REVIEW
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
REBUS: A GAME CALLED MALICE by Ian Rankin and Simon Reade
2 – 25 February 2023
Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
REBUS: A GAME CALLED MALICE by Ian Rankin and Simon Reade
2 – 25 February 2023
Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch
For the opening play of it’s winter season, The Queens Theatre, Hornchurch has pulled off a major theatrical coup. It has secured the World Premier production of crime writer Ian Rankin’s first play alongside Simon Reade, for which his famous detective, John Rebus, makes the big leap from page to stage!
On entering the auditorium, we can see immediately that no expense has been spared in Terry Parson’s lavish set. Whoever owns this gorgeous, opulent dining room, full of paintings, leather sofas and huge dining table, is not short of a penny or two.
As the play begins, a single white light comes up on Rebus himself. In an opening monologue, he explains that despite being retired from his job, he cannot shake his old habit of reading the room whenever he is in new surroundings. Of course, it goes without saying that by the end of the evening his skills are going to be called upon.
We next meet the other characters as the lights come up fully on that glorious room. Harriet and Paul are hosting a dinner party with a little twist. As an after-dinner entertainment, Harriet has written a murder mystery for her guests to ponder and solve. As they strip back the layers of the mystery set in a stately home, we simultaneously learn about the people in the room. The presence of Rebus heightens the tension, as he has come along as the 'plus one' of successful barrister, Stephanie (Emily Joyce). If anyone in the room has a skeleton in the cupboard, he is bound to find it out.
It becomes clear that the marriage between Harriet and Paul is not a happy one, and Rebecca Charles as Harriet portrays her unhappiness most effectively, whilst Forbes Masson is quietly menacing as her husband, Paul.
The guest list is completed by casino owner Jack Fleming, (Billy Hartman) and his much younger girlfriend, Candida Jones (Emma Noakes).
A number of interesting ideas are raised, not least how social media can affect our lives. Candida is an influencer and attached to her phone throughout the first part of the play, which is not popular with the other guests.
Late into the first act, Jack leaves the room to use the bathroom, and his gone for long enough for his presence to me missed. When he returns, he is ashen faced. He has found a dead body in the bathroom. Blackout. End of Act One.
At the start of the Second Act, the action picks up from the moment it left off. Rebus kicks into action and takes control of the situation. The more traditional aspects of the whodunnit kick in here and there is a lot of fun to be had as Rebus probes all the other guests, and all the secrets are revealed. When all the loose ends have been tied up, the play comes full circle and Rebus tells us that he will never stop reading the room.
A great deal of care has gone into the staging of this production. It is truly West End standard. The set, lighting and sound are all stunning, and the cast is made up of top drawer actors, many of whom are familiar faces from their roles on TV. It is a real treat to see Emily Joyce, Billy Hartman, and Forbes Masson on stage here in Hornchurch, whilst former Taggart actor John Michie is an absolute treat as John Rebus. He has such presence and charisma, as well as that voice. He is a real joy to watch.
My only cavil with this very successful evening is the play itself. In all honestly I found it a bit insubstantial. The whole evening is concluded in little over 90 minutes with a decent interval. Whilst it is very entertaining as far as it goes, I wanted more development of some characters, and a more interesting plot. I found it difficult to believe that a top barrister would have taken more than 5 minutes to solve the murder mystery, especially with her detective friend to help. I also felt that a dead body was thrown in just because we needed one in there, otherwise there is no plot to solve.
At one point, someone mentions that they are going to need to go to the gym the next day to work off the huge meal they have consumed. To me, Rebus: A Game Called Malice feels more like an appetiser than a main course. A triumph of style over substance.
Review by Andrew Walters
On entering the auditorium, we can see immediately that no expense has been spared in Terry Parson’s lavish set. Whoever owns this gorgeous, opulent dining room, full of paintings, leather sofas and huge dining table, is not short of a penny or two.
As the play begins, a single white light comes up on Rebus himself. In an opening monologue, he explains that despite being retired from his job, he cannot shake his old habit of reading the room whenever he is in new surroundings. Of course, it goes without saying that by the end of the evening his skills are going to be called upon.
We next meet the other characters as the lights come up fully on that glorious room. Harriet and Paul are hosting a dinner party with a little twist. As an after-dinner entertainment, Harriet has written a murder mystery for her guests to ponder and solve. As they strip back the layers of the mystery set in a stately home, we simultaneously learn about the people in the room. The presence of Rebus heightens the tension, as he has come along as the 'plus one' of successful barrister, Stephanie (Emily Joyce). If anyone in the room has a skeleton in the cupboard, he is bound to find it out.
It becomes clear that the marriage between Harriet and Paul is not a happy one, and Rebecca Charles as Harriet portrays her unhappiness most effectively, whilst Forbes Masson is quietly menacing as her husband, Paul.
The guest list is completed by casino owner Jack Fleming, (Billy Hartman) and his much younger girlfriend, Candida Jones (Emma Noakes).
A number of interesting ideas are raised, not least how social media can affect our lives. Candida is an influencer and attached to her phone throughout the first part of the play, which is not popular with the other guests.
Late into the first act, Jack leaves the room to use the bathroom, and his gone for long enough for his presence to me missed. When he returns, he is ashen faced. He has found a dead body in the bathroom. Blackout. End of Act One.
At the start of the Second Act, the action picks up from the moment it left off. Rebus kicks into action and takes control of the situation. The more traditional aspects of the whodunnit kick in here and there is a lot of fun to be had as Rebus probes all the other guests, and all the secrets are revealed. When all the loose ends have been tied up, the play comes full circle and Rebus tells us that he will never stop reading the room.
A great deal of care has gone into the staging of this production. It is truly West End standard. The set, lighting and sound are all stunning, and the cast is made up of top drawer actors, many of whom are familiar faces from their roles on TV. It is a real treat to see Emily Joyce, Billy Hartman, and Forbes Masson on stage here in Hornchurch, whilst former Taggart actor John Michie is an absolute treat as John Rebus. He has such presence and charisma, as well as that voice. He is a real joy to watch.
My only cavil with this very successful evening is the play itself. In all honestly I found it a bit insubstantial. The whole evening is concluded in little over 90 minutes with a decent interval. Whilst it is very entertaining as far as it goes, I wanted more development of some characters, and a more interesting plot. I found it difficult to believe that a top barrister would have taken more than 5 minutes to solve the murder mystery, especially with her detective friend to help. I also felt that a dead body was thrown in just because we needed one in there, otherwise there is no plot to solve.
At one point, someone mentions that they are going to need to go to the gym the next day to work off the huge meal they have consumed. To me, Rebus: A Game Called Malice feels more like an appetiser than a main course. A triumph of style over substance.
Review by Andrew Walters