The Bells -- Viaduct Theatre, Halifax
Another new venture for Yorkshire's finest -Northern Broadsides -- and another absolute triumph.
Conrad Nelson took the directorial reins for the first time as the Halifax-based company gave us Leopold Lewis's little-staged gothic classic The Bells.
Sean O'Callaghan, taking his Broadsides bow, was imposing as the haunted town mayor Mathias who harbours a murderous secret.
15 years to the night after killing a stranger on Christmas Eve, his guilty conscience is plagued by the memory of the bloody act that provoked his rise to office and wealth.
O'Callaghan has much of the script and solo stage time, but as always, the ensemble cast was absolutely flawless to a man.
Particularly eye-catching was the performance of Catherine Kinsella as Mathias' daughter Annette.
As one would expect from this company, the music was as mellifluous as ever and the dream sequence during which Mathias reveals his bloody deed was a superbly crafted piece of theatre.
Deborah McAndrew's new script was a joy and the accessible language brought this tense, paced drama to life -- and death!
Let The Bells ring out far and wide in praise for this most mesmerising of shows.
l Runs until Saturday, then on tour, including Skipton, Settle and Wakefield. Call 01422 255266 for details.
Stuart Roberts
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