Shock and awe at Sonning

Engrossing and tense thriller

To begin with, Deathtrap by Ira Levin has more twists than an elongated corkscrew.

A once successful playwright has hit a writing block and is envious of a brilliant play, written by a young student who has sent it to him. He seriously considers inviting the young man over and murdering him before claiming the play as his own and making a fortune from it. Now that is just for starters in the first 10 minutes.

Nick Waring, as author Sidney Bruhl, played him as bitter, sarcastic and witty but cruel, so that you believed he could and would do it. Emily Raymond, as his wife Myra, was calmer at first, but gradually become more disturbed as she started to realise that he might mean it. She was quietly effective over a range of differing moods. Did he do it though? Well, you don’t expect me to tell you that or describe any of the myriad twists and turns, do you? That would ruin the play for future audiences who will doubtless find this engrossing thriller full of shocks and surprises.

Author Levin was a master of shocks and surprises as his work on the movies Rosemary’s Baby and The Boys From Brazil proved.

This is not a ‘whodunit’ in the traditional sense though. More a ‘is he going to do it, why and how and what on earth’s going on anyway?’ sort of play.

George Watkins was effective as the young author of the brilliant play, but then, was he who he said he was? Watkins kept us guessing for some time. Then there was Issy Van Randwyck as the psychic Helga ten Dorp, who ‘sees’ death and horror before it happens and can even describe how it will happen in advance. She underplayed the character and in doing so made her even more menacing. Last in the cast was Philip Childs as Porter Milgrim, calmly fascinating as Sidney Bruhl’s solicitor.

There are many examples of sudden shocks in this play, effectively underlined by director Tam Williams’ use of flashing lights and loud heartbeats that are used on a soundtrack at key moments.

The first act is full of tension and shocks and although it slacks off slightly during the second there is enough tension throughout to satisfy most thriller addicts.

A good, atmospheric set by Michael Holt and clever lighting by Graham Weymouth all added to the overall effect of a play that could give people of a nervous disposition a nightmare.

For many people though, this was Agatha Christie turbo charged.

DEREK ANSELL