Thriller season ends on a serious note
The line between drama and reality was crossed in the final instalment of this year’s classic thriller season at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal.
All About Murder was a surprisingly subdued ending to the season — a stark contrast to last week’s farcical Anyone For Murder? also written by Brian Clemens and Dennis Spooner who brought us this week’s offering.
The drama is centred around two down-on-their-luck playwrights Nigel Forbes and Max Goodman — writing partners who specialise in thrillers.
As part of their creative process, the pair often act out their dramas with the help of their secretary, Jill.
Desperate for a stage success to ease their financial worries, they start planning a new drama taking Nigel’s drunken and difficult wife, Ann, as their inspiration.
As they work out how they would murder her to claim life insurance, the script moves from paper to reality and Max finds himself carrying out the crime.
But, in true classic thriller style, nothing is straightforward and there are plenty of twists to keep the audience on their toes.
Patric Kearns as Nigel and Jeremy Lloyd Thomas as Max — both in their fourth productions of the summer — take the main roles as the desperate playwrights and they form a great partnership.
Kearns slips perfectly into the role of the upper class, dominant writing partner with more than a few secrets, while Lloyd Thomas makes a convincing lesser partner who has a crucial advantage over his friend.
Supporting them are Jo Castleton as Jill and Karen Henson as Ann.
The small cast is completed by Adrian Lloyd-James as bumbling Detective Inspector Berry. He introduces some humour to the production as the star-struck, amateur actor/detective.
All About Murder is certainly not the hammed up, comedy offering that I know and love from Colin MacIntyre Theatre Company, but it is well acted and easily watchable.
Such is the success of the thriller season that it has already been confirmed for next year — its 24th year. Long may it continue — SH.
