REVIEW
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
BILL KENWRIGHT LIMITED PRESENTS
SLEUTH
STARRING
CORONATION STREET’S TODD BOYCE
AND
EASTENDERS’ NEIL MCDERMOTT
Palace Theatre, Southend
Mon 25 March - Sat 30 March 2024
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
BILL KENWRIGHT LIMITED PRESENTS
SLEUTH
STARRING
CORONATION STREET’S TODD BOYCE
AND
EASTENDERS’ NEIL MCDERMOTT
Palace Theatre, Southend
Mon 25 March - Sat 30 March 2024
'A brilliantly crafted play'
Milo Tindle is invited to the home of a crime thriller writer to discuss his wife, who is about to leave him for Milo. This meeting starts a chain of events in Anthony Shaffer's clever and witty play, which turns into a very dark, psychological thriller with twists and turns. If you like, ‘whodunits’ this is the play for you.
The writer played by Todd Boyce, well known as a Coronation Street baddie, manipulates and tricks the lover with intriguing gamesmanship. He uses all the imagination that aids him in his fiction. He persuades the lover to commit a theft of his wife’s jewellery and tricks him at every turn.
Neil McDermott as Milo holds the stage with a very difficult script. He plays the part with great vocal dexterity as the Schaffer literary fireworks bounce back and forth between the leads. The actors have tremendous rapport, pace and energy. Boyce deals with long diatribes with ease, although he has a tendency to race through his speeches, which makes it difficult to absorb what he is saying.
The play takes place in an old country house on a split-level. The staging is magnificent, with a long staircase and banister, a landing, leaded windows, fireplace that is so realistic I am envious. Also, a very strange Jolly Jack Tar dummy laughs dementedly at odd moments and there's even a gold Tutankhamun mummy case. Unlike the old Crossroads, when one of the actors fell down stairs, none of the set wobbled. I was very impressed. Unfortunately, as there is no programme I can’t compliment the designer.
Hats off to the director, Rachel Kavanaugh for creating such a fast-paced play that could have become talking heads. Instead, it has great physicality that keeps the dialogue and intrigue moving along.
There is a reason why Sleuth is still popular today, and it’s because this dark, well-written, well-staged, play, has unexpected twists and a great deal of humour, whilst keeping you guessing.
Review - Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
The play continues:- Tickets:- £25 - £41
A transaction fee of up to £3.95 may apply to your order.
Tues 26 - Sat 30 Mar 2024
7.30pm, 2.30pm
Tour continues:-
Malvern, Festival Theatre
8 April 2024 - 13 April 2024
Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre
15 April 2024 - 20 April 2024
Guildford, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
22 April 2024 - 27 April 2024
The writer played by Todd Boyce, well known as a Coronation Street baddie, manipulates and tricks the lover with intriguing gamesmanship. He uses all the imagination that aids him in his fiction. He persuades the lover to commit a theft of his wife’s jewellery and tricks him at every turn.
Neil McDermott as Milo holds the stage with a very difficult script. He plays the part with great vocal dexterity as the Schaffer literary fireworks bounce back and forth between the leads. The actors have tremendous rapport, pace and energy. Boyce deals with long diatribes with ease, although he has a tendency to race through his speeches, which makes it difficult to absorb what he is saying.
The play takes place in an old country house on a split-level. The staging is magnificent, with a long staircase and banister, a landing, leaded windows, fireplace that is so realistic I am envious. Also, a very strange Jolly Jack Tar dummy laughs dementedly at odd moments and there's even a gold Tutankhamun mummy case. Unlike the old Crossroads, when one of the actors fell down stairs, none of the set wobbled. I was very impressed. Unfortunately, as there is no programme I can’t compliment the designer.
Hats off to the director, Rachel Kavanaugh for creating such a fast-paced play that could have become talking heads. Instead, it has great physicality that keeps the dialogue and intrigue moving along.
There is a reason why Sleuth is still popular today, and it’s because this dark, well-written, well-staged, play, has unexpected twists and a great deal of humour, whilst keeping you guessing.
Review - Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
The play continues:- Tickets:- £25 - £41
A transaction fee of up to £3.95 may apply to your order.
