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17 August 2026
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4 1/2 ****
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A young married couple, Robert and Olivia, run an isolated hotel. There’s a snowstorm. A sinister arrives. The basic ingredients of this smart thriller from James Cawood. As ever with a genre such as this, things may not be quite what they seem and the audience are given time to consider all possibilities. At this point the reviewer has to tread carefully in order not to reveal any plot points which may ruin the play for others.
For fear of sounding like a stuck record, the set design, build and dressing is outstanding. The entrance hall of an old hotel is full of style and detail – a closer look reveals just what effort is made with the Sidmouth Rep sets. In the play, the hotel rooms are named after Beatrix Potter characters, a key for the Squirrel Nutkin room is handed to a guest, but on the wall, hanging on hooks are individually named keys for the other rooms, complete with named and illustrated fobs. It is this level of care that elevates these theatre productions to a different league.
Back to the play – the tension is evident from the off as the hoteliers have their evening piece shattered by the arrival of an unwelcome stranger. By the end of the, relatively, short, first act, so many questions have been raised and there is no real grasp on how matters might develop. And develop they do in the second half – following a lengthy, but engrossing backstory, one twist follows another in dramatic style.
One of the hallmarks of repertory theatre is the chance for actors to really showcase the range of their acting skills; it is very much in evidence in this year’s Company. Last week, Joshua Coley was creating laughs at every turn in a farce – a genre we are very accustomed to seeing him play – but this week he has a menace about him, there is something uncomfortable about his unwelcome interloper, Ramsay – it is a joy to see the difference. Laura Anna-Mead was, similarly, playing for giggles in ‘Changing Rooms’, but here, she is nervy, edgy and, almost hysterical, in extremely convincing manner, as is Jake Seabrooke who runs the gamut of reactions and emotions throughout. Making his first appearance this summer is Charlie Bryant who adds a hefty dose of threat in every word and every action. This is a cracking cast!
Director, Andrew Beckett, uses sound so effectively to underscore moments of peril throughout and he ensures his cast are not afraid to use the pause as a means of ramping up the tension. This is a play for of suspense and the production does it full justice – the audience is shocked into silence a number of times and as the play reaches its climax there is a stillness borne out of the thrill of it all – the final line is a gem!
An excellent production of a really good thriller with a superb set and a fantastic cast.
Cast
Olivia Chappell – Laura Anna-Mead
Robert Chappell – Jake Seabrooke
Ramsay – Joshua Coley
Sam Stone – Charlie Bryant
Creatives
Writer – Neil Simon
Director – Anton Tweedale
Set Design – Andrew Beckett
Costume Designer – Janet Huckle
Lighting Design – Chris Jackson & Will Tippett
Sound Design – James Prendergast
Props Supervisor – James Prendergast
Set Builder – Rhys Cannon
Stage Manager – James Prendergast
Sound/Lighting Operation – Bridget Lambert
Stage Management Team – Dominic McChesney & Rhys Cannon
Season Producer – Andrew Beckett
Season Patron – Paul Taylor-Mills
Photo Image – Sidmouth Rep
