THE EDGE OF DARKNESS: Clemens, Theatre Royal Nottingham till 30 August
Nottingham.
THE EDGE OF DARKNESS: Clemens.
Theatre Royal: Tkts 0115 989 5555 www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk.
Runs: 2h 10m: one interval: till 23rd August.
Performance times: 7.30pm weekdays, 5pm and 8pm Sat. (Matinee 2.00pm Weds).
Review: Alan Geary: 25 August 2008.
A suspense-loaded evening.
The two Constables hanging on the wall up-stage are almost the only hint of policemen in this week’s Classic Thriller - they’re The Haywain, and that one with the church. Otherwise there’s just that disembodied voice at the end saying “Righto Sir”. Patric Kearns, not a detective this time, plays an authoritarian, late-Victorian dad, Max Cranwell. And real-life wife, Jane Shakespeare, gives a super performance as Laura, his deferential spouse.
The play opens with the Cranwells’ daughter, Emma, suffering from amnesia and strangely familiar with menial work, back home after a mysterious three-year absence. Newcomer Heather Saunders, as Emma, is superb: she gets the circa 1900 middle-class accent perfectly, and she looks right in her frocks.
Geoff Gilder’s costumes, and set, are again outstanding. So is the background music. At the start it’s splendidly portentous and there’s a wonderful soaring woman’s voice later on.
Jo Castleton is the loveable Cockney sparrow maid, the type of comic part she does so well; and Jeremy Lloyd Thomas, with that sinister smile and insinuating voice is on form as Livago. When he, and Hardy, the new servant, (Duncan MacInnes), listen to the crackle of those Havannas and sniff at them it makes you want to join them for a smoke.
From the start, you’re wondering about Hardy. His hair’s smarmed down, and for an underling he’s too clever by half. And he’s been in Russia - or so he claims. He’s all hands.
The plot turns out to be more straightforward than some might expect: it seems to promise more than it delivers. But you’re kept guessing till the end of what is a suspense-loaded evening.
Penny: Jo Castleton.
Hardy: Duncan MacInnes.
Max Cranwell: Patric Kearns.
Laura Cranwell: Jane Shakespeare.
Emma: Heather Saunders.
Livago: Jeremy Lloyd Thomas.
Director: Adrian Lloyd-James.
Designer: Geoff Gilder.
Lighting Designer: Mark Pritchard.
2008-08-26 20:05:57