Tue 1 - Sat 5 October 2019 at 7.30pm
The Playhouse Theatre, Clare Street, Northampton NN1 3JA

Twisted Tales is an evening of brand new short plays by local authors, all being performed for the first time in Northampton.

After a call out for new play submissions, Masque Theatre whittled the scripts down to a final three to take to the stage.

Photo gallery

A dark comedy examining the relationship between two women, exploring the themes of love, loyalty and what the elderly endure as they reach the end of their lives.

Dedicated and devoted Pat pays a visit to the care home late one morning and is pushed to breaking point by her frustrated, ailing partner Peggy.

This is a clever little piece with Sheila Jenkins (Peggy) and Toni Clarke (Pat) dominating much of the action.

This is definitely the funniest of the three pieces but also had some nice moments of drama. It was good to see an older same-sex couple without that being the prime focus - the fact that Peggy and Pat were partners was simply how it was, there was no sense of shock or scandal about it; this was an older couple struggling to maintain their relationship when one of them lives in a care home.

This piece rings very true in terms of unbalanced relationships where one partner manipulates and guilt-trips the other and had overtones of mother/daughter and sibling relationships where one party has more power.

Toni Clarke as Pat played the vulnerability and dedication to Peggy extremely well, you could really believe in her struggles and her desperate need for some independence.

Sheila Jenkins as the bitter and resentful Peggy, trapped by the failing of her body and mind was very believable.

The intensity was tempered by the occasional gentle presence of Ian Bradley as Luke, who was calm, reassuring and yet very capable in his role as carer.

This production is directed by Alex Rex whose other Masque Theatre shows include: Macbeth (2018), Madame Bovary (2018), A Midsummer Night's Dream (2017)

A thriller set in a secluded woodland cabin.

When Jodie and Christian arrive in the middle of a downpour, it’s clear that this isn’t just a bad start to a romantic getaway.

Locked doors, hidden agendas and a battle for power: who is really here of their own volition? And how far will they go to get what they want?

This was my personal favourite. I love a good twist in a thriller.

Jodie (Kat Cordell) and Christian (Stewart Magrath) gave excellent performances in what is largely a two-hander.

From the moment they arrive at this secluded cabin, it is clear things are not as they seem but what transpires in a wonderful sequence of twists and turns is not what you may be expecting!

Kat Cordell (Jodie) moves effortlessly between vulnerable, shaken victim and in control aggressor; you're always wondering if she planned the whole thing or if she is simply twisting a bad situation to her own advantage.

Stewart Magrath (Christian) gives a wonderful performance as he moves from supportive friend and rescuer through manipulated misfit to obsessed stalker and it is simply incredible to watch. The shift in the balance of power is palpable and expertly done.

The final delicious twist of bringing in Sion Grace (Luke) was marvellous and drew audible gasps from a captivated audience.

This production is directed by Rebecca Mackenzie

A dark comedy drama set in a dystopian near future.

Six like-minded individuals are meeting up for the first time having met in an online chat room.

Add to the situation a knock-off NHS healthcare device, poorly remembered Fight Club references and someone not being who they initially seemed to be and the group finds themselves with just two hours to make a choice that will change one of their lives permanently.

This play packed a punch.

A group of people meet for the first time after initially making contact in an online chat room and they have purchased, though it is not clear how, a one use only death machine.

There was a good tense atmosphere and a strong feeling that people were not telling the whole truth. This became more evident with the entrance of Toni (Kelly Golding), the only female in the group though she quickly proved her worth.

There are a lot of Fight Club references in this piece and, not being familiar with the film, I'm not sure if I was missing anything by not understanding those references.

The concept is brilliant and it would be fantastic to see how this could be developed into a longer piece as it has a great deal of potential.

The performances were all good and it was obvious a lot of work had gone into developing the characters.

Scott Bradley as Reed was particularly good - you could feel the nervous energy bouncing off him.

The cast dynamics were excellent and there were strong performances all round, especially from Fraser Haines as Hank who was alone on stage for quite some time as the play began.

Masque Theatre's production is directed by Tamsyn Payne, whose previous shows include: Macbeth (2018), Madame Bovary (2018), A Midsummer Night's Dream (2017), Dinner (2017), Arsenic & Old Lace (2014), Arabian Nights (2012), Dying For It (2010) and Les Liaisons Dangereuses (2007).