'Fiendishly good' performance of Sleuth at Princess Theatre

Well-known soap stars Todd Boyce and Neil McDermott have teamed up to perform in a fiendishly good revival of Sleuth, currently playing at the Princess Theatre, Torquay.

The pair successfully bring to life the famous thriller by playwright Anthony Shaffer, which centres around manipulation and suspense.

The focus is on famed mystery writer Andrew Wyke (Boyce) who invites his wife’s lover Milo Tindle (McDermott) to his posh country manor to talk about the affair.

From there, a web of lies, deceit and games unravels. Without giving away too much away, they play a game or two and their competitive nature has dramatic consequences.

Boyce (best known for playing bad boy Stephen Reid in Coronation Street) and McDermott (known for roles in EastEnders and The Royal) are both perfectly cast and really get to show off their talents in this brilliant two-hander. They didn’t falter.

The dynamic between Boyce's calculated and cunning Andrew Wyke and McDermott's charismatic Milo Tindle, who seemed to have an air of vulnerability initially, worked well and added depth to the characters and the unfolding narrative.

The action all takes place in the entrance hall of Wyke's opulent manor, which comes complete with games, ornaments, books, and a laughing Jolly Jack Tar life-size model, which all sets the scene for the eccentricity of Wyke's character.

The heavy dialogue was paced to perfection and the dark story is gripping.
Sleuth is a well-executed production that keeps the audience engaged and has more twists and turns that a rollercoaster at a theme park.

You can see why the play has enjoyed such success in the past and won a Tony Award as Shaffer’s Sleuth is simply superb.