Go Back For Murder

It’s 1968, and adopted Canadian, Carla Le Marchant (Sophie Ward), arrives in London employing solicitor, Justin Fogg (Ben Nealon), to investigate her birth parent’s tragic past. Reluctantly, he draws the people together who were present the day Carla’s mother allegedly poisoned her husband. Carla is determined to unearth the truth about her father’s demise.

While some of the first half’s expositional sequences drag, the second half ramped up the tempo as all the major players return to the scene of the crime, two decades on. Jumping between 1968 and 1948, most of the actors had to play their younger selves – some more successfully than others – while Ward appeared much more comfortable playing Carla’s mother, Caroline.

The impressive cast included Liza Goddard, Lysette Anthony and Robert Duncan, who by turn were witty, hammy and impressive, particularly the young Georgina Neville, making her professional debut. Gary Mavers also stood out as Amyas, Carla’s father, the philandering artist. There was an especially tender moment, when the ghost of Carla’s father kisses her on the forehead, as it’s finally laid to rest.

If you are expecting drawn out drawing room revelations, upper class passions and seething jealousies you wont be disappointed. Agatha Christie fans will love it.

Theatre Royal Brighton, 9 September 2013

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