Review: Deathtrap (Noel Coward Theatre)

Deathtrap feels like a familiar old friend come to visit. It's not often - and not often enough - that a good old-fashioned thriller comes to town. Starring Simon Russell Beale as past-his-best author Sydney, Claire Skinner as nervy wife Myra, the much-feted Jonathan Groff as Clifford, as well as Estelle Parsons as nutty psychic neighbour Helga and Terry Beaver as lawyer Porter, Ira Levin's thriller is a carefully plotted and very funny tramp through the conventions of murder in the eyes of a playwright.

Full of knowing injokes and sarky references, the production plays to Russell Beale's comic strengths whilst giving Groff the opportunity to show he can shine in a non-musical role (his background is in Hair, Spring Awakening and most recently Glee). And shine he does, for the two leads in this piece are superbly cast. Groff exudes an air of innocence and simultaneously evil, while Russell Beale's naturally benign nature is well played against - you never really know what he's thinking.

The shocks come thick and fast with this one, keeping the audience jumping and gasping until the very end. While the ending could do with a bit more tightening (bearing in mind this is a few preview performances in) and more blood would be welcome, there is very little else to quibble about with this skilful, classy rendering of a superbly clever thriller.