Thrillers are arguably the hardest plays for any company to pull off because they demand that the tension is ratcheted up and up, through various twists, turns and blind alleys, until the final denouement.

Under Felicity Nicholson's direction Parlour Players did pretty well with this wordy piece by Alfred Shaugnessy (who wrote extensively for that vintage TV series Upstairs Downstairs).

There were instances when characterisation seemed a bit tame, given the melodramatic circumstances, but it was a creditable showing by all involved.

Olivia is a fragile heiress who has arrived at a Spanish villa (which got its own round of applause) after recovering from the tragic deaths of her brother and father in South Africa.

Soon a mysterious stranger appears, telling everyone that he is her "dead" brother Ward. He has a plan, and keeps Olivia a virtual prisoner in the villa so that she fears for her life – and the multi-million pound stash of diamonds which she has misappropriated from the family company.

But as always with this sort of play, not many people tell the truth or are who they say they are.

I liked the way Helen Chisnall tackled the tricky focal role of Olivia, giving her a nervous edge and subtle ambiguity.

And Mark Pendry was a commanding Ward, as at ease delivering his bits of dialogue in Spanish as he was playing the guitar.

Nick Frost was the Spanish investigator, not sure who to believe, who had a neat Latin nonchalance and just enough accent to give the flavour of his background.

Also keeping us guessing as to who was a goody and who was a baddie were Chris Bishop as Olivia's uncle and Jane Swale as Ward's accomplice Elaine.

It was good to see new names among the cast, but I missed some familiar faces. You know who you are!

Diana Eccleston

3 stars