Review: HANGMEN, Wyndham's Theatre, December 7 2015

Irish writer and director Martin McDonagh is well known for his black comedies and Hangmen, his first play in 10 years, proves that he has definitely not lost his touch. Transferring to the West End from the Royal Court where it had a sell-out run in the summer, the play is set in 1965 on the day that hanging is abolished in the UK.

The production opens with the hanging of a man named Hennessy. Convicted of murdering a young woman, he continues to protest his innocence while hangman Harry Wade (David Morrissey) readies him for execution. Following the hanging, we jump two years later, to a pub in Oldham where Wade is now a pub landlord and a minor celebrity - known as the second best hangman in England, trailing behind his rival Albert Pierrepoint (John Hodgkinson). On the two-year anniversary of the hanging of Hennessy, things start to go wrong for Wade and his wife Alice (Sally Rogers) after mysterious Londoner Peter Mooney (Johnny Flynn) appears at the pub. Following his arrival, their daughter Shirley (brilliantly played by Bronwyn James) goes missing, with all evidence pointing at newcomer Mooney. As the drama unfolds, the audience is left wondering if it should have been Mooney who faced the hangman two years ago instead of Hennessy.

McDonagh's writing is witty, sharp and devilishly funny while the strong cast have excellent comic timing, so although the topic of capital punishment is a heavy one, laughter filled the Wyndham's Theatre throughout the performance. Matthew Dunster's direction perfectly complements the writing as the play turns darker. Designer Anna Fleischle creates a remarkable set which morphs from a stark, plain jail cell to a traditional looking pub which is where most of the action takes place.

Morrissey is commanding, short tempered and effortlessly dominates the stage while Simon Rouse as the hard of hearing pub-regular Arthur has some brilliant one-liners which are guaranteed to leave the audience howling with laughter. Credit is also due to Sally Rogers and Bronwyn James who shine in a male-dominated environment. Flynn as the 'vaguely menacing' Mooney is extremely unnerving and his odd manner and questionable behaviour has the audience squirming uncomfortably in their seats. Following on from the The Nether earlier this year, this is yet another fantastic and well-deserved transfer to the West End from the Royal Court.

Photo Credit: Helen Maybanks

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