The Case of the Frightened Lady

From the hugely prolific Edgar Wallace, The Case of the Frightened Lady is an old fashioned detective murder mystery that in this new production from The Classic Thriller Company still has the power to entertain. To those used to the portrayal of modern police methods in television thrillers, the plot may be seem as creaky as the old country mansion in which it takes place, as the detectives apparently never seal off the scene of the murder, and only question those witnesses who happen to walk in and out of the room in which the action all unfolds. Nevertheless, the pacey plotting and entertaining dialogue allow this production to be enjoyed as if watching an old movie, and on top of the plot twists, deepening intrigue and climactic thrills, there are also many moments of dark humour.

This production includes many well-known TV stars, with top billing going to Gray O’Brien as the Chief Super, but really the star of the show is Rula Lenska as the formidably domineering Lady Lebanon. Perhaps bringing something of her own aristocratic heritage to the role, she certainly gives her character a quite intimidating level of conviction about what is right and what is wrong (she is right, of course) which she sustains and builds upon throughout her performance. The company is certainly of quality, notwithstanding one or two slips on this opening night which will soon polish out. Particularly entertaining were Dennis Lill, frightfully odious as Dr Amersham, and Glenn Carter in perfectly insubordinate form as one of the mysterious footmen. The cast is backed up by a superbly impressive stage set, which, with the sound effects and lighting, provides a convincingly immersive backdrop.

Woven into the mystery and suspense are the rather 1930s themes of tensions between the privileged and the servant class, regimental and family loyalties, and a back story of “what happens in the colonies stays in the colonies”, but at the centre of it, of course, is our disempowered and frightened lady, played by the excellent April Pearson. There’s nothing too taxing here however, just the straightforward pleasure of a classic thriller, and those who relish a truly old school murder mystery should certainly find it an enjoyable evening.