THEATRE REVIEW: Dial M For Murder - The Playhouse, Liverpool.

I first came across this piece when I watched the famous Hitchcock film of the play and it's always been one of my favourites ever since. I have watched amateur productions of it before but it was good to have an opportunity to see a full professional staging of a drama which is rightly advertised as 'the genre defining thriller'.

The curtains were already drawn back which always slightly irks me as I much prefer the 'reveal'; however, this is a minor criticism. The audience were presented with an excellent and authentic set design, immediately setting the action in a very well-to-do London flat. The incidental music before the show started to clearly place what we later witnessed in the mid 1960s.

The play began with Margot Wendice (realistically portrayed by X Factor finalist and West End star Diana Vickers) coming from the bedroom with her lover, writer Max (Michael Salami). They were very lovey-dovey but it was obvious to the audience that Margot was somewhat troubled She went on to tell us why - she talks to Max about a compromising letter written by him which was in her handbag that had been stolen at Victoria train station. He had written to her regularly during his time in New York but this was the only letter she had actually kept. She continued by waxing lyrical over how charismatic and manipulative husband Tony (former Strictly Come Dancing winner Tom Chambers) had significantly changed since giving up his successful tennis career a year earlier.

Tony came home to say to Margot and Max that he unfortunately wouldn't be able to join them on their planned trip to the theatre that evening; he tells them that he had some urgent phone calls and business to attend to before his boss goes to Brussels the following day.

So the lovers left the flat without him and Tony is alone and able to further his true plans. He made a call to arrange a meeting regarding the sale of a car with Captain Lesgate (Christopher Harper). Lesgate initially having no idea of cocksure Tony's real motive but it quickly became clear. The rather lengthy scene between these two characters was reminiscent of a dance with one of them most definitely leading the conversation round to its ultimate goal.

In order not to spoil the reader's enjoyment, particularly if they are unfamiliar with how things turn out, I won't say anything else about the clever, multi-layered plot. Instead, I will wholly focus on the positives and the relatively few aspects which didn't work quite as well from my perspective.

The decor and fashions were appropriate and there were some slick changes of costume which kept the play moving at a good pace. Most of what was presented seemed very similar to the film, so fans of the piece will be rather pleased to see that. However, there were a number of overly 'stagey' touches which, in my opinion, were unnecessary and added nothing to this extremely well crafted story.

In overall terms, this was a fine evening of entertainment with strong performances throughout and I can wholeheartedly recommend it. 

The production continues nightly, including a Saturday matinée, until September the 18th before it goes on to tour the country.

Reviewer - David Swift
on - 14.9.21