Review: Home At Seven at Chesterfield's Pomegranate Theatre

The play by R.C. Sherriff is set in the 50s with the horrors of war still affecting people’s lives and milkmen using horses to haul their floats.

Brian Capron (Coronation Street’s serial killer Richard Hillman) plays the role of David Preston, a man who loses his memory and a day of his life. That missing 24 hours turns into a nightmare involving theft and murder.

It all starts off so cosily - a hard-working bank employee returns to his comfortable home a few minutes late to be greeted by an immaculately turned-out wife.

But his spouse Janet, played by Jenny Funnell (As Time Goes By), is frantic with worry over his lengthy absence which she has reported to police.

Brian and Jenny make a good pairing as the devoted couple whose world is rocked by the incidents which happened in his lost 24 hours; both portray the emotional fallout with great conviction.

Layer upon layer of intrigue is added as an assortment of characters throw their versions of events into the mix. There are strong performances from supporting actors Steven Wickham playing club chief, Michael Kirk as solicitor, Emma Isaacs as barmaid and Kevin Pallister as police inspector.

A big shout-out to Matthew Hebden playing Dr Sparling who had just a day and a half to learn his lines before the show opened last night (Tuesday, September 6) at Chesterfield’s Pomegranate Theatre where it runs again this evening. Apart from one scene where he was obviously reading from the script, he gave no clues that he had stepped into the part at such short notice.

Home At Seven ends its tour at Buxton Opera House on November 14 and 15.