Video: Director Tracy Brigden On Bringing DIAL M FOR MURDER to the Guthrie

Jeffrey Hatcher's carefully crafted adaptation of DIAL M FOR MURDER and Director Tracy Brigden's directorial debut at the Guthrie go as well together as an olive and martini. Hear from both Jeffrey and Tracy on what it's like to work together in an all-new video.

Dial M for Murder began as the brainchild of British writer and playwright Frederick Knott, who was a specialist in crime-related drama. After the play premiered in 1952 on BBC Television, followed by stage runs in London’s West End and on Broadway that same year, Dial M for Murderwas adapted for the 1954 film, which was directed by acclaimed filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and starred Ray Milland and Grace Kelly as Tony and Margot Wendice. 

This gripping adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher returns the story to London, where we meet Maxine, who is in town promoting her new murder mystery. Maxine drops in on her former lover Margot, who shares some distressing news: She’s being blackmailed for a love letter from Maxine that went missing after their affair ended. Margot thinks her husband Tony is none the wiser, but he knows everything — and then some. In fact, his yearlong plan to have Margot murdered will commence the next night, thanks to an airtight alibi. But when Margot kills her assailant in self-defense, Tony’s plot takes an unexpected turn. This clever, fast-paced adaptation adds extra layers to the iconic tale, making the “Will he get away with it?” question even more thrilling. 

The cast of Dial M for Murder includes Brian Thomas Abraham (Guthrie: debut) as Inspector Hubbard, Gretchen Egolf (Guthrie: A Streetcar Named Desire) as Margot Wendice, Peter Christian Hansen (Guthrie: Murder on the Orient Express, Freud’s Last Session, Clybourne Park) as Lesgate, David Andrew Macdonald (Guthrie: debut) as Tony Wendice and Lori Vega (Guthrie: debut) as Maxine Hadley.