I’ll be Back Before Midnight, staged at the MADC Playhouse, Santa Venera, is a thriller with a strongly comic element by Peter Colley. It is the kind of script, professionally-written but stereotyped in a number of ways, that would gain much if done by experienced professionals.

Colin Azzopardi and his cast of talented, but not greatly experienced young actors, however, have shown how if the direction and the stage management are competent, the production can still entertain and, above all, successfully create the scary episodes that give greatest life to it.

The two acts are set in an old-fashioned country cottage with an alarming number of weapons hanging on the walls.

Greg (Gianni Selvaggi) has just brought his wife Jan (Steffi Thake) there. Jan is recovering from what sounds like a nervous breakdown, but things go wrong from the start when George (Joe Depasquale) the farmer from whom Greg has rented the place, comes in and – while drinking tumblers of whisky – frightens Jan with tales of a ghost and of a murder associated with the cottage.

The production owes much to the excellent sound effects and the effectiveness of the various coups de théatre

Jan’s nerves are jangled even further when Greg’s sister Laura (Becky D’Ugo), with whom Jan is on poor terms because of her unhealthy relationship with her brother, comes to stay at her brother’s invitation.

The first act’s three scenes bring in quite a few laughs, but also a crescendo of fear with Jan beginning to be alarmed about her safety, especially after a masked figure wielding a knife enters the room when the light has gone out.

The act ends in a thrilling scene where a killing is committed and this influences the entire following act, when the plot springs more than one surprise.

The final curtain is preceded by a scene of villainy and carnage reminiscent of a Jacobean tragedy. Though this scene is surely not meant to be funny, some members of the audience will probably be tempted to grin or giggle at the preposterousness of it all.

The production owes much to the excellent sound effects by Chris Gatt and the effectiveness of the various coups de théatre.

The MADC Playhouse’s lighting equipment, however, is perhaps inadequate for this production. On the first night there were scenes in which the effect of a powerful scene did not take long to dissipate and here is where the lack of a more experienced cast could be felt.

Thake portrays the poor state of Jan’s nerves and her strong dislike for the less-than-likeable Laura.

She is strongest when, overcoming her nerves, she allows her indignation to burst out and, finally, when her sense of self-preservation enables her to find in herself a terrifying spirit of aggressiveness.

Selvaggi as Greg holds one’s attention when, in Act Two, a darker side of him is revealed.

Depasquale’s George tries a little too hard to get the audience to like him and is best when getting his laughs; his performance would have been more acceptable in a broad comedy than in this play.

D’Ugo’s Laura never tries to be even remotely pleasant to Jan. The part needs more subtlety.

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