REVIEW: Don’t Look Now
Settle in for an unnerving evening this spooky season at Salisbury Playhouse
Supernatural thriller, Don’t Look Now follows a couple, devastated by the loss of their young daughter Christine, to the eerie canals of Venice on a much-needed break. Unfortunately, for John (Mark Jackson) and his wife Laura (Sophie Robinson), the city has other plans, with a murderer on the loose and eerie visions interrupting their nostalgic getaway.
Nell Leyshon’s new stage adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s haunting tale Don't Look Now, is co-produced by Wiltshire Creative and New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, and directed by Doug Rintoul. It ran in Ipswich from 09 - 25 Oct, before moving to our modern medieval city, where it’s at the Playhouse from 29 Oct – 15 Nov.
Evie Marlow - 📸 Manuel Harlan
The first five minutes of the show set the scene for the chilling production that is to unfurl. Christine - played by local performers Rosa Cassidy & Josie Penny, both aged seven - is alone on stage and accompanied by Adrienne Quartly’s exceptional sound design, leaving audience members gripping the arms of their seats, dreading what is going to happen to the seemingly at-ease little girl.
The design of the entire show is both eerie and extraordinary, with simple props switched in and out in a flash, depicting various locations in 1970s Venice and keeping the story moving.
Sophie Robinson, Mark Jackson, Alexander Makar, Kate Męczyńska - 📸 Manuel Harlan
Alex Bulmer, who plays Sister 2, is an award-winning blind artist whose performance stole the show. Intense, evocative and truly believable, Alex’s portrayal of one of the two eerie sisters is outstanding, as are the rare comic moments provided by the Police Chief (Richard Emerson Gould) and the Waiter (Alexander Makar).
Alex Bulmer, Olivia Carruthers - 📸 Manuel Harlan
Powerfully depicting both love and loss, this production explores the complexities of human emotions alongside occasional supernatural interferences.
Whether you’re a Salisbury local or visiting the area, Don’t Look Now is a spine-chilling thriller that’ll have you thinking about it long after you’ve left the theatre. Be sure to book tickets for this unsettling show before it’s too late.
📅 29 Oct – 15 Nov
📍 Salisbury Playhouse
🎟 Tickets from £12
⏳ Approx. 2 hours (including interval)
🎭 Ages 15+