“The Lady Vanishes” adapted by Derek Webb from the novel by Ethel Lina White.

The Bonington Players

Bonington Theatre, Arnold.

The play is about a beautiful English tourist, Iris Carr, travelling by train in continental Europe who discovers that her elderly travelling companion, Miss Froy, seems to have disappeared from the train. After her fellow passengers deny ever having seen the elderly lady, the young woman is helped by a young man, Max Hare.

The two proceed to search the train for clues to the old lady's disappearance. As Max and Iris try to find answers to Miss Froy’s disappearance, romance starts to bloom. But why do all the other passengers suddenly deny the existence of Miss Froy?

The classic Hitchcock thriller is brought to life on stage wonderfully by The Bonington Players, with probably one of the best sets I have seen in a long time. The train car itself looks as if it has just been lifted from a 1930's steam train, likewise the dining car.

What I also love about the Bonington Players is the authenticity of the set an d the little details like there being drink in the coffee pot and there is food to be eaten. No empty plates with actors pretending to eat and drink from empty cups. Director Howard Whitehurst has ticked off and used every little detail needed to make everything a reality.

The accents are also well utilised with cut glass British accents rubbing shoulders with the European accents of the Doctor and The Baroness.

Charlotte Cordall, who played Iris was excellent throughout and with great energy.

Miss Froy, played by Karen James, reminded me slightly of a cross between Julia Mckenzie and Geraldine McEwen, both incredible actors, as was Karen.

Kevin Chatten, as the quintessential Englishman Max Hare is so well at ease with this character inserting a lovely amount of English charm and comedy.

Philip Chapman and Lindsey Hemingway play the "honeymoon couple" Mr & Mrs Todhunter, but are they as blissfully married as they would have us believe?

Two of my favourite characters in this thriller are Miss Evelyn Flood-Porter and Miss Rose Flood-Porter, played brilliantly by Val Petty and Gail Tomlinson respectively. Think the physicality and facial gurns of Hinge and Bracket and that is the area you are in. Brilliant comedy acting by both ladies, but why would these sisters also deny the existence of Miss Froy?

Christian King we see in the second act as Reverend Barnes, also the husband of Mrs Barnes who really can't wait for anyone to finish their sentences before continuing to speak. This speedy character played by Helen Holbrook.

Zoe Lander plays a quite bolshy and scary Baroness, who seems to have something to hide; but what? What i loved about Zoe is that when the lights faded to change scenes and The Baroness was not required on stage, she exited completely in character, even in the dark. Now this is something that maybe a lesser experienced actor may not do. Or is it the result of a very experienced Director, again never missing a trick?

Wayne Hill as The Doctor was very convincing with his explanation of the mysterious other train carriage and the human cargo he had in there.

Danny Longbottom played The Professor I found to have more comedy in the role than I could remember. Maybe the script has always been the same but Danny brought out the comic element in this character more than other actors I'd seen play the part historically.

Frau Kummer, as you may remember is the German woman of same size and build as the missing Miss Froy, and I had to look twice here because the physicality between Karen James and Christine Chapman, who plays Frau Kummer was almost mirror like. There was a certain eeriness in this character which Christine brought out really well.

Nick Hill played the Border Official, who we saw at the end of Act Two was authoritive and believable.

The only other minor character role was that of the dining car waiter, played beautifully by Chris Gardner. Minor the part may be but memorable the acting was most certainly.

I mentioned what a wonderful set this play has but bringing the set to life and really making you feel that you were travelling on a train was the video design through the train window, moving from day to night through the carriage windows. that and the movement created by the lighting behind the dining car window blinds was so realistic, there was a possibility of mild travel sickness brought on by the motion depicted by this train.

Tony Tomlinson was the designer and the video design, as well as the lighting and sound design, was by David Goatham.

This play is really water-tight and I could find not a thing to fault it on, so I just sat back and enjoyed the excellent, and well-chosen cast presenting one of the best thrillers from the classic thriller genre. An excellent choice to welcome The Bonington Players back to the stage, and so pleased to see the Bonington Theatre practically full supported by an enthusiastic crowd of supporters.

“The Lady Vanishes” is at Bonington theatre until Saturday 16 October.