House Guest

House Guest - Wythall Theatre Group

THIS thriller had more startling lurches and nasty surprises around the corner than the roller coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Amateur dramatic societies tend to stick with the staple fare of Alan Ayckbourn-type farces, thinking that's what audiences want.

But, as Agatha Christie and Ruth Rendell will testify, there's nothing the British love more than a good juicy whodunnit. In House Guest it was not a case of whodunnit but why-he-do-it? The plot centred on the kidnapping of the son of a top British actor and his wife. The kidnappers didn't want money, they just wanted to stay in the couple's house for 48 hours.

Just as you thought you knew what was going on, the plot changed direction, somebody was murdered - and all your theories were ruined. Confused? The Palace Theatre audience were, but loved it. They whooped with delight every time another corpse hit the stage.

Wythall Theatre Group certainly did justice to Francis Durbridge's top-notch drama. Everyone was convincing, but worth a special mention were Estelle Shutkever and John Parkes as the actor and his wife.

Jane Tyler, Publication Unknown