‘The Business of Murder’, Theatre at the Tabard – Review

Image: Gary Webster as Hallett

A gripping revival of classic tension and intrigue

The latest offering from the in-house team at the Tabard Theatre is the psychological thriller The Business of Murder by Richard Harris, a welcome revival of a play that enjoyed a seven year run in the west end and its not hard to see why.

Over the course of two hours, three very different characters meet and interact in the flat of a Mr Stone, a man who seems desperate to save his son who has apparently found himself caught up in trouble with a drug dealer. What follows is a twisty series of revelations that switch the emphasis and tone of the proceedings into something darker and rooted in tragedy. To say much more about the plot would be to spoil the fun.

Image: Charlotte Hunter as Dee

Harris has fashioned a story that pulls you in and keeps you guessing. In a literate and witty script, the accumulation of detail and wordplay allows a slow build without giving too much away until the second half which flys along. Director Nick Bromley guides our attention and gets the pace just right with enormous skill, ensuring the confident narrative drive holds our attention through to the satisfying conclusion.

He is ably abetted by a first-class cast. Gary Webster as rough-around-the-edges, Sweeney era copper Hallett, brings just the right blend of ennui and menace to his role as a seasoned detective who has seen it all and trusts his gut over anything as complicated as actual evidence.

Image: Miles Gallant and Charlotte Hunter

Charlotte Hunter as TV writer Dee moves from posh poise and intellectual aloofness to something less secure as she begins to wonder what might really be going on. She has a nice line in barely concealed distain for some of the more obviously dated 1980’s mores that emerge, voiced in particular by Hallett.

At the centre of things is Miles Gallant as Stone, an obviously troubled man, full of nervous energy but clearly hiding something. On stage for almost the entire running time, his is a remarkable performance: at times edgy, menacing, scared and calculating, he is compelling to watch.

Image: Miles Gallant, Charlotte Hunter and Gary Webster

There is a wonderful balance between the three, each matching the others, all expertly marshalled by director Bromley.

As usual, the Tabard’s design teams have gone to town with a pleasing mix of careful period detail across the spare but convincingly lived-in set and carefully colour co-ordinated costumes.

“There’s three questions in my game..” says detective Hallett at a crucial moment, “… Where? When? Why?”  Watching this talented cast work out the answers to those seemingly simple questions makes for a gripping and thoroughly entertaining evening. Fans of classic murder mystery stories will love it.

The Business of Murder runs to 23 November.

Image: Miles Gallant as Stone

Book tickets: The Business of Murder at The Tabard

Simon Thomsett

Simon Thomsett has worked in the professional theatre for a number of years. He started out as a stage manager and technician then became a venue director and producer, notably at the Hackney Empire, Fairfield Halls and most recently the New Victoria Theatre in Woking.

Since leaving full time work last year, he is now working as a consultant and on some small scale producing projects. He is a Chiswick resident and a passionate advocate for great theatre.