Tues 26 - Sat 30 Mar 2024
7.30pm, 2.30pm
Tour continues:-
Malvern, Festival Theatre
8 April 2024 - 13 April 2024
Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre
15 April 2024 - 20 April 2024
Guildford, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
22 April 2024 - 27 April 2024
A NEW TOUR FOR 2024
Anthony Shaffer’s masterpiece, directed by the award-winning Rachel Kavanaugh (The RSC/Chichester Festival Theatre), Sleuth will be taking to the stage in 2024 with Todd Boyce (Coronation Street’s notorious baddie, Stephen Reid) and Neil McDermott (EastEnders, The Royal) set to star.
This dark psychological ‘thriller about thrillers’ makes for an intriguing study of human conflict, jealousy, and manipulation. Proving to be far more than a ‘whodunnit’, it promises to baffle even the most proficient sleuth!
Sleuth is one of the greatest ever stage thrillers and played for a total of 12 years in both London and New York, winning the Tony Award for Best Play. It also became the inspiration for the hugely successful film starring Laurence Olivier and Michael Cain. This year audiences up and down the UK will get the chance to see this award-winning play, starting at Theatre Royal Windsor from 31 January 2024, touring into the spring.
A young man arrives at the impressive home of a famous mystery writer, only to be unwittingly drawn into a tangled web of intrigue and gamesmanship, where nothing is quite as it seems...
Anthony Shaffer’s masterpiece, directed by the award-winning Rachel Kavanaugh (The RSC/Chichester Festival Theatre), Sleuth will be taking to the stage in 2024 with Todd Boyce (Coronation Street’s notorious baddie, Stephen Reid) and Neil McDermott (EastEnders, The Royal) set to star.
This dark psychological ‘thriller about thrillers’ makes for an intriguing study of human conflict, jealousy, and manipulation. Proving to be far more than a ‘whodunnit’, it promises to baffle even the most proficient sleuth!
Sleuth is one of the greatest ever stage thrillers and played for a total of 12 years in both London and New York, winning the Tony Award for Best Play. It also became the inspiration for the hugely successful film starring Laurence Olivier and Michael Cain. This year audiences up and down the UK will get the chance to see this award-winning play, starting at Theatre Royal Windsor from 31 January 2024, touring into the spring.
A young man arrives at the impressive home of a famous mystery writer, only to be unwittingly drawn into a tangled web of intrigue and gamesmanship, where nothing is quite as it seems...
SLEUTH
2024 UK Tour
Written by Anthony Shaffer
Directed by Rachel Kavanaugh
Design by Julie Godfrey
Lighting Design by Tim Oliver
Sound Design by Andy Graham
TOUR DATES
Palace Theatre, Southend trafalgartickets.com/palace-theatre-southend
Mon 25 March - Sat 30 March 2024 0343 310 0030
Festival Theatre, Malvern malvern-theatres.co.uk
Mon 8 April – Sat 13 April 2024 01684 892277
Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham www.everymantheatre.org.uk
Mon 15 April – Sat 20 April 2024 01242 572 573
Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford yvonne-arnaud.co.uk
Mon 22 April – Sat 27 April 2024 01483 44 00 00
The Orchard, Dartford orchardtheatre.co.uk
Tue 7 May – Sat 11 May 2024 0343 310 0033
Richmond Theatre atgtickets.com/Richmond
Mon 13 May – Sat 18 May 2024
Website: kenwright.com
Social Media:www.kenwright.com
Facebook and Instagram: BKLProductions
X/Twitter: BKL_Productions
2024 UK Tour
Written by Anthony Shaffer
Directed by Rachel Kavanaugh
Design by Julie Godfrey
Lighting Design by Tim Oliver
Sound Design by Andy Graham
TOUR DATES
Palace Theatre, Southend trafalgartickets.com/palace-theatre-southend
Mon 25 March - Sat 30 March 2024 0343 310 0030
Festival Theatre, Malvern malvern-theatres.co.uk
Mon 8 April – Sat 13 April 2024 01684 892277
Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham www.everymantheatre.org.uk
Mon 15 April – Sat 20 April 2024 01242 572 573
Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford yvonne-arnaud.co.uk
Mon 22 April – Sat 27 April 2024 01483 44 00 00
The Orchard, Dartford orchardtheatre.co.uk
Tue 7 May – Sat 11 May 2024 0343 310 0033
Richmond Theatre atgtickets.com/Richmond
Mon 13 May – Sat 18 May 2024
Website: kenwright.com
Social Media:www.kenwright.com
Facebook and Instagram: BKLProductions
X/Twitter: BKL_Productions