Newsflashes flit across bulky television screens by way of introduction to this spirited production of Simon Williams’ Kiss of Death. When a spate of grizzly murders around town have the rank-and-file plods stumped, super cops George Brocklebank (John Anthony) and cool-as-anything-in-Matrix shades Bernard Heal (Chris Reed) get on the case. Working to the sort of police ethics that would give Dirty Harry night terrors, they persuade sassy informer Zoe Lang (Tori Hope) to act as bait for the key suspect, John Smith (a downright weird Richard Minkley).
As is often the way with murder mysteries, though, all is never quite as it first seems, and as things scurry down one narrative rabbit warren after another and double-crosses criss-cross over themselves, we begin to wonder how the plot will ever find its way out of such spaghetti.
The committed performances of the Lace Market Theatre’s amateur cast just about carry things through, though, in what is a challenging play. Reed and Hope are particularly engaging, with the former giving Bernard a carapace of subtly macabre mannerisms to render him perhaps the most intriguing character in the work.
The gunmetal grey set gives a suitably Cold War impression to things, too; and although the awkward pacing of things tends to rankle a little the sense of multi-level betrayal and believe-nothing mania come over well.
And if the dénouement might seem a little unsatisfactory, this production nevertheless represents an all-round fine effort and provides an enjoyable night at the theatre.
The Kiss of Death plays at the Lace Market Theatre until Saturday 14 January 2012
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