Murder on Air (Tour – Salford)

Starring, in this case, Salford’s very own Robert Powell, ably assisted by Liza Goddard, Murder On Air consists of thee virtually unknown Agatha Christie plays, originally written for BBC radio in the thirties, forties and fifties

The company – also featuring a versatile backing cast of six – perform them on a set which resembles a steam radio studio, with the men wearing black tie and the women cocktail dresses, as they all read from scripts, while sound-artist-cum-pianist Alexander S Bermange busies around his on-stage sub studio, helping conjuring up steam trains, the clinking of glasses, the crunch of footsteps on gravel and street scenes, to pretty astonishing effect.

It isn’t perhaps what one might expect from a night at the theatre, the tales are read out rather than physically acted out, but the material itself is gripping enough and performing radio on stage is a novelty of sorts. In fact there’s plenty of theatricality about it all, with to-ing and fro-ing to the microphones and the general interaction of the cast

The plays are widely contrasted. Personal Call is a somewhat chilling ghost story. Central character James receives a phone call from, apparently, his dead wife. The explanation, after several ingenious twists and turns and many red herrings, is neat and satisfyingly typical Christie.

In The Yellow Iris, the longest of the three pieces, Hercule Poirot, answering a plea for help, arrives at a restaurant just in time to prevent a murder.There’s plenty of period atmosphere, with a chanteuse punctuating the action, but overall the story is a little too complicated to work entirely successfully.

The concluding Butter In A Lordly Dish is short and savoury, with a famous prosecuting womanising barrister eventually receiving his just desserts, which involves Mr Bermange executing one final special effect to spontaneous applause.

This is a touring production from producer Bill Kenwright, in association with The Agatha Christie Company, and the guest stars vary from venue to venue. Powel and Goddard here hit it exactly right, both taking proceedings as seriously as they deserve but keeping tongues discreetly in cheeks.

Overall, a gently amusing evening in an intriguing format that could well be repeated with other material.

Murder on Air is at the Lowry until 20 September.