Theatre

Dial M for Murder at the Theatre Royal Glasgow Review

3-7 March 2020

Reviewed by Deborah Mackenzie

An amazing performance that had us sitting on the edge of our seats; in fact, the whole audience was so quiet, you would have heard a pin drop! Be prepared for twists and turns as the plot unravels.

Dial M for Murder is a classic, most people will know of the Warner Brothers film starring Ray Miland and Grace Kelly. It was written for stage by Frederick Knott, who loved cinema and his dream was being a screenwriter. Dial M for Murder was rejected several times, but then the BBC picked it up and after its broadcast it moved swiftly to stage, opening in June 1952. In 1953 Alfred Hitchcock began producing it for film.

The synopsis of Dial M for Murder: Tony Wendice (Tom Chambers) is a professional tennis player and is married to a wealthy socialite Margot (Sally Bretton), who has an affair with crime-fiction writer Max Halliday (Michael Salami). Tony finds out about the affair and decides to murder Margot, both for revenge and to ensure her money will continue to finance his comfortable lifestyle.

Tony invites an old acquaintance from university, Swann to his flat. Tony had been following Swann and found out that he had become a small-time crook and had enough information on him to turn him in should he not take the proposed deal.

Six months previously, Tony had stolen Margot’s handbag, which contained a love letter from Max. He used this letter to anonymously blackmail Margot, saying that he would return the letter if she paid the ransom. When Swann comes around Tony tells him the tale of how Margot has been cheating on him, and discovered the love letter in her bag, and how he had been blackmailing her with her. Cleverly Tony passes the letter to Swann so that he puts his fingerprints onto it. Now Tony has the upper hand on Swann and tells him if he refuses, he will turn him into the police as Margot’s blackmailer and the rest of his petty crimes will be exposed.

The following night, Swann enters the flat while Margot is in bed and waits behind the curtains for the Tony to call. When Margot comes through to the room to answer the phone, Swann attacks her from behind trying to strangle her with his scarf. A scuffle ensues and Margot grabs the scissors she was using earlier that evening and kills him. Picking up the telephone receiver she pleads for help, Tony who is still on the other side tells her to do nothing until he arrives home. Once home, he calls the police, but before they arrive, Tony removes what he thinks is Margot’s key from Swanns pocket to her handbag, plants the letter in his pocket and takes the scarf, replacing it with one of Margot’s stockings in an attempt to incriminate her.

Inspector Hubbard (Adam Morris) arrives and questions Tony and Margot but their statements are conflicting making him suspicious. Hubbard says that Swann must have entered through the front door, Tony then claims he has seen Swann at the time when Margot’s handbag was stolen, he suggests that Swann made a copy of her key.

Margot is arrested and sentenced to death. Max visits Tony and tells him that he has devised a story that could save Margot’s life. Tony is shocked when he realises that what Max is staying is extremely close to the actual truth. Tony tells Max that the story is too unrealistic. Hubbard arrives unexpectedly, Max hides in the kitchen, as Tony is being questioned about large sums of cash he has been spending, and inquiries about his sports bag he had at the time of paying out the money, then tricks him into revealing that his key is in his raincoat. When Tony says that he lost the bag, Max having overheard the conversation, appears with the bag and it is filled with banknotes. Tony now tells Hubbard that the money was Margot’s blackmail payment to Swann. Hubbard appears to accept this explanation and discreetly swaps his raincoat for Tony’s.

Hubbard having figured out the events of the crime, brings Margot back to the flat and she discovers that her key doesn’t open the door, so they enter via the garden.  Tony is surprised when he returns that he doesn’t have his key, so uses the key that he had hidden for Swann to enter. At time the whole story is revealed.

I particularly loved Swann, his iconic moustache and slicked back hair fitted his character perfectly.  This is really a show worth going to see.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from £13 (plus £2.85 transaction fee).

Dial M for Murder is at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow from 3-7 March 2020, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-glasgow or call the box office on 0844 871 7647.

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

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