"Murder In The Dark" by Torben Betts.
It’s New Year’s Eve, a car crash on a deserted road brings famous but troubled singer Danny Sierra and his family to an isolated holiday cottage in rural England.
The build up is slow and steady, and that is not a bad thing in a story like this, and then comes the twist at the end!
Tom Chambers, who you'll know from being in Holby City, Waterloo Road, Casualty and Father Brown, as well as winning the sixth season of Strictly Come Dancing, plays Danny Sierra. Danny is an ex boy band star who years ago wished to have world fame and to always be on TV; well he learns to be careful of what he wishes for.
He relates his childhood history with his brother, Will, and their fear of their babysitter, through to his early pop career and we get a really good background to his early family life.
Laura White plays Sarah, his girlfriend who is a lot younger than he is. Her main issue with being holed up in the bare basics cottage after the car crash, is that their is no wi-fi. Typical!
Susie Blake, who you'll recognise instantly from the Victoria Wood TV shows, plays Mrs Bateman, who owns the cottage, which is on her farm. A character which is a far cry from anything you may have seen Susie play on TV.
Rebecca Charles plays Rebecca, Danny's estranged wife, and mother to Jake. Rebecca, Jake and Will are all in the car with Danny and Sarah as they are all on the way to a New Year's Eve gig that Jake is playing at.
Jake, Danny and Rebecca's son, is played by Jonny Green. Jake is bitter about Danny not being there for him as a young lad, and these bad feelings come spilling out when trapped in the cottage with his dad, like a caged tiger.
Owen Oakeshott plays William, Danny's brother, who also has musical talents and wrote Danny's band's big hit "Murder In The Dark"; but there's more than sibling rivalry here.
So, these are the characters, and a little taste of their back story. More than that I am not going to reveal because I would hate to spoil this creepy play for you and give away the twist which comes right out of the blue and on a turn of a coin - don't worry, that's not a spoiler, just a phrase to indicate how quick this play changes!
Paul Pyant's lighting design is one reason why this show is as creepy and unnerving as it is.
The sound design is by Max Pappenheim. there are sound effects and creeping soundscapes that roll in and out, keeping you on the edge of your seats.
Directed by Philip Franks, he gives no warning via the action as to what is to come. He grows the tension like a gardener would cultivate a seedling, until it explodes into something you won't expect.
This show has been at derby theatre all week and on Friday night it was packed out, so if it's been like this all week, you need to get your tickets ordered pretty sharpish, as this is one of the best new supernatural thrillers around.
"Murder In The Dark" is at Derby Theatre until Saturday 20 January.
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