"Double Indemnity" by James M Cain.

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

It looks like the weather outside had been ordered especially for opening night for this show (Tuesday) because the misty and rainy evening created halos around the street lights providing that uneasy feel, which continued on stage. The unease, not the mist and the fine rain!

This adaptation has changed some of the names from the original film, but they do not protect the innocent, nor the guilty.

The classic Hollywood thriller has been adapted for the stage by Tom Holloway. Los Angeles, 1930’s and amidst the wreckage of the Great Depression, Walter Huff, a sharp-eyed insurance salesman, has built his career spotting scams. But when he meets the dangerously seductive Phyllis Nirdlinger to discuss her husband’s life insurance policy, he finds himself drawn into a web of lust, greed, and betrayal. Together they plot the perfect crime: murder the husband, cash in the policy, and disappear into the Californian sunset..... but how much faith and trust do they have in each other?

I've never seen the film from 1944 which starred Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray and Edward G Robinson. Widely regarded as a classic, Double Indemnity is often cited as having set the standard for the "film noir" genre and as one of the greatest films of all time. The title refers to a "double indemnity" clause which doubles life insurance payouts when death occurs in a statistically rare manner.

Phyllis Nirdlinger is played by Mischa Barton, who makes her UK stage debut in this play. Without knowing the story or seeing the film, you can just tell that Phyllis Nirdinger is a bad un by her physicality and how she speaks. Obviously, or so it looks, Mischa Barton has studied this character well and possibly the film noir genre because that is the whole vibe she projects. I'm probably in the minority as being one of the few men who has not seen Mishcha previously; I haven't see "The O.C." as I don't watch that much TV, but she has the ability to demand that all eyes should be on her while on stage.

Ciaran Owens plays the part of Walter Huff, the insurance man who, along with Phyllis really believed that they could carry out "the perfect murder" and then run off into the distance with the big payout. Wonderfully creating those old scenes that we see in this style of 1940's detective movies, Owens also nails the quick speak method of addressing the audience and the other characters in the play.

Barton Keyes, Huff's boss who works out that Nurdinger couldn't have intended to commit suicide by leaping from the train, even with a fractured leg and crutches to get the insurance policy payout, suspects Phyllis and an accomplice was responsible. Keyes is played by Martin Marquez. Love the accent and the gruffness and the doggedness of the character.

Gillian Saker plays Usher, Waitress as well as Nettie, Huff's secretary.

Joseph Langdon is Mr Norton - the overall boss of the claims office, Nino - Lola's boyfriend - and Joe Pete 

Oliver Ryan is Mr Nirdlinger, Jackson - the man who claims to have seen Nurlinger on the train - and Jack Christholf.

Lola Nirdlinger, Phyllis' step-daughter who suspects that Phyllis has something to do with her father's death, is played by Sophia Roberts.

Simon Victor, Estelle Cousins and Patrick Fleming make up the ensemble.

Directed by Oscar Toeman, this is an interesting one because you don't get to see that many plays of this genre, and you try and think what you would do in the role of Director. What I really liked about the direction of "Double Indemnity" was the creation of the feel for the era; you really got the feel of the 1940's, and not just by the costumes and scenery style, it was just something about the whole feeling and look. I also liked the way that the phone calls were conducted between the characters. The sound was created live to make the people talking on the phone actually sound tinny, as they would by phone. This effect was used brilliantly without the use of physical telephones, keeping the actors free to roam the stage and be unhindered by additional props.

The Set and Costumer designer is Ti Green. Costumes straight away placed the characters in the era required and the set, sparse as it was looked great. there's part of the Hollywood sign almost acting like a shield at the back of the set which had a metallic and industrial feel. The props were almost skeletal; the car and the train both created the setting and physical appearance of the object but were easy enough to transport away from the stage with ease.

Lighting Designer is Josh Gadsby and Sound Designer and Composer is Dan Balfour. I often combine these two areas as one because they are the equivalent of the bass and drums creating the rhythm section of a band. The sound and lights are what creates the rhythm of a play, and they blend so well together here to create an almost creeping atmosphere to the play.

Now, I don't know how the film closes, as I haven't seen it, but I was expecting a rather different, and possibly more dramatic ending. I say more dramatic because nothing actually happened; the lights faded to blackout and someone at the back of the theatre started the applause. I won't say what was the lead up to the faded blackout but after such a dramatic performance throughout, I half expected there to be either a gunshot or a splash but.............

"Double Indemnity" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 14 February.