Murder, Blackmail and Fortunes to Inherit (Derby Dinner Playhouse)

Dial M for Murder By Frederick Knott

Directed by Tina Jo Wallace

Review by Brian Kennedy

Entire contents are copyright @2025 by Brian Kennedy. All rights reserved.

Plenty of twists and turns await in Derby Dinner Playhouse’s production of Dial "M" for Murder, provided that you are patient.

Frederick Knott wrote the original Dial "M" for Murder, which later became an Alfred Hitchcock movie of the same name. For Derby Dinner Playhouse, Tina Jo Wallace produced and directed the show, which takes place entirely within the Wendices’ apartment in London circa 1950s. Tony Wendice (Brian Hinds), a former tennis star, married socialite Margot (Megan Massie) but not really for love. Tony has learned a few things about Margot that cause him to start plotting her murder. Along the way, return of old acquaintances, secrets revealed, blackmail, and plenty of framing are to occur.

It’s not a bad play overall, but it took so long to really get going. Wallace, in her pre-show speech, stated the cast had a dress rehearsal earlier in the day. That may explain why the cast seemed unnecessarily sluggish in the early stages. On top of that, so much of the first act is spent talking with not much action. As a result, it became more difficult to stay interested. 

The exception to this occurred after small-time con man Swann or Wilson or whatever name he’s going by at that moment (Paul McElroy) finds out Tony is setting him up for a sinister plot. McElroy brought forth an effective amount of nervousness and confusion for his multi-alias character. 

Meanwhile, the chemistry between crime-fiction writer Max Halliday (Justin Jackson) and Margot, who are having an affair, was timid at best. Given they were in the house Margot shared with her husband, that may have been each actor’s choice. Still, it came across as awkward.

Once the action got going late in the first act and into the second, Dial "M" for Murder became much better. There were plenty of unexpected moments and surprise reveals, and those who had been paying attention to the earlier dialogue earned a welcome payoff. 

J.R. Stuart, as Inspector Hubbard, took over from the second he arrived on stage and brought a much needed change of pace. Jackson’s Halliday, meanwhile, was much improved in mannerisms and voice during his conversation with Hinds’ Tony about a potential plot.

Again, not a bad play Derby Dinner Playhouse has. If they sped up the first act and added some voice and mannerism dynamics, Dial "M" for Murder could become a show Hitchcock fans would thoroughly enjoy.

Dial "M" for Murder Derby Dinner Playhouse October 1-November 9, 2025 525 Marriott Drive Clarksville, IN 47129 www.derbydinner.com