United Kingdom Torben Betts’s Homicide within the Darkish: Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, 29.1.2024. (JPr)
I’m not conversant in the work of Torben Betts who describes himself as (beforehand) a playwright of ‘darkish comedies of social embarrassment with a little bit of political commentary thrown in’. So, he thought-about Homicide within the Darkish as ‘one thing of a departure’ when ‘challenged’ by Alastair Whatley of Unique Theatre ‘to write down one thing that will, hopefully, each disturb and entertain audiences.’ Actually, that it undoubtedly does and having seen numerous associated performs on the Palace Theatre (all reviewed on this website) – Dial M for Homicide, Trying Good Lifeless, The Mirror Crack’d and The Girls in Black – which had been all good in their very own manner, Homicide within the Darkish intrigued and held my consideration and, total, was a lot, a lot higher acted than any of these. (I’ve additionally seen the touring model of The Mousetrap which involves the Palace Theatre quickly: I don’t wish to put anyone off in the event that they haven’t seen it but it surely appeared placed on by an area amdram group compared to the efficiency Homicide within the Darkish acquired, and for extra about its present tour click on right here.)
Danny Sierra is the previous frontman of Dance Celebration 5 whose heyday is lengthy previously and he even resorted to engaged on a constructing website till the press caught up with him. After eerie strains of Auld Lang Syne and Three Blind Mice together with a number of fireworks we’re led to grasp it’s New 12 months’s Eve when Sierra crashes his automotive in a blizzard. Danny is an alcoholic, presumably over the restrict, and he’s definitely hungover. Everybody within the automotive with him is unhurt and the automotive is undriveable, so Danny finds himself and his prolonged dysfunctional household marooned in an remoted vacation cottage twenty miles from anyplace within the English countryside. They’re all pressured to just accept the hospitality of the eccentric and faith obsessed Mrs Bateman who’s the widow of a farmer who might or might not have died in mysterious circumstances and whose solely pal seems to be her tractor! Her traces present lots of the laughs which assist lighten an in any other case darkish – actually largely – story.
Other than urging you to see the play for those who nonetheless have the prospect I can not reveal an excessive amount of as a result of the programme tells the viewers to ‘Unfold the phrase (however not the spoilers)’ since ‘When you’ve skilled Homicide within the Darkish you’ll know all the numerous twists and turns new audiences have in retailer for them.’ That stated it’s described as a ‘thriller’ so you’re proper to not count on a love story. I may even warning that you’ll want to count on the sudden (as in Tales of the Surprising) and be ready to have your mind engaged much more than in any whodunnit you may see. I’m not giving something away letting you recognize Betts’s play is certainly not a whodunnit and anyone anticipating issues to be wrapped up neatly on the finish – in Agatha Christie vogue – is perhaps upset. No spoilers then and I’ll merely add that the title Homicide within the Darkish comes from Danny’s largest hit along with his band and that it’s necessary to recollect how when rock music turned standard within the US within the Fifties it was known as ‘the satan’s music’.
The 5 are stranded with out Wi-Fi, a cellphone line, any hope of continuous their journey (as everybody has elsewhere they need to be), first rate plumbing or anyplace significantly good to sleep. A savage ‘pet’ patrols the yard, and the electrics are dodgy, and the TV intermittently blurts out a well-known nursery rhyme.
Rebecca and Jake are the spouse and son Danny deserted to pursue his profession; William is the resentful older brother who was a proficient musician however Danny him left behind as his profession took off and is now a disillusioned trainer; additionally there may be Danny’s rather-too-young girlfriend, Sarah, preoccupied with getting out and about and making a reputation for herself (suppose Meghan Markle, sorry Duchess of Sussex). To make issues worse they’re on their manner again from the funeral of Danny and William’s mom.
To this point, so The Mousetrap, however that it ain’t. Recriminations construct as does Danny’s paranoia particularly when he and Jake start to see issues because the soar scares ramp up. Homicide within the Darkish doesn’t outstay its welcome and total, the play lasts 90 minutes. Director Philip Franks permits the stress to construct with an unerring sense of tempo allied to some dramatic lighting results from Paul Pyant and an atmospheric soundscape from Max Pappenheim. Designer Simon Kenny’s ingenious set permits for some suitably spooky occurrences, in addition to easily permitting the motion to maneuver briefly ‘exterior’ when essential.
As prompt above the appearing was first-rate. Though Tom Chambers as fallen pop star Danny might have been proven as fairly extra dissolute than we see him, his psychological unravelling was all too plausible. There’s uniformly sturdy assist from Owen Oakeshott because the resentful brother William, Rebecca Charles as a bitter ex-wife Rebecca (!), Jonny Inexperienced as an emotionally challenged son Jake, and at last Laura White because the age-inappropriate Sarah.
Nearly as good as all of them are, it’s Susie Blake’s Mrs Bateman you’ll bear in mind extra for her penchant for mushroom soup and a lot extra. She imbues her character with a near-perfect stability of humour and weirdness.
Jim Pritchard
Solid:
Tom Chambers – Danny Sierra
Susie Blake – Mrs Bateman
Rebecca Charles – Rebecca
Jonny Inexperienced – Jake
Owen Oakeshott – William
Laura White – Sarah
Creatives:
Author – Torben Betts
Director – Philip Franks
Designer – Simon Kenny
Lighting designer – Paul Pyant
Sound designer and Composer – Max Pappenheim
Video designer – Tristan Shepherd
Motion – Sophie Vi
