An eerie silence consumed The Playhouse audience as we took our seats, eyes drawn to a large clock looming ominously against a dark, misty stage backdrop.
Roald Dahl, best known for his children's books, loved by all for their unique honesty, humour and often revolting situations and grotesque characters.
Twisted Tales (AKA Tales of The Unexpected) however, were written for adults and uncover an entirely new gruesome level to Dahl beyond the wicked depths Matilda's menace Mrs Trunchbull or the bald, square-footed Grand High Witch could ever conceive.
Adapted by The League of Gentlemen's Jeremy Dyson, himself an author of numerous sinister short stories, he has clearly relished re-telling Dahl's dark tales. Co-author of the hugely successful Ghost Stories which premiered at The Playhouse last year, Twisted Tales is the result of a collaboration with Dyson and Director Polly Findley to create the first ever stage production.
Of sixteen tales to choose from, it is somewhat disappointing only five were plucked for theatrical airing, but one does not envy their task attempting to link each unique yarn seamlessly together in a one act play, no interval.
Greeted by a young boy seated in a 1950s train carriage, we are introduced to three daily commuters. Each identical in their bland clothing, choice of newspaper and each with fusty, polite, English stiff upper lip attitudes. Quiet calm is interrupted by a sharply dressed, over-bearingly friendly stranger, to whom they are forced to listen as he regales, disgusts and, eventually, captivates with each tale.
The device works well, pacing each story as the characters are introduced on train station platforms or the train carriage itself, as the hands on that foreboding clock spin round above their heads.
Naive young traveller Billy Weaver happens upon an exceedingly creepy B&B landlady with poisonous plans, an adulterous Mrs Bixby gets her comeuppance for being such a minx, while a "Man From The South" had the audience gasping for breath as a bet involving a Cadillac and a young man's little finger unfolds dangerously near the knuckle.
Bizarre, beastly and brilliant storytelling by the entire six-strong ensemble cast, with Selina Griffiths stand out show-stealer as downtrodden Mary takes her controlling husband's brains home in a jar.
The set is superbly slick, each piece gliding between each tale on a revolving stage placed above the Playhouse's own boards, leaving the audience no time to sit back between each ghastly scenario.
As the play draws to a close, it is down to one train commuter Perkins to recount the final tale, "Galloping Foxley".
Dahl revealed this particular story to be autobiographical, highlighting the abominable bullying by prefects in English private education back in 1913. Superbly staged, Foxley's ludicrous 'gallop' as he canes the young boy is painted before our eyes as clearly as if a Quentin Blake portrait.
Suspense throughout the tales is fleeting, for the script is littered with knowing nods and clues towards the delightfully dark inevitable. However, Dahl's comedic knack is unfortunately lost in translation, with nothing more than occasional nervous titters creeping from the audience. Best summed up by a parting eavesdropping from one audience member, which I suspect would be music to Jeremy Dyson, Polly Findley's and certainly Roald Dahl's ears: "I don't know why people were laughing, all those stories were absolutely VILE."
Yes. Vile at its exquisite, playful, "Dahl-ian" best.
8/10
Twisted Tales runs at the Playhouse until April 23rd.
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