Rehearsal for Murder at the Theatre Royal Glasgow Review

Rehearsal for Murder
Theatre Royal, Glasgow

22-27 August 2016

www.atgtickets.com/theatre-royal-glasgow

Reviewed by Deborah Mackenzie

Rehearsal for Murder is an entertaining whodunit written by Richard Levinson and William Link, who are writers for the popular program Murder, She Wrote and Columbo, and performed by The Classic Thriller Theatre Company.

The synopses of Rehearsal for Murder is about a playwright Alex Dennison (Alex Ferns) who is engaged to actress and leading lady Monica Welles (Susie Amy). It is assumed that Monica has committed suicide because of the negative reviews after opening night.

Completely distraught, Alex cannot believe that she committed suicide and believes that she was murdered. On the first anniversary of her death he returns to the theatre, where he has assembled the same cast and crew for a reading of his new play. It becomes clear that Alex has an alternative motive for bringing them together, as they start re-enacting their various meetings with Monica before she died. A cat and mouse game begins, with tempers flaring as they feel accused. In realisation of how it was proceeding, some wanted to leave, Alex stops them at gun point telling them, until they know who the murderer is no one is leaving….

The director, Roy Marsden did an amazing job during the retelling of the events on the night of the murder by using flashbacks, and Susie Amy performed spectacularly as her presence dominated the scenes she was in. Sadly, even with this amazing feat, there was little or no action, with the actors on stage talking their way through the script as the plot unravelled.

Many of the actors had familiar faces from their various credits in film and television series, this gave a very familiar feel to the show. The audience enjoyed the light hearted one-liners that brought a titter at references to the world of writers, producers and the world of stage. As with all whodunit’s we tried to figure out who was the guilty party, but the with each turn of the story it appeared it was someone else. As we love these type of stories, visual and written, it appealed to us and gave us a very entertaining evening.

Rating: 4/5

Tickets cost from £14.40 to £40.40 (plus £2.85 transaction fee).

Rehearsal for Murder is at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow until 27 August 2016. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0844 871 7647.

Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street, Glasgow, G2 3QA | 0844 871 7647