Like a busy-body next door neighbour, “The Unfriend” by Doctor Who’s very own Steven Moffat snuck into the Apollo Theatre to offer murder, mayhem and many chortles all round. The cast certainly had fun presenting the wild antics that ensued when a certain Trump supporting serial widower came to stay.

After the aforementioned “Elsa Jean Krapalski” (played with flair by Hillary Foister) has entered the home of Peter and Debbie (Dave Newton and Helen Reading), what follows is the couple finding a startling revelation at Elsa’s murderously murky past online. They’d love her gone, if they weren’t quite so middle class and polite about it!

What follows is a modern farce involving neighbourly garden wall disputes, “Murder Poppins”, wine, a particularly amusing scene involving a policeman and a toilet and much much more…

The cast was ably supported by two younger actors in Noah Girling and Lily-Jane Hopkins, who played bratty teens one minute, and family centred young people the next. They showed good range in their performances and held their own against the seasoned fellow actors on stage.

Peter Gale showed his comedic chops with a well delivered deadpan performance playing a patient but dreary neighbour who just wanted Peter to look at an email! Paul Gwinnett was P.C Bob/Dave/Jeff etc who showed clear bemusement at Peter’s delusional paranoid ranting at the possibility he was poisoned in the funniest scene of the night.

The cast as a whole elevated a sometimes waffly script with solid performances all round, and the Apollo stage crew and set designers need commendation for their constant ability to create and build ambitious and well crafted theatre props and designs, this play’s domestic scene being no exception.

I must admit, I have never seen a comedy before where the director has explained to me what “comedy” is. Helpful description as it was, the cast could have benefited from some tighter direction with really nailing the timing of punchlines.

But a well realised play that had the audience laughing. A well done to those involved as the Apollo Players once more prove that everyone needs to at least think about a little murdering every now and then.

Review by Olly Fry