DEATHTRAP by Asylum Theatre

“Suspense-filled masterpiece, but could do with more chemistry”

Reviewer: Meera Nair
Performance: 14 October 2016

Asylum Theatre’s choice of Ira Levin’s 1978 comedy-thriller and its muted noir-esque set is full of promises, but it is a pity that this got eclipsed by poor acting.

In Act 1, we watch in suspense as it slowly builds up to a murder. Andrew Mowatt is perfect in the role of Sidney Bruhl, a once-successful playwright who finds himself running out of ideas, facing the prospect of becoming a has-been. He is nonchalant towards the murder he commits which makes for good comedy. He is careful not to over-play the part so as not as appear mad and thereby discrediting his own character.

Unfortunately, Elena Yeo, as his wife Myra, does not do justice to the play. Her acting is restrained and she lacks an emotional connection with her on-stage husband. She also struggles with her character’s British accent which further adds to the disparity.

The play is stronger in Act 2 as the focus shifts to other characters. But it also becomes different, more intellectual, like a metaphysical self-examination. We realise we are watching a play about a play that is being written as it plays out. Indeed, does Deathtrap exist outside our watching of it?

Deathtrap’s own status as a play is revealed through theatre references in Sidney and Clifford’s speeches. Various characters even muse about how an audience would interpret the events on stage. The effect of this is to implicate the audience in the unfolding. Of course this leads us to wonder whether we are merely watching a play, or if we too are actors in Ira Levin’s grand overarching play.

Despite going into the philosophical realm, the play still remains true to its comedy and thriller status by using the tried-and-tested methods and devices. For instance, through the use of caricatures like Bridget Fernandez’s Helga Ten Dorp, a gypsy who flamboyantly solves the murder using ESP, and Paul Lucas’ Porter Milgrim, a foolish lawyer with an annoyingly nasal voice.

Asylum Theatre’s Deathtrap is a good production by most counts, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it through the two acts. I just can’t help but wish that Myra’s role had been more suitably cast, or that there at least had been some chemistry between Sidney and Myra.