Based on the 1987 Hollywood blockbuster, this first regional tour of James Dearden’s revenge thriller certainly delivers the memorable thrills and spills of that classic movie. At it’s opening venue in Brighton, the tight cast and effective staging draw the audience into the storyline of a one-night stand gone wrong from the start. We were made to hold our breath as we rode the rollercoaster of suspense to it’s tense conclusion…
Making her dramatic theatrical debut, having previously appeared in the West End musical Saturday Night Fever, Kym Marsh cuts a fine figure as spurned lover Alex Forrest. She plays the role with just the right amount of sexy and sultry to make us believe that happily married Dan Gallagher, another fine figure played by Oliver Farnworth, could be seduced by her charms! I’m not sure who could resist to be honest! So, when he’s left alone on a boy’s night out while his wife is away, an innocuous invitation for a drink with a beautiful stranger, leads us to the chilling events that follow. I wouldn’t say that the script plays into the sympathy for Dan’s adulterous actions, cheating is never a good idea really, but as a viewer you start to understand his frustration and concerns as Alex becomes more and more obsessed with him and we witness the things she does to get his attention… leading to the retribution finale.
The simple but effective staging uses two walls made from metallic mesh pointing to the back of the stage. The blank canvas mesh allows clever lighting from behind, as well as a second level, to add extra dimension to the set for ‘off stage’ set ups. The scenery set pieces were deftly rolled in and out by the cast and a very effective use of video projections added a hi-tech touch, especially when showing facetime style phone calls between characters.
I expect most people will be familiar with the general story line of an illicit tryst, crazed stalking, rage and revenge and a final deathly ultimatum, but I won’t spoil you with the finer details. It’s all here on stage, some quite a lot more graphic than I was expecting, but it still felt fresh, and the audience were gripped throughout. The desperation shown by Dan as Alex relentlessly pursued him was palpable, none more so than once she infiltrates his family and things start to get way too close for comfort. It was only the ending that left me slightly cold and ambiguous, they switch the story around to be slightly different to the both the standard and alternate endings to the film, but it was still well presented and to a point shocking too,
All in all, a very enjoyable night at the theatre. Kym Marsh was great as Alex (better than I expected to be honest) giving us sexy and seductive looks followed by evil menace at the drop of a hat. Oliver Farnworth as Dan and Susie Amy as his wife Beth, also give the audience exactly what they need from a happily married couple facing trouble. A small supporting cast playing multiple walk-on roles also did a stellar job. As the second night of the tour, I can only see this show getting tighter and crisper as it moves around the country. Definitely a show I would recommend seeing as theatres open back up to full potential.
And finally, the movie was always about the poor rabbit… so yes, there is a bunny… and yes, it doesn’t end well… enough said.
4.5/5
Fatal Attraction is at Theatre Royal Brighton until 22nd January 2022
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