The Perfect Murder (UK Tour)
Milton Keynes Theatre
Reviewed on Monday 31st March 2014
Is there such a thing as the perfect murder? Victor Smiley (played by Les Dennis) certainly thinks there is. Based on Peter James' novel, The Perfect Murder follows Victor as he plots to murder his wife as their marriage reaches crisis point. But when Detective Roy Grace arrives to investigate his first homicide case and dark forces begin to intervene, somebody is about to receive the fright of their life...
The Perfect Murder is a very clever piece which certainly keeps the audience on their toes. The opening scenes are very funny, with the script trying hard to be as relatable and relevant as possible. It mostly succeeds containing some comical moments, although one or two of the jokes feel very forced.
The cast are particularly strong and understand the light heartedness of the piece. All the characters are very two dimensional and shallow, but the piece wouldn't work if they had deep and meaningful thought processes or felt any sort of compassion. I saw Les Dennis do things I never thought I would see Les Dennis do. He gives a strong performance opposite Claire Goose as his wife. A stand out performance also comes from Gray O'Brien. I don't want to reveal the relevance of the role, but O'Brien has truly mastered the art of comical walking.
The Perfect Murder isn't the fluffy, witty play it makes out to be, but neither is a hard hitting thriller. The audience are invited to laugh during the jumpy and more serious moments. It feels very modern and certainly makes a nice change. The Perfect Murder won't go down in history as an iconic play, but it will provide a good laugh for audiences around the country. It is ludicrous escapism!
Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
The Perfect Murder runs at the Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 5th April 2014.
Please visit www.theperfectmurder.co.uk for tour dates, further information and tickets.
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