Review: MURDER IN THE DARK, The Alexandra Birmingham - Tour
Photo credit: Pamela Raith
The holiday cottage where Murder in the Dark takes place has no indoor toilet and no WiFi, which you might think would be more than enough to make it terrifying, but there are plenty of other horrors to discover in this brand new play. Written by prolific playwright Torben Betts and directed by Philip Franks, Murder in the Dark premiered in Bromley in September, and is now touring the UK with the aim of keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.
We’ve been sworn to secrecy regarding the twists and turns of the plot, but we can share the set-up with you. Ageing former popstar and alcoholic Danny Sierra has crashed his car in the middle of nowhere on New Year’s Eve. He and his dysfunctional family are forced to take refuge in a dilapidated cottage located on the farm of the helpful - and decidedly creepy - Mrs Bateman. As the evening goes on, family tensions rise and mysterious occurrences abound.
Betts is best known for his dark comedy, so it’s not a surprise that the play mixes the genres of psychological thriller, family drama and ghost story with a fair amount of comic moments. Ideally, this would lead to something akin to the BBC comedy-horror series Inside No. 9, and there are certainly echoes of that here, but the genres aren't merged smoothly enough, and the tone is a little uneven throughout. While there are a few chilling moments, it never becomes consistently frightening.
The production is hampered somewhat by Max Pappenheim's sound design, whereby both dialogue and effects are too quiet and often muffled. This lessens the impact of several key moments, and results in snatches of dialogue disappearing into the ether.
By contrast, the set design by Simon Kenny is very effective. The ancient furniture, flickering television and high, bare wooden beams make the space feel uncomfortable and foreboding.
The cast all turn in solid performances. Tom Chambers is charismatic and believable as the troubled Danny, and keeps the audience engaged at all times. He has strong support, particularly from Laura White as his frustrated girlfriend and Jonny Green as his angry, estranged son. The strange Mrs Bateman is played with glee by Susie Blake, who frequently threatens to steal the show.
With a concise runtime of 90 minutes excluding the interval, the play never feels dull or outstays its welcome, but the writing has a tendency to rely on well-worn tropes, and the ending isn't staged as satisfyingly as it could be. Still, there’s enough here to provide an entertaining night out for fans of mild horror, and it’s a good choice for a chilly autumn or winter evening.
Well acted, with several laughs and a few scares.
*** Three stars
Reviewed by: Laura Lott
Murder in the Dark plays at The Alexandra, Birmingham until 11 November before continuing its tour. To book tickets for select touring venues, please click here.