Review: THRILL ME: THE LEOPOLD & LOEB STORY, Jermyn Street Theatre

Photo credit: Steve Gregson

Fans of Hitchcock, Scream, and anyone who has entertained a grisly fascination (and who hasn’t…) with high-profile murder trials and notorious historical killers will be familiar with the case of Leopold and Loeb, probably most famously for the 1948 film adaptation of Patrick Hamilton’s play Rope.

This production of Stephen Dolginoff’s musical retelling of the sensational murder trial – originally produced at the Hope Theatre in 2019 – is now revived in the shadowy subterranean Jermyn Street Theatre.

Matthew Parker ably directs a pacy and fluid whistle-stop interrogation of the rotten coercive relationship between Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, two narcissists driven by their own delusions of grandeur which ultimately boil down to an emo obsession with Nietzschean philosophy.

Musical director Benjamin McQuigg also provides poised and confident accompaniment to Bart Lambert and Jack Reitman, who portray the eponymous killers. Reitman is perfectly despicable as Loeb, carrying himself and dragging Leopold along with him with a terrifying arrogance and undeniable charisma. Lambert adeptly rises to the challenge of switching between nervous, obsessive young Leopold and a version of the character after ageing 34 years in prison.

Both actors are almost balletic in their navigation of the tight space and their energy and control in their acting, singing and movement is unwavering throughout this 80-minute production. 

Some of the score teeters on the edge of repetitive, but this is perhaps due to the limitations of two voices and a piano. Nonetheless, the actors sell it well with their performances and it’s enough to grip you.

The set design by Rachael Ryan is worthy of its previous Offie Award nomination. The detail is incredible, down to the evidence labels on all the props. 

Going into this musical, you’re not sure what to expect – is it going to present some new redeeming angle to these notorious killers? Are these 80 minutes intended to wring some pathos from these pair of psychopaths? 

I was ultimately relieved by the handling of the story in the direction, performance, and book itself. Even Loeb’s lone lament the night before his court verdict didn’t seem like an attempt to redeem or provoke sympathy – but rather reveal the selfish, stubborn, privileged boy that Loeb was, full of contempt for the world and his responsibility to society as a person within it.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Livvy Perrett

Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story plays at the Jermyn Street Theatre until 5 February, with tickets available here.