UK Theatre Network

Spider’s Web

UK TOUR

Reviewed at Darlington Civic Theatre

It goes without saying that Agatha Christie is ‘Queen of the Whodunnit’ and a literary force to be reckoned with. Only the Bible is known to have outsold her collected sales of roughly four billion copies of novels. The Mousetrap is now the longest-running play in the world and it has been performed at St. Martin’s Theatre in the West End of London since 1952.

Although much of her work is laced with wit and humour, would most people associate her with farce? Probably not.

However, with her first foray into the comedy genre, she proved herself to be a versatile and skilled writer. Spider’s Web was originally written as a vehicle for Margaret Lockwood to avoid becoming typecast as a dark or menacing character.

The plot revolves around the newly-married Clarissa Hailsham-Brown, who is something of a fantasist. When she discovers a dead body in the drawing room of her country home, Cobblestone Court, her over active imagination is put to the test as she must come up with a way of getting rid of the body, thus avoiding a scandal for her husband who is a Foreign Office diplomat.

In the process she has to persuade her house-guests to help her, convince the local constabulary that no such body ever existed and catch the killer before she becomes the prime suspect.

A consummate cast, led by Melanie Gutteridge as Clarissa, deliver polished performances and suit their parts perfectly. Bruce Montague has an authentic air of authority as the aristocratic Sir Rowland Delahare, Mark Wynter bumbles and barks brilliantly as Hugo Birch, the local JP, and Catherine Shipton wholeheartedly hurls herself into the role of Mildred Peake, the gardener.

Indeed, all the production values of this piece are absolutely top-notch. Simon Scullion’s set is a visual treat that is complimented by Mark Howett’s lighting and Brigid Guy’s costumes. Director Joe Harmston has pitched the pace of the action perfectly and scene changes are executed to pieces of period music selected by sound designer Ian Horrocks-Taylor.

Spider’s Web weaves a wonderful evening of sheer enjoyment that is incredibly easy to get caught up in.

Steve Burbridge.

‘Spider’s Web’ continues at Darlington Civic Theatre until Saturday 3^rd October 2009.