DEADLY NIGHTCAP: Durbridge, Theatre Royal Nottingham till 16 August
Nottingham.
DEADLY NIGHTCAP: Durbridge.
Theatre Royal: Tkts 0115 989 5555 www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk.
Runs: 2h 30m: one interval: till 16th August.
Performance times: 7.30pm weekdays, 5pm and 8pm Sat. (Matinee 2.00pm Weds).
Review: Alan Geary: 11 August 2008.
Like Gaslight minus the gas and minus the light. Enjoy.
Without giving too much away, it’s safe to say that this play, the second in Nottingham’s Classic Thriller Season, is like Gaslight minus the gas and minus the light. But, unlike last week’s production, it’s not set in Victorian times: we’re back in Durbridge country.
It’s all here: that trusty sofa is back in its time-honoured position centre-stage; so is the well-used selection of smart drinks upstage. And seasoned Colin McIntyre fans might even recognise that orange jump-suit - it’s the Seventies - worn by Anna (Sarah Wynne Kordas).
It’s a splendid set - a stylish drawing room naturally, complete with French windows. The Seventies costumes are not as outlandish as they were in the 2004 production: moustaches and flares seem less extreme, even though the gents’ check jackets and suits are exceedingly checky.
Jo Castleton, back in the role of Sarah Radford and as fetching and watch-worthy as ever, gets to wear frocks specially selected to match the cushions - or it might be the other way round.
There are so many twists and turns, you’re continually re-assessing the characters. This is, after all, Durbridge, so most of them seem to be connected to the media and/or flying back and forth to New York. They’re well differentiated by the actors, each of whom exploits the potential of his/her part without resort to excessive hammery.
Jack Radford, a bad lot with a Welsh accent and mired in deals with jerry-builders, is played by Jeremy Lloyd Thomas, always an excellent nasty. Geoffrey, the mild-mannered underling in Radford’s estate agency, is played by Sam Clemens in an outstanding performance. The way he keeps taking those horn-rimmed glasses off to clean them is beautifully observed, as is his drooling over Sarah.
The plodding Super, who seems to be a one-copper police force, is done by Patric Kearns. He’s always a dependable accent man, though this week’s offering might give accent-spotters a hard time. He carries a giant note-book but turns out to be an intellectual.
This one’s a classic Classic Thriller. Enjoy.
Sarah Radford: Jo Castleton.
Geoffrey Curtis: Sam Clemens.
Lucy Baker: Karen Henson.
Edward Donnington: Duncan Macinnes.
Kate Warren: Jane Shakespeare.
Jack Radford: Jeremy Lloyd-Thomas.
Anna Truman: Sarah Wynne Kordas.
Dr Maurice Young: Graham Ashe.
Cliff Jordan: Patric Kearns.
Arnold Boston: Adrian Lloyd-James.
Director: Keith Myers.
Designer: Geoff Gilder.
Lighting Designer: Mark Pritchard.
Music compiled by: Patric Kearns.
2008-08-13 14:18:47