There was a time before the birth of Morse, Frost, Midsummer Murders et al when stage thrillers gripped your imagination and kept you on the edge of your seat for the whole evening.
Francis Durbridge was the Master of Suspense and still is, but sadly audiences have got more sophisticated due to the advent of television and however good the acting and direction the suspense is just not there.
Murder With Love is a good play an
d Ian Dickens' production at the Devonshire Park this week cannot be faulted but somehow it did seem dated, when once it would have thrilled.
Neil Stacy really stood out as barrister David Ryder, what a fine actor he is and Stephen Beckett, best known as Dr Matt Ramsden in Coronation Street and PC Mike Jarvis in The Bill, was a splendid blackmailer dressed entirely in black leather.
Dirty Den himself, Leslie Grantham was playing the good guy this time, Detective Inspector Cleaver, and he played this part very well.
Michael Kirk was very well cast as the creepy brother of the central character Larry Campbell. As Roy Campbell he really did make me squirm, especially in the second act. The ladies were also convincing in their parts and for those who still love the old-fashioned stage thrillers this is one of the best.
Eastbourne Theatres have given us such outstanding productions recently we have been spoilt. This is probably the reason why I found this production belonged to a past era.
Amanda Wilkins
Murder with Love, Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne.
The full article contains 262 words and appears in Sussex Express Series newspaper.
