Dial M for Murder review | Theatre Works

Brought to stage in 1952 and immortalised two years later in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film, Dial M for Murder has long been a favourite for lovers of tightly wound thrillers. This latest production by Smoke and Mirrors Productions keeps the bones of the original intact while slipping in a few contemporary surprises to give the story a new edge. The result is a sharp, stylish take on a familiar tale that knows how to keep an audience intrigued.

The first act plays out in a fairly straightforward fashion, leading to the inevitable attack and its immediate aftermath. Then the show changes lanes entirely. The second act throws us into the 1980s, with the set and props transformed: rotary dial phones become corded, a red gown gives way to shoulder pads, and additional small touches signal a leap forward in time. The third act brings us to 2025, including sneakers being worn, iPhones being used, and other modern details that pull the narrative firmly into the present.

Hitchcocks's Birds review

Alfred Hitchcock was a genius when it came to creating cinematic experiences. Very few directors, if any, have been able to recreate the tension and anxiety that Hitchcock managed to conjure up in scenes such as Janet Leigh's shower death in Psycho and Grace Kelly's attack in Dial M for Murder. However, behind the scenes, things weren't always so "great" for his leading ladies. In Hitchcock's Birds, Laura Johnston explores what it really meant to be a woman in one of Hitchcock's movies. 

Johnston portrays a number of these Hollywood legends, including Leigh, Kelly, Doris Day and Tippi Hedren and while many of the stories are not exactly new to anyone who has an interest in the man behind the camera or the women in front of it, the way Johnston tells these stories is what draws you in. Johnston uses verbatim interviews and speeches from these stars, which builds on the authenticity of Hitchcock's Birds. This is also supported by her portrayals of the eight actors, where with some simple but highly effective mannerisms and expressions she captures the elegance of Kelly, the liveliness of Day, the frustrations of Hedren and so on and so on. 

Retro Futurismus review

There wouldn't be - or shouldn't be - anyone with an interest in the Arts who is unaware of Maude and Anni Davey. Working in theatre, burlesque and circus for decades, the twins have certainly left a name for themselves. In Retro Futurismus, they join creative forces with Anna Lumb and Gabi Barton to present an evening of vaudeville entertainment with a sharp referential nod to retro science-fiction film noir pop culture. Sound like a whole lot to take in? Well it is. 

Aesthetically, this show is brilliant. The costumes are all eye-catching and time and time again I caught myself looking at how much effort would have gone into creating them. In terms of the acts themselves though, I was left feeling somewhat disappointed with most of the twenty or so acts seeming to lack a climax or crescendo to excitement to excitement.