Review: Studio Theatre's Night Must Fall

In this psychological thriller, an elderly woman succumbs to the charms of a young man with a secretive past.

by Annette J Beveridge

This psychological thriller first penned in the 1930s by Emlyn Williams was also adapted to film a few years later. Last night (Saturday, October 12), the play became part of Studio Theatre's rich catalogue of shows. 

Night Must Fall is not so much a whodunnit as a question of when the killer will strike.

Enter Mrs Bramson, a seemingly wheelchair-bound elderly lady who spends every spare moment complaining bitterly about life while expecting her household to pander to her every whim. 

Crafty, crabby and cunning, the role is played to perfection by Joanna Daniels. Nothing pleases her...at least, not until she meets a young man with a secretive past. 

Olivia Grayne (Clare Green) is the much put-upon niece. An intelligent deep thinker, she needs the money her aunt pays her although she feels frightened and isolated in the cottage nestled deep in the woods. Olivia has a gentleman caller - Hubert Laurie (Matt Hodge) who has offered marriage and yet, there is little in the way of affection.

The house is ruled and tainted by its grumbling owner who is disliked intensely by the two servants, Mrs Terence (Lucy Salmon) and Dora (Antonia Harding). But life in the household changes in an instant when the young maid Dora confesses to being pregnant.

Mrs Bransom is furious and demands Dora bring the culprit to her so he ‘will do the right thing’ and marry the maid. But all that fury dissipates when she meets the laddish charmer Dan (Adam Barge) who with his ‘gift of the gab’ soon becomes her favourite. Dan is rough and rugged, and extremely manipulative. He knows just how to wrap the old lady around his little finger.

When a woman is murdered and a police investigation begins, their insular world is set alight especially when the body is found close by. Olivia suspects Dan. She believes everything about him is an act. Why is he there? What is he after? When Olivia gives into her suspicions and begins a search through his luggage, she is caught in the act!

A somewhat slow start soon turned into a compelling watch. Adam Barge’s portrayal of rogue Dan was brilliant revealing many sub-layers of character within the performance.

A special mention to Lucy Salmon who played the housekeeper for her comedy timing.

Night Must Fall was directed by Sally Marshall and Sophie Townsend. It is a long play - almost three hours but the time flies by. It is worth watching.

Night Must Fall is on at the Studio Theatre until Saturday, October 19. Photos by kind permission of Trinity Photography.

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