REVIEW: Dial M for Murder
By Gary Murray, volunteer theatre reviewer
“What I’ve got to tell you may come as a bit of a shock” – Inspector Hubbard
Many people will know Dial M For Murder as the famous Alfred Hitchcock film of 1954, starring Ray Milland and Grace Kelly. But it was originally written as a play by English playwright Frederick Knott.
Here it’s presented by Phil and Ben Productions, regulars of the Eastbourne summer theatre scene having previously brought us, among others, Strangers On A Train, Bedroom Farce and Table Manners.
Dial M is a taut, noir thriller. It relies on dialogue rather than action and calls for high-level ensemble work from the actors. We certainly get that here.
Thrillers are difficult to review because one doesn’t want to give the plot away. But this is a little different in that we know from the start ‘whodunnit’. The fun comes in watching well-made plans fall apart: any time the words ‘perfect murder’ are thought of, even fleetingly, by any character, you know there’ll be trouble.
It’s not so much a ‘whodunnit’ as a ‘whatnowthatidunnit’.
Tony Wendice (Pete Ashmore), an ex-tennis pro, has discovered that his wife Margot (Tanya-Loretta Dee) is having an affair with American crime writer Max Halliday (Simon Pothecary) and decides that he wants her murdered. He blackmails a man called Captain Lesgate (Phil Stewart) into carrying this out.
He will give himself an alibi by being at an event elsewhere and Lesgate will break in. Tony will dial (kids, ask your parents!) the apartment to lure Margot into answering the phone, whereupon Lesgate will strangle her. At least that’s the plan …
The fun comes with seeing how Tony reacts to things not quite going as planned, the centre around which the play revolves.
And we get a masterful performance from Pete Ashmore. He’s able to switch from bonhomie to cold calculation in the blink of an eye and has an angular physicality.
The whole cast is superb. What could have been a bit wordy actually crackles with life.
Into the mix comes Inspector Hubbard (Katy Dean) usually played by a male actor. This brings another energy to proceedings.
My only misgivings are that I’d like to have seen a bit more of Margot’s yearning, her need for the affair, expressed by Tanya-Loretta Dee.
The denouement is just a touch drawn out, but that’s an issue with the writing.
Phil & Ben Productions have provided us with some great summer theatre. They stage Dial M until Saturday and return at the end of the month to bring us Ayckbourn’s Time and Time Again. Don’t miss either of them.
:: Dial M for Murder is at the Devonshire Park Theatre until Saturday 11 July. Tickets available here.
:: Gary Murray was a professional actor for 14 years in theatre, radio, TV and even a couple of operas. After many years on the tech side of the ticketing industry, he now works at Tech Resort and is a volunteer reviewer for Eastbourne Reporter
