“Dial M For Murder” by Ravenshead Theatre Group
Ravenshead Village Hall

Tony Wendice has married his wife, Margot, for her money and now plans to murder her for the same reason. He arranges the perfect murder. He blackmails a scoundrel he used to know into strangling her for a fee of one thousand pounds, and arranges a brilliant alibi for himself. Unfortunately things do not go as planned……..

Julie Cox (Sheila Wendice) put in a storming performance as the intended victim and you could really feel the fear, as well as the confusion that Sheila would have been feeling as the mystery unfolded around her.

Terry Cox (Tony Wendice) also delivered a very confident and smooth performance. At times Tony was like a swan above the water, smooth, calm and in complete control, but look below the surface and the legs are kicking away to keep up the placid outer image. Terry portrayed this wonderfully.

Rob Hurst (Max Halliday) always delivers - he should be called The Postman - and this role is no different, another cool, calm and collected character delivered in the same way. In the second act though Max, the crime writer, really comes out to play.

Daniel Andrews (C A Lesgate) portrays quite a confused, and easily led character, which reveals Lesgate/Swann's achilles heel. Is it worrying that Daniel, like Terry, seems so comfortable in their roles? Nah, they're just very good character actors.

Mandy Buckley (Chief Inspector Hubbard) plays Frederick Knott's Inspector as written, as a man. Now I've met Mandy and when she first came onto the stage at Ravenshead Village Hall, she was unrecognisable, and for a moment, I thought there had been a substitution, but no, it was Mandy. She captured the gait and swagger of a man and even down to the lowered tone of her voice, she looked so different. Part of this transformation is down to the brilliant make up by Cat Buckley. And that facial hair looked so realistic as well!

Adam Hague (Thompson/Williams) only appeared near the end as the police men under the inspector, but there is one scene that he steals which involves a handbag. I'll say no more than this but it provided a slight distraction to the tension at that stage of the play.

Directed by Sarah Tryner, who also design the set, she kept the production pacy with some great musical interludes to cover the scene changes. Sarah also managed to keep that air of tension going throughout. Not an easy thing to instill in the theatre, but with a talented cast, she managed just that.The set and all of the props were accurate to the period the play is set, and I loved that telephone.A great debut with the Director's hat, I think Sarah can be really proud of this production.

Technically, this show ran as smooth as silk. The simple but effective lighting by Katie Peet and Laura Stevenson divided the scenes well and the sound, also by Laura Stevenson helped to create the tension, especially leading up to the climax of the play.

Even though I had seen this play before, it didn't mean that I was not perched on the edge of my seat throughout.

Sophisticated and brimming with class, you've just got one more chance to catch this thrilling and dark piece of theatre.

“Dial M For Murder” is at Ravenshead Village Hall until Saturday 5 October.