Lindisfarne present
Rope
by Patrick Hamilton
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
22-25th November 2017
Rope
by Patrick Hamilton
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
22-25th November 2017
Lindisfarne's latest production see them making a departure from their usual laugh-a-minute Ray Cooney farcical capers - that's not to say that their regular audiences won't enjoy this latest offering. Patrick Hamilton's Rope was the play that inspired the great psychological Hitchcock thriller of the same name, starring James Stewart.
However, whereas the film was set in America's Manhattan, Hamilton's action takes place in London's prestigious, Mayfair in 1924. The plot is thought to be based loosely on the Leopold and Loeb murder case and concerns two young university students, Wyndham Brandon and Charles Granillo (whom Brandon calls "Granno"), who have murdered fellow student Ronald Kentley as an expression of their supposed intellectual superiority. At the beginning of the play, they hide Kentley's body in a chest. They proceed to host a party for his friends and family at which the chest containing his corpse is used to serve a buffet.
Making his directorial debut for Lindisfarne at the age of just 22, is Ben Smerdon who is really embracing the opportunity to do something completely different. Ben has performed with Lindisfarne in such productions as Accrington Pals and Romeo & Juliet as well as with local drama company, Nineteen12 in And Then There Were None and Ladykillers.
Ben is excited that this production is a step away from Lindisfarne's usual shows and is enjoying directing his cast who are a mix of Lindisfarne old and new members and Ben admits that it has been a challenge for him insofar as 3 of the original actors dropped out of the cast. "Thankfully," Ben assures me, "all the new cast members have slotted in perfectly and the play is looking really good." "I'm actually enjoying directing more than acting at the moment!" he confesses.
Ben says, "Compared to glamour of the film, the play is a lot more real and gritty."
With plenty of psychological tension in the play, audiences will be kept on the edge of their seats.
"I've been working a lot with the lighting and sound designers on this production and we have a lot of tricks up our sleeves," Ben tells me with a wry smile, continuing, "I don't want to give anything away but it's going to very different."
However, whereas the film was set in America's Manhattan, Hamilton's action takes place in London's prestigious, Mayfair in 1924. The plot is thought to be based loosely on the Leopold and Loeb murder case and concerns two young university students, Wyndham Brandon and Charles Granillo (whom Brandon calls "Granno"), who have murdered fellow student Ronald Kentley as an expression of their supposed intellectual superiority. At the beginning of the play, they hide Kentley's body in a chest. They proceed to host a party for his friends and family at which the chest containing his corpse is used to serve a buffet.
Making his directorial debut for Lindisfarne at the age of just 22, is Ben Smerdon who is really embracing the opportunity to do something completely different. Ben has performed with Lindisfarne in such productions as Accrington Pals and Romeo & Juliet as well as with local drama company, Nineteen12 in And Then There Were None and Ladykillers.
Ben is excited that this production is a step away from Lindisfarne's usual shows and is enjoying directing his cast who are a mix of Lindisfarne old and new members and Ben admits that it has been a challenge for him insofar as 3 of the original actors dropped out of the cast. "Thankfully," Ben assures me, "all the new cast members have slotted in perfectly and the play is looking really good." "I'm actually enjoying directing more than acting at the moment!" he confesses.
Ben says, "Compared to glamour of the film, the play is a lot more real and gritty."
With plenty of psychological tension in the play, audiences will be kept on the edge of their seats.
"I've been working a lot with the lighting and sound designers on this production and we have a lot of tricks up our sleeves," Ben tells me with a wry smile, continuing, "I don't want to give anything away but it's going to very different."
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Cast List: (in order of appearance)
Brandon- Dave Gardner, Granillo-Benton Hodges, Sabot-Jack Byrne, Kenneth Raglan-Tom McCarthy, Leila Arden-Leah-May Keeble, Sir Johnstone Kentley- Chris Linnat-Scott, Mrs Debenham-Jacquee Toll, Rupert Cadell-Jamie Evans, Director - Ben Smerdon |
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For tickets go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135