DAVID Soul is appearing until tomorrow (Saturday) at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, in Ira Levin's 70s thriller, Deathtrap.
Carrying Levin's trademark twists and turns, the tale could do with some more updating but still makes for an enjoyable evening's entertainment.
Soul is grizzled middle-aged playwright, Sidney Bruhl. Living in an isolated farmhouse with his annoying wife (an overly cheesy Susan Penhaligon), Bruhl is struggling to reach the heady heights of his heyday.
A hit eludes him and when a script from a novice arrives on his mat, he sees an opportunity- a murderous opportunity.
Anybody who has seen the 1982 movie with Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve, will feel comfortable in the knowledge that this is a real twister.
For the uninitiated, the turning of tables may seem to reach a farcical level by the end of the first act.
It straightens itself out after the intermission, with fewer suprises and a finale as predictable as any thriller.
Soul is on splendid form. A great bear of a man, he has a suprising stage presence.
Alongside him, Gerald Kyd is a perfect foil as mincing young playwright Clifford Anderson.
Probably best known as Dr Sean Maddox in Casualty, Kyd moves from a simpering novice to betrayed murderer in the space of two hours.
A superb performance, although his character's extraordinary appearance is somewhat unsettling.
A good solid set, some startling-looking props and an intriguing use of filmed sequences all help to complement a very slick production. Certainly worth seeing.
Ian Bresman