By Nick Pilgrim
Whodunits are making a significant comeback on the Australian stage.
In the last few years alone, two touring revivals (by Agatha Christie) like And Then There Were None or The Mousetrap have resonated with audiences hungry for strong story lines and clever wordplay. The recent film starring Saorise Ronan and Sam Rockwell, See How They Run, played perfect homage to the genre as well.
But wait. There’s more!
Thanks to an impressive body of work spanning his 55-year career, Alfred Hitchcock is considered the undisputed Master of Suspense. Hot on the heels of the abovementioned hits, a handful of significant new productions based on his work this year alone include The Birds, Rebecca, and The 39 Steps.
Past pieces I have also had the privilege of seeing inspired by Hitchcock’s extensive catalogue are Rope (by Patrick Hamilton) and North by Northwest (adapted by Carolyn Burns). In each instance I was intrigued by how they transferred back to the stage while maintaining their gripping premise.
As fans and followers would expect from Theatre Works, the St. Kilda based collective continues to surprise and delight viewers with a calendar jam-packed in diversity and spark. The 2025 season is no different. In short, there is always something fresh and original on offer for everyone.
Written by Frederick Knott, Dial M For Murder is pure class.
Riding high on a notion which obsessed Hitchcock for most of his professional and personal life, the two-hour narrative ponders the perfect crime.
Tony Wendice is a minor celebrity in London’s social set. The retired tennis player seems to have it all. Handsome and assured, he is matched by a beautiful wife and the couple’s witty best friend. What more could he want?
However, after Wendice suspects the two are having an affair, he concocts an ingenious scheme to inherit his spouse’s wealth and get away with it scot-free.
Over two sixty-minute acts, Dial M For Murder draws viewers close for the ride. Thanks to its strong attention to detail, this is a show where the expert acting team is supported by outstanding creative vision. Precise dialogue combined with choreographed movement and lighting work as one; nothing is left to chance.
Dean Drieberg (with assistance from Clary Riven) directs with pinpoint flair. Lighting Design (by Tom Vulcan) Sound Design (by Katie Harrigan) and Set Design (by Jodi Hope) all combine to underscore proceedings for a truly cinematic experience.
It should be noted that key scenes are prefaced by the quartet standing close before posing the lone woman of the group. Like the sporting awards Wendice keeps proudly on his fireplace mantle, she is the ultimate trophy.
Each actor is a standout.
As Margot, Bridget Bourke has the widest narrative arc. A spurned wife and covert lover, Bourke showcases in spades the emotional impact her character is forced to absorb.
Tyrie Aspinall’s Tony is evil incarnate. Like an amalgam of Patrick Bateman (such as Christian Bale from American Psycho) and Ted Bundy (played by Zac Efron in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile), Aspinall squeezes matinee idol villainy to the limit. This split personality is impressive.
As Mark Halliday, Leon Walshe plays Margot’s secret boyfriend with excitable charm. An amateur sleuth and television writer by trade, Walshe captures both the character’s heightened enthusiasm and later, impassioned desperation to save her life all in one.
In the dual role of Charles Alexander Swann/Captain Lesgate and Inspector Hubbard, Joshua Bruce has the most challenging task of all. Playing both the murderer for hire and the detective assigned to solve this case, showcases excellent range. Thanks to some clever make up and the Bruce’s considered body language, makes viewers forget it is the one person in both parts.
It should be noted that convincing accents used by the foursome, maintains the English restraint Dial M For Murder succeeds so well to establish.
The conservative mid-century layout is awash in muted tones. This deliberate choice highlights costuming and props which are changed out to become brighter and more modern as the show jumps forward. Unencumbered by time and place, premeditated crime a hot button topic that has more pulling power and relevance than ever.
This is the second instance in a fortnight where incorporating an open plan set makes the journey that much more immersive. Like The Glass Menagerie (by Tennessee Williams) I saw performed at the Meat Market Stables last month, audiences become a silent player. We are connected to the action, but helpless to control it.
My plus one for the evening and I were invested from the get-go.
Image: Dave McCarthy
