****

There are plenty of twists and shocks – plus some funny one-liners – in Death Toll, the latest thriller and black comedy by James Cawood.

It is the third in the Murder In The Park series by the Talking Scarlet company at this theatre and makes for an entertaining evening.

The action takes place in a desolate former shooting lodge next to a loch in the Scottish Highlands, where playwright Henry Roth spends most of his time bickering with wife Evelyn.

After a slow start the play springs to life following the arrival of charismatic young actor Jack, supposedly seeking a role in Henry's forthcoming production. Mark Martin's convincing portrayal of Jack is superb, revealing the right mixture of charm and menace, as deception leads to murder.

Tom Butcher and Corrinne Wicks grow into the parts of Henry, the limping, dominating husband, and Evelyn, the trophy wife who is a "reformed" alcoholic, while Jolyon Young makes a formidable DCI Lazan.

There are a few moments when the plot and script seem implausible, but the tight direction of David Janson helps the cast to cope very well and take up the best possible positions in some difficult physical clashes.