Dial H! for Hitchcock

There’s potential here, but this Hitchcockian tribute show needs a great deal more work to turn it into anything even vaguely decent.

Putting together condensed versions of three Hitchcock films – North by Northwest, Rope and Dial M for Murder – in 30 minutes has an immediate comic attraction, and it duly drew a healthy audience on its first outing. But so many opportunities for laughs and inventiveness were squandered that the whole thing felt like a big anticlimax.

The trio of young performers have energy and drive, but they need some sure-handed direction to bring the show up to standard. Edward Bluemel has a deadpan knack with characterisation, Ben Watkins relishes his female roles, and Alistair Kirby is full of manic energy.

There are some nice effects – using torches to represent a car, and a line of flags for the United Nations – but at the moment the show feels more like three mates messing around on stage than an acceptably professional, or even semi-professional performance.

– David Kettle