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REVIEW
The Case of the Frightened Lady
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
18th - 23rd June 2018
✭✭☆☆☆ 2/5
Sitting in a theatre on an evening where the weather has become hot and balmy outside and not much better inside, I can confirm, is certainly not conducive for a night of having to concentrate on a whodunnit. Edgar Wallace’s play, The Case of the Frightened Lady, has been adapted by Antony Lampard and while it can boast a terrific looking set and a stellar cast, it is sadly let down by an overly wordy and dare I say it, slightly monotonous script.

The mystery unravels in Priors Hall within the stately home of Marks Priory the family seat of the extremely well-to-do Lebanon family.  It is set in 1932 and very much of its time as far as dialogue is concerned; “Hang it all, mother!” a drunkenly wild Lord Lebanon declares at something rather beastly in Act 1.  Characters are introduced during the annual fancy dress ball at the Priory with the staff also getting to join in with the fun.  Of course the party comes to a dramatic end at the discovery of a murder and two detectives from Scotland Yard, no less, are drafted in to investigate.

Part of the reason there was a pretty packed house (in the stalls anyway), I am guessing, is the draw of the cast of this play.  The Classic Thriller Theatre Company have gradually been building up quite the reputation under the production of Bill Kenwright Ltd.

Gray O’Brien, best known for his role as the evil Tony Gordon in Coronation Street, plays the old school style Chief Superintendent Tanner with Oliver Phelps - whose claim to fame and let’s face it, it’s a jolly good one, is that he played George Weasley in all eight Harry Potter films - plays Detective Sergeant Totti and considering this is his first stage appearance is actually rather good.  He has a great voice for stage which a lot of film and tv actors quite often don’t seem to acquire when they make the transition to stage but Oliver certainly proves that he has what it takes.

He does, to be fair, have a fabulous cast to learn his stagecraft from in this production.

Deborah Grant, as posh as can be as Lady Lebanon, commands the stage from the offset, Denis Lill, another stalwart of the Company with an extensive tv career, plays Dr Amersham.  Philip Lowrie, known to millions as Dennis Tanner in Coronation Street, does a good turn as the all knowing Butler and April Pearson, who played Michelle in E4’s hit series, Skins, is probably underplayed in the role of Isla Crane.  Another stalwart of the Company is Ben Nealon who takes on the meaty role of Lord Lebanon and has appeared on our tv screens in Soldier Soldier, Glenn Carter as the moody Gilder has a host of theatre and tv credits as do Rosie Thomson, Callum Coates and Owen Oldroyd who play Mrs Tilling, Brook and Tilling.

The set looks amazing and it seems that everything has been done to attempt to make a rather dull play look as appealing as it possibly can for modern day audiences. Former Palace Theatre Director, Roy Marsden has directed this cast brilliantly and it’s a very tight ship.   Nods also to the Lighting and Sound Designers, Chris Davey and Dan Samson whose creative contributions to this production are extremely effective.

Sadly, for me, this play just never really got my full attention, even with the ear-piercing scream in the middle of Act 2 which was obviously a pre-record it was so loud, couldn’t stop me from having a little snooze.  Maybe the heat had something to do with my lack of concentration. I bought a coffee in the interval in an attempt to wake me up which helped and to be fair Act 2 had a bit more action, but then Act 2’s always do in a thriller.

It did raise a few questions for me, however, like who actually is the frightened lady of the play's title and how did they always know that someone was listening behind a wall or a door?  No matter.  The final minutes of the play brought with it the excitement and tension that we had all  been waiting for although for the life of me I’m still trying to work how it came to its conclusion.

If you can stand the heat and have more powers of concentration than I do to work out who the murderer is, then get yourself down to the Palace Theatre, Westcliff.  The Case of the Frightened Lady runs up to Saturday evening with matinee’s on Thursday and Saturday.
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Perf: Mon -Sat 8pm, Matinees Wed and Sat 2.30pm

Group discounts available.
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
Prices shown are inclusive of any applicable booking fees. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.

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