Gallowglass

****

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, March 20

The world stage premiere of Gallowglass by the highly acclaimed Ruth Rendell, writing as Barbara Vine, provided a final twist that left me completely surprised – but unsatisfied.

This Middle Ground Theatre Company production brings out the psychological suspense in a dark story centred around a kidnap plot erratically devised by deranged control freak Sandor Wincanton.

Joe Eyre projects the ideal mix of oddity and menace as Wincanton, who saves the pitiable Joe Herbert (Dean Smith) from committing suicide by grabbing him before he can throw himself under a train.

He sees Joe as a gallowglass, the servant of a chief, and tells him: “your life belongs to me now”.

Wincanton is determined to kidnap (for the second time) the lovely Nina Abbott, whose vulnerability and fears are excellently captured by Florence Cady.

Cady shares some emotional scenes with Paul Opacic as Paul Garnett, the “minder” hired by Nina’s protective rich husband Ralph (Richard Walsh).

Wincanton, aided by Herbert and his foster-sister Tilly (Rachael Hart), sets out to recruit Garnett by snatching his young daughter Jessica, Eva Sayer, 21, makes a convincing 11-year-old.

Karen Drury, Matthew Wellman and Jog Maher complete a talented cast, well directed by Michael Lunney.