Chiller Thriller is luke warm at Swindon's Wyvern Theatre (From Swindon Advertiser)

Chiller Thriller is luke warm at Swindon's Wyvern Theatre

3:27pm Wednesday 14th September 2011 in Reviews By Michelle Tompkins

The Black Veil

Wyvern Theatre

, Swindon

CHARLES Dickens was a master of the dark and mysterious, skillfully painting his shadier characters into sinister, foreboding settings.

As I settled into my seat at the Wyvern for this production of The Black Veil, based on a Dickens’ short story, I secretly hoped it wasn’t going to be too scary - I love a good thriller, but sheer terror is not my idea of a good Tuesday night out.

The play began darkly enough. A young doctor, warming himself by his fire in 1830s London, is woken from a disturbing nightmare by an old woman dressed top to toe in black and cast in an opaque veil.

The story she has to tell is strange and intriguing, and the doctor is drawn in by her demands. So far, so interesting.

But for me, this is where the mystery ended. The dialogue in Act One seemed laboured and, with very little movement on stage, I found myself willing something to happen.

There was more to observe in Act Two, with the introduction of a third character, but the ‘twists’ were easily predicted. Even the big, dramatic unveiling fell a little flat and failed to surprise anyone much.

To be fair, the three actors worked hard - with pages and pages of lines for each of them, they never faltered. The fault lay more with a lack of atmosphere and suspense, probably not helped by the auditorium being only half full.

The play was billed as “a chilling thriller”, and I’m told Dickens’ original tale is very creepy indeed. Sadly, I have to say I was more chilled by the air conditioning in the theatre than what took place on stage.

- MICHELLE TOMPKINS