Deathtrap **** 1/2

‘Death-trap’ by Ira Levin, is a thriller that being staged by Weeping Spoon Productions at PICA in Northbridge until 3^rd February. This outstanding show has had a limited audience of only 16 each night, so the season was totally sold out, almost before the opening night.

The ingenious, extensive set (Chris Isaacs) is a typical one-bedroom unit. In a similar vein to Nicole Kidman’s ‘Dogsville’, the rooms can all be viewed from a central sitting room, but instead of being totally open, muslin walls combined with the use of selected lighting (Glen Hunter) allow the rooms to come alive as the actors move around.

The whole audience are seated around the periphery of an author’s lounge where the actors move flawlessly amongst them.

Sidney (Brendan Ewing) is a very average author, but full of his own importance. A talented, but nerdy, babbling young writer, Clifford Anderson (Tim Watts), arrives at the home requesting assistance with his new murder novel. Sidney sees opportunities for plagiarism at its worst. His wife, Myra (Michelle Nussey) begs him to show common sense. A foreign neighbour (Brent Hill) turns up and feels the vibes in the house aren’t quite right. Will the love of Sidney’s partner guide him away from his treachery? Will his solicitor (Allan Girod) help with the situation?

With the amazing directing (Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd) and very powerful acting from a committed cast, although this is one of the first plays of the year I wouldn’t be surprised if it is one of 2007’s best!

With Ewing (last seen in the comedy ‘Manic Pony’) portraying the warped character of Sidney. Nussey who has proved herself to be a first rate comedienne now shows a very sensitive temperament and a range of emotions in this drama. Hill brings the light relief in a style similar to Inspector Clousseau – on the night I saw it, he threw in a couple of ad-libs which brought the house down.

The director has considered all the small points that take an average performance to the higher echelons. The police officers methodically working their way around the house throughout the play, the smell of cooking, the action played against a thunder storm – wonderful.

Praise must go to the string duo (Tristen Parr and Dan Russell) whose most apt composition and breathtaking accompaniment added perfectly to the mood.

An outstanding show. The intimacy of the actors within the audience initially resulted in the spectators possibly being embarrassed and slow to respond as their hearts and emotions felt, but despite being within reaching distance of several murders, they soon relaxed into their surroundings.

On my old scale of star rating this would have been an easy 5 stars – this year is going to be tougher!