Dead Guilty is a psychological thriller that first hit the West End with Jenny Seagrove and Hayley Mills in the starring roles in 1995.

Next week the Richard Harris drama unfolds in Swindon under the direction of Sandra Gilbert from the Phoenix Players.

The play begins with a car crash killing John Haddrell and leaving his lover, Julia Darrow, injured and depressed and seeking help from a therapist. John’s wife, who is unaware of her husband’s infidelity, turns up looking for closure and befriends Julia. The tension builds and the plot then takes a sinister turn.

Dead Guilty follows more than 50 years of productions from the well-loved theatre company which started off in 1954 as The Poetry Circle Players performing The Firstborn by Christopher Fry.

More than 200 productions followed leading up to the 40-strong company’s latest success of A Letter To The General by Maurice McLoughlin, last year.

Dead Guilty runs from Wednesday_ Saturday at 7.30pm in Swindon Arts Centre, Devizes Road, Old Town. Tickets are £8 and £7 for concessions from 07517 698083 or email bookings@phoenix-players.com.

Flicky Harrison