Theatre

Dial M For Mayhem at Royal & Derngate Northampton Review

DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW

Reviewed by Janine Rumble

Dial M for Mayhem (a brand-new comedy drama) is a funny romp that flips the classic whodunit on its head, taking the audience on a hilarious ride through the chaos of theatre, written by Margaret May Hobbs and directed by Michael Lunney and produced by Middle Ground Theatre Company.

In this play-within-a-play, nothing goes as planned, and the result is a farce that both celebrates and mocks the often-unpredictable nature of live performance. With an ensemble of quirky characters and an escalating series of mishaps, this production delivers both suspense and laughter in equal measure.

“Set in 1991, it follows of a group of travelling actors from south of the Scottish border as they conquer the beautiful unforgiving landscape of the Highlands’ and Islands’ village hall circuit to perform Frederick Knott’s classic 1950’s thriller Dial M For Murder.

Set against the breath taking backdrop of mountains and lochs, complete with unpredictable Scottish weather and internal company squabbling, Act 1’s gentle comic yarn gives way to Act 2’s gleeful back-stage comedy of the play within the play!

Starring Alasdair Baker, Estrid Barton, Isabella Inchbald, Joey Lockhart, Luke Rhodri and Theo Woolford.

Set within the confines of a seemingly straightforward murder mystery, Dial M for Mayhem follows a group of actors rehearsing for a play in which a murder occurs, but, as the actors progress through their scenes, the line between the fictional story and real life begins to blur. The premise sets the stage for a brilliant collision of genres, where both the murder mystery and the comedy of errors play out simultaneously. The actors on stage are not simply portraying roles—they are also trapped within a production that quickly goes off the rails, with often laugh out loud results.

At the centre of the action is a frazzled director whose attempts to maintain control over the production quickly unravel, and the audience watches in gleeful anticipation as his nerves fray. The actors portraying the murder mystery characters are equally delightful, each delivering their lines with comedic timing that escalates in absurdity as the play-within-the-play falls further apart. From forgotten lines to misplaced props, every little misstep is magnified, driving the tension between the fictional murder plot and the backstage calamities.

One of the highlights of Dial M for Mayhem is how the show builds momentum. Act One starts off very slowly, too slowly for my liking, a comment or two that I heard from other audience members, with the actors working through their scenes, but as the blunders mount, the stakes of both the onstage murder and the offstage meltdown rise together. In Act Two, the growing absurdity intensifies the humour and builds the suspense, and the audience can’t help but feel both sympathy and amusement as the characters struggle to maintain any semblance of order.

The pacing is sharp and relentless, with the director’s escalating frustration and the actors’ increasing desperation providing the engine that powers the show. The dialogue is quick and witty, filled with sharp exchanges and clever wordplay. This rapid-fire delivery is perfectly matched by the physical comedy on display, as actors scramble to fix one disaster after another. Whether it’s a malfunctioning set piece, a lost, but much needed prop or a rogue rat, each new mishap only fuels the laughter, creating a whirlwind of chaos that had everyone in the theatre belly laughing at times.

I much preferred the second half, where very cleverly, the stage was set as behind the scenes, so the audience could see the play and the mishaps from a different vantage point and seeing for the first time, what happens behind the scenes of a play.

Dial M for Mayhem runs till Saturday 8th February 2025 at the Royal. Tickets are from £37.00 and available from the Box Office or www.royalandderngate.co.uk

I give this show 3.5 out of 5 stars. A good show for those who love visiting the theatre and have always wondered what goes on behind the scenes.

Rating: 3.5/5

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