Killing Her

Year : 1992

Playwright : Crispin Whittell

Cast : Rick Warden, James Laurenson, Nicola Walker.

From the archives of The Stage (10 September 1992), we found this article :

This is an elegant concoction, rich in words and psychological under and overtones. Rick Warden, who plays Stuart, an agoraphobic chess buff, with a twisted psyche and a power complex, is excellent. Verbal adroitness, of writer Crispin Whittell, performer is wonder to witness. While James Laