Theatre Review: Catch Me If You Can at MK Theatre
IN SUMMARY
Genre: Classic thriller
Running Dates: 4 th – 9 th April
Where to see it: MK Theatre (UK Tour)
Duration: 2 hr 5 mins (inc. 20 minute intermission)
Keywords: thriller, play, comedy, murder
Content Warnings: violence, 13+ age recommendation
THE REVIEW
This week, MK Theatre is transported to a cosy log cabin in the remote Catskills mountains, for Bill Kenwright’s Catch Me If You Can. This highly entertaining thriller (not to be confused with the 2002 film of the same name) has been adapted from French Writer Robert Thomas’ play Trap for a Lonely Man, and stars Patrick Duffy, Linda Purl and Gray O’Brien.
Catch Me If You Can is centred around the disappearance of newlywed, Elizabeth Corban whilst on her honeymoon with her husband Daniel. The play begins with Daniel (Duffy) pleading with the local neighbourhood cop, Inspector Levine (O’Brien), for information on his missing wife, clearly desperate for news or leads as to her whereabouts. When Elizabeth (Purl) suddenly strolls back into the cabin and her husband’s life, all is not what it seems when Daniel accuses her of being an imposter. This sets off a series of mysterious events and as the story unravels, you’re gripped on the intrigue of whether it will lead to a murderous conclusion.
I find nothing worse than a whodunnit, where you know from the get-go, whodunnit. However, Catch Me If You Can is filled with so many red herrings and twists, you don’t know who to trust and who to believe. The set which started off feeling calm and cosy, slowly became stifling and suffocating as the story unfolds. Daniel’s frailty and confusion grows throughout the play as it seems we are watching him slowly lose his mind. The plot manages to keep the audience gripped for the entire show, enjoying this mysterious rollercoaster ride. The second half is where the tension really ramps up as the extraordinary sequence of surprising twists and turns build to a dramatic conclusion.
The anxiety filled moments in the play are eased with the comic relief of Levine, the bumbling Inspector, who is seemingly always available, yet never investigating this mystery and is wonderfully acted by O’Brien. The comedic timing was fantastic, and the audience’s laughter seemed to only encourage the wise-cracks. Duffy’s portrayal of Daniel helped to build the stress within the story, his anxiety was palpable and cemented the tension between all of the characters. This was perfectly complemented with the confident and calm Elizabeth played by Purl, who vivaciousness was so intimidating, you understood Daniel’s flustering’s.
This play is highly entertaining and thrilling, yet it approaches the story with a light-hearted touch as it slowly unpeels the layers of mystery to reveal ‘whodunnit’.
THE ROUND UP
See if : You love a playful ‘whodunnit’
Similar to: Poirot
Review by Sophie Sylvester
The UK Catch Me If You Can tour is in town at MK Theatre until 9th April so get in quickly to see it.