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Journey full of twists and turns
Dangerous Corner
Birmingham Rep
**** J.B.
Priestley's
Dangerous Corner
opens with a gun shot and a scream. A tangled web of intrigue follows,
twisting and turning with plot devices that would be recognisable to
those familiar with the early works of the great Alfred Hitchcock. Written in 1932, the
play was controversial for its references to homosexuality and drug use.
While not as shocking today as it would have been when it premiered, the
content is still juicy enough to keep us interested in the next twist or
revelation. An off-hand remark about a cigarette box reveals
the tip of an iceberg of deceit and unrequited love amongst the players
that rapidly unfolds after a relatively slow start. I regret I didn't make that connection sooner to
notice if it bore any relationship to where the actors were placed on
the stage. Despite all seven members of the cast being on stage much of
the time, the players manage to look convincing and comfortable in the
setting throughout. The more that is revealed about each character as
things progress, the less we like about them. Michael Praed steals the
show with his least likeable but irresistible portrayal of Charles
Stanton. Colin Buchanon's character Robert Caplan is played more Dalziel
than Pascoe and is central to much of the action. Playing Caplan's deeply unsatisfied wife is Finty
Williams, daughter of Dame Judi Dench. From the first scene of the play
Williams commands the stage with confidence, navigating her role with
wit and depth. Also adding to the quality of the evening was the brief
but delightful showing of Rosie Armstrong in the role of Miss Mockridge. The final flashback twist which thereby avoids
the Dangerous Corner, doesn't quite stand the test of time. I suspect
that particular plot device had a bit more 'pop' with audiences in 1932.
The ingenuity of the script and the quality of the cast however keep
this production fresh and highly enjoyable. To 08-11-14. Dominic Antonucci
03-11-14
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