10 December 2025
The Ensemble Theatre’s production of Frederick Knott’s classic thriller, Dial M for Murder, bursts with sustained suspense, delivering a night of sharp tension with a healthy dose of laughs.
The strength of the production lies in Knott’s timeless story of a man meticulously attempting to execute the perfect crime. Director Mark Kilmurry manages the rising tension with precision, keeping the audience held captive until the final twist.
Garth Holcome delivers a compelling performance as the manipulative protagonist, Tony Wendice. Driven by greed and revenge for his wife Margot’s inheritance, Holcome blends charm with an underlying menace. His embodiment of classic English restraint and eerie mental calculation is acutely accurate.
Anna Somson portrays Margot with a vulnerability, her panic palpable as she becomes entangled in a destructive web of events and relationships. Equally impressive is Madeleine Jones as Maxine Hadley. Her New York accent is sharp, and she does justice to Hadley’s confident and calm demeanor. As a murder mystery author drawn into a real-life plot, Hadley provides a calm in the storm. The relationship between the two women also introduces a complex secret that adds a crucial layer to the drama.
As the plot thickens, Inspector Hubbard, played by Kenneth Moraleda, provides a welcome burst of energy. Moraleda’s is hilarious and a master comic timing. He cleverly balances an ability to appear unassuming without ever allowing the audience to truly underestimate his sharp investigative mind.
Credit is due to set and costume designer Nick Fry. The set, faithfully depicting the Wendices’ Maida Vale flat, immediately transports the audience to 1950s London. Matt Cox’s lighting design effectively punctuates the suspenseful moments, enhancing the mysterious ambience without ever disrupting it.
Dial M for Murder is a classic reverse-engineered murder mystery, and the Ensemble Theatre has chosen not to reinvent it. Instead, this production pays excellent homage to the atmosphere and spirit of the original, proving that a great thriller is truly timeless.