It’s New Year’s Eve, and the tarot cards have foretold a clearing out of old energies, a breakup of relationships and secrets coming out of hiding before the clock strikes twelve, but who will survive the Murder at Midnight? Through a cocktail of murder, mystery, comedy, and farce, the audience is taken on a spiral of emotional twists and turns, thought-provoking in parts, funny in others.
The Grand Theatre stage lies open before us. The layers of a luxury Kent mansion give the audience an unusual perspective on the characters’ lives. Three beautifully designed rooms allow conversations to run simultaneously with the outside areas, enhancing the comings and goings of potential victims. Separate conversations seamlessly thread together, allowing a new dimension of information to cascade over the audience. Outside, in the mansion grounds, barking dogs can be heard, mixed in with the buzz of a chainsaw, whilst mobile devices suffer from low battery life and poor reception. We’ve all been there.
This is the home of gangland boss, Jonny the Cyclops, expertly played by Jason Durr. In his Savile Row suit, he looks the epitome of a gentleman; his sudden laughter, followed by sharp seriousness, highlights the illusion. He deals in drugs, farms pigs as a way to dispose of bodies and loves Robbie Williams, though not as much as he loves his dogs. Trainwreck, Jonny’s loyal sidekick, played by Peter Morton, is feeling lost. He tries to explain the deep sadness that lies in his heart. He doesn’t want to be the man working for less than he is worth; he wants things to change. The old adage springs to mind: Be careful what you wish for.
Jonny’s mother, Shirley, delightfully played by Suzie Blake, is anxious; she knows things are going to change, they are her tarot cards. With a few hours to go before the bongs strike, she is convinced that the devil is drawing near. Her Ukrainian carer, Christina, played by Iryna Poplavska, has a fondness for the old lady; she tries to calm her whilst unsuccessfully deterring one desperate visitor, Mr Fish, played by Callum Balmforth, from the house. He arrives obscured by a clown mask and continues to add to the dark humour that runs through the evening, heralded by a priest and a nun who have earlier abandoned a fancy dress party. The priest, played by Max Bowden, is an inept undercover copper, Bluetooth in his ear, to his partner back at the station. Unhappily married, he finds it’s a very thin blue line when he meets the lovely Lisa. Lisa, Jonny’s current girlfriend , is played by Katie McGlynn. She pulls the priest closer to her, asking how gorgeous she is out of 10. “About an 8”, comes the reply. Maybe a clue as to why his marriage is on the rocks.
A bright light shines on a few moments of universal truth in the small gathering. How circumstances create the need to make decisions and as the bungling clown burglar is finding out, sometimes those decisions make life unfair. How many of them have crossed the ‘invisible line’, the one where deals with the devil are made? As the clock strikes the midnight hour, the gun shots fade away. The prediction of the tarot cards has been fulfilled. The applause begins for a very much alive, smiling cast, who take a well-deserved bow. The innovative stage setting brings a whole new dimension for the audience, allowing multiple stories to unfold simultaneously. Skilled actors who bring authenticity to the characters, enhanced by an arsenal of props. And the murderer? Well, that would be telling. A very enjoyable production, definitely recommended.
Photo Credits: Pamela Raith Photography
The play sounds very watchable if this review is anything to go by. I saw the play advertised but wasn’t sure about the storyline. This review has great detail and made me feel I was already there. I am now very keen to go and watch it. Thankyou.