriller experience, part of which is to feel the screw slowly turning. And it does!

The play starts after businessman John Hadrell dies after having a heart attack at the wheel of his car. But the woman at his side is not his wife Margaret, but Julia, his mistress.

Unaware of the affair, Margaret visits Julia in hospital and events take a sinister turn when she begins to encroach on Julia’s life.

Stealing

Meanwhile it seems that Julia’s handyman Gary is stealing from her, money goes missing and plants are mysteriously planted in the garden. Then Julia thinks there’s a prowler in the house. Meanwhile Margaret is being so nice to her – and the combination of all three makes the tension rise.

The four-strong cast handle it all very competently, as they should, for as three quarters of them were in Emmerdale, it’s a bit like a reunion and should come naturally!

The wonderfully elegant Lorraine Chase looks dramatic and handles the character well so that you are never quite sure whether she is killing Julia with kindness or if it’s something altogether more serious. And there is one glorious moment where she turns slightly towards the audience and all starts to become clear.

The frustration and helplessness of Clare McGlinn’s Julia is palpable. Consumed by guilt, she is never sure whether Margaret knows about the affair with her husband – and neither are we.

Convincing

Gary Turner and Abigail Fisher make up the quartet. with Gary plays Gary, and his obsession with Julia almost mirrors the Margaret / Julia relationship, but here it’s Julia who has the upper hand. He is gentle and helpful and his indignation at being accused and sacked is very sad. Abigail is a typical counsellor, asks questions but never really helps and she deals with the character convincingly.

There were a few fluffs on this, their first proper performance, and it’s a fairly slow start but eventually this just adds to the sinister and menacing atmosphere of the play. And you have to keep watching it simply because you’re never really sure where it’s going!

I have to say though – I will never understand those people who vocalise the sound of the penny dropping that’s in their head! “Ahhhh” they say loudly, usually followed up by a little giggle. Although maybe it's a great compliment for the theatre - in that people are so comfortable that they think they are in their living rooms!