Tuesday, 22 May 2018

Review: The Case of the Frightened Lady



A classic thriller is in town this week at Milton Keynes Theatre. Adapted from Edgar Wallace’s original classic mystery, brought to us by The Classic Thriller Theatre Company and produced by Bill Kenwright, you’re in for a sophisticated night of murder, chills and great acting.

When Inspector Tanner is called in to investigate a murder at Mark’s Priory, the grand ancestral home of the Lebanon family, he quickly discovers that nothing is quite as it seems. As Tanner moves closer to the heart of the mystery he uncovers a shocking and closely guarded secret. You’ll meet various members of the Lebanon family as well as their servants and butlers and will discover snippets of their secrets throughout the play as the story unfolds.

It was a fantastic performance from all the cast and I especially loved to see Oliver Phelps as Detective Sergeant Totti (aka George Weasley, a Harry Potter obsessive through and through!). I believe this was his theatre debut and although a shame he didn’t have a bigger part with more dialogue, it was a great performance.

The stage was a simple but perfect ‘courtyard’, a central hall within Mark’s Priory between the main house and the servant’s quarters where all the action takes place. The walls are adorned with many coats of arms showing the history of the family and an old dresser to highlight the family’s secrets. A few tricks of lighting tell you another day has passed. There were also some fantastic costumes of the 1930’s era which is when the play is set (1932).

With a couple of spine-tingling screams and claps of thunder thrown in, this was a thoroughly enjoyable evening of classic whodunit.


For tickets, visit www.atgtickets.com

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