REVIEW: Strangers on a Train at Manchester Opera House

Chris Harper (left) and Jack Ashton (right) in Strangers on a Train

As more famous novels and movies are hitting the stage, Patricia Highsmith’s ‘Strangers on a Train’ novel has most recently been brought to Manchester’s Opera House theatre amidst its UK Tour. Craig Warner’s adaptation to the stage undoubtedly tried to retain the ‘whodunnit’ morale of the story with it’s thriller – like nature keeping audiences guessing and questioning throughout the performance.

The play follows two men, Guy Haines and Charles Bruno (played by Call The Midwife’s Jack Ashton and Corrie’s Chris Harper) who unexpectedly become two acquaintances upon a cross-US train ride and end up exchanging deadly deeds on one another’s family members.

Jack Ashton as a heart-broken Guy Haines

The cast was small; a mere 9 people completed the performing foundations for this production of the 1950 novel however there’s no doubting that both the leading and supporting cast were strong in places where the play fell to its weaker moments. Chris Harper particularly brought a somewhat solemn show to life. His many comedic moments really stood out and allowed for a few giggles against the mood created by the two deaths and relationship dilemmas.

However, in a play that is based around the death of a wife and father, you sure don’t actually see much death at all. The ambiguity is certainly purposeful; this adaptation allows the characters to discuss the aftermath of the murders without them actually being shown however, this created some frustration as a member of the audience. Hitchock’s intense and action packed version of the story could possibly have left the audiences surprised at the absence of these themes in Warner’s adaptation.

Miriam, the faithless wife to Guy is murdered by the fellow train ‘stranger’ Charles after an exchange of murders were organised in the opening scene which, although pivotal to setting the scene and premise behind the story, seemed awkwardly long and quiet. Yet, this murder saw nothing more than a short phone dialogue with Guy’s new love interest Anne Faulkner (played by Hannah Tointon). The same followed with the murder of Bruno’s money-hungry father – the audience merely see a Jack Ashton walk up a staircase as the cleverly designed set closed behind him – leaving the rest to our imagination.

 Above: A behind-the-scenes clip from the cast of ‘Strangers on a Train’

Aside from this, some level of imagination is required within this story. The audience are repeatedly pushed to question what the fate of the two men will be. Will their unlikely plot be discovered? How will Guy’s wife react when she finds out? The set was designed by David Woodhead and featured large panels which, although occasionally slow and clunky in their movement, were cleverly designed to close and re-open on different platforms to reveal a range of locations at any one time. This was an effective visual aid for audiences who could’ve otherwise failed to keep up with the fast moving and short scenes that occasionally didn’t quite amplify the full tensions of the story.

As expected, the opening night of the Manchester – stretch of the tour had a few hiccups with lighting and timing, but the cast handled this professionally and the majority probably went unnoticed by most audience members. The play lends itself to it’s dialogue; a tad slow in certain scenes however the ‘inspector calls-esc’ production features minimal scenes to ensure the that the plot and character development are the main focus for audiences.

What the play lacks in drama and engagement, the cast most certainly make up for. I couldn’t fault the way in which this small group of actors presented this play. They all featured wit at moments it was necessary, and showed vulnerability in the emotional moments from start to finish. The music and costumes also lend towards the acting styles and era of the play, placing it firmly in a 1950;’s America. The orchestral music help move the scenes from one to another, especially amongst the sometimes lengthy pauses between panels moving to reveal new scenes.

The outside of Manchester’s Opera House Theatre.

‘Strangers on a Train’ still delivers an enjoyable and  ‘murder mystery’ style evening for fans of thrillers and plays alike. It may fall short of maintaining the dramatic and intense themes that were once provided in the 50’s novel and movie however the more than able all-star cast pull the show together. Catch the remaining performances at ‘Manchester Opera House’ until the 10th February at: http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/strangers-on-a-train/