Dial M for Mayhem! from Middle Ground Theatre Company instantly took my mind to Dial M for Murder, the 1950s thriller, but clearly with a twist.
So, begin to think more Play That Goes Wrong and Noises Off as comedy drama rather than thriller and you’ll know what to expect.
Set in 1991 a small group of actors are travelling around village halls and open their production in a remote area of the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
This is emphasised from the large screen behind the set highlighting the remoteness of the area. The group are performing Frederick Knott’s classic 1950s thriller Dial M For Murder.
The play within the play, shows the set of the village hall with their set for Dial M for Murder, which to be honest does create a very busy set, with little space for movement, but does show exactly what touring theatre is like, trying to fit the set into anywhere they go.
During the first act we discover the dynamics of the group as they rehearse the murder scene, showing the stresses of the group of people being thrown together as they work on the road, including some of the locals which appear.
The main comedic elements are set up during this act with several accidents. The highlight being Joey Lockhart as George the AA Man, with his oversized AA mug and moving props on the set.
The second act the pace instantly increases as we are back stage with the performance, where the set and props fail, crew members feel ill and a rat keeps appearing.
The six actors, Joey Lockhart, Isabella Inchbald, Theo Woolford, Estrid Barton, Luke Rhodri and Alasdair Baker, playing nine characters with some doubling perform incredibly well. The range of accents were the only possible issue with my companion who occasionally struggled to hear fully.
This was a highly entertaining evening with lots of comedy and if you’ve ever been to a village hall as an actor or member of the audience you’ll love it.
Dial M For Mayhem! runs until Saturday February 22 at Darlington Hippodrome.
