I Know Where The Dead Are Buried (24:7 Festival)

Two young men, suspicious of a neighbour’s activities, become drawn into a world of fear and hatred.

Tension reverberates throughout Matthew Dunster’s I Know Where the Dead Are Buried which rips along at breakneck speed. Dave (Guy Hargreaves)’s fastidious nature is clear from the start; clashes with housemate Colin (Daniel Hayes) winding him tighter and tighter throughout; you can almost feel the blood pumping through his veins as he rushes about the stage.

In Harry’s ‘nationalist’ organisation Dave finds an outlet for some of his anger, but it is not until the final scene that it all becomes horrifyingly apparent just how angry a young man he is. Meeting Candy (Rachel Austin) brings confusion and a host of different emotions for Dave, which tip him over the edge.

Dave’s shocking descent is painstakingly brought to life by Guy Hargreaves. Tony Hirst‘s Harry is breathtaking – going from casual chumminess to deadly serious by way of sneering disdain with an unnerving ease. A brief appearance by James Quinn as Sean, the respectable face of hatred is politely and calculatedly sinister.

Dunster’s script is excellent, as he keeps things incredibly tight, with a great sense of comedy within the serious nature of the story. Laura Keefe’s direction complements this perfectly bringing an exciting piece of theatre to the stage.

– Laura Maley