Review – DIAL M FOR MURDER at the Festival Theatre, Malvern, from Monday, April 14 to Saturday, April 19, 2014.

IT’S not even necessary to dial through to check with directory enquiries as there’s no mystery here about the name, or perhaps names, of who committed the crime.

The audience isn’t asked to decide who did it as we quickly learn who is going to do it. So it’s not quite the traditional whodunit, but a can they get away with it.

Frederick Knott’s play - made famous by the Alfred Hitchcock film back in 1954 - is certainly an intense and entertaining thriller with some unusual twists.

It features the cold and considerably calculating Tom Wendice (Daniel Betts) who has designs on executing the perfect murder of his adulterous wife, Sheila, who is played with stylish enthusiasm by Kelly Hotten.

Wendice is a former tennis ace determined he won’t be starring on another court! But can it really be that perfect a plan?

The tension and excitement is cranked up steadily and as sweetly as the slowly revolving stage which, with excellent lighting, adds to the claustrophobic atmosphere of a strikingly 50s-style red set complete with similar coloured curtains that move across the action with considerable stealth.

The cast of five is first class and each add in their own way to an enthralling evening, especially the not-to-be underestimated Inspector Hubbard, played in a mild but equally cunning way by Christopher Timothy. Robert Perkins also impresses as the shifty Captain Lesgate blackmailed into carrying out the dirty deed, and so too Phillip Cairns, who is Sheila’s returning old flame Max Halliday.

Although quite short in duration, a mere two hours including a 15 minute interval, there is oodles of action and intrigue packed into this performance which keeps it rolling along at a fine pace and helps ensure the audience remains on tenterhooks through the ‘key’ moments.

Lucy Bailey’s crisp direction and attention to detail makes for a delightful evening’s theatre.