BRIAN Clemens thriller The Devil At Midnight, receiving it's world premiere at the Club Theatre this week, is psychologically intense for both cast and audience.

Despite subtle strands of humour mostly in one liners, the play contains a serious message about society's sick attitude to imaginary child abuse and the effect this can have on the children involved.

The playwright scripted The Avengers and the play displays some parallels with that series. The plot keeps the audience on its toes with unexpected twists and turns and char-acters lay their hands on a variety of weapons, includ-ing a machete, a double barrelled shotgun and an air rifle.

Praise must go to the theatre's special effects department for making the head of a character shot by the air rifle immediately drip with realistic blood. Some of the creepiest scenes give the venue's new computer controlled lighting system a chance to shine.

Beverley Stuart-Cole rises to the challenge of playing Nicki White, a disturbed woman whose nightmares force her to visit a psychoanalyst. Nikki portrays helpless patient, petrified child and dominant, venge-ful woman with equal skill.

The psychoanalyst, (Chris Hall), descends from authoritative doctor to quivering victim and Chris's performance lifts in line with the emotion.

Peter Nawn does well as as a social climber with a skeleton in his cupboard

The production by director John Banks should go down well with Clemens when he attends on Saturday night.

Julia Taylor

*Until Saturday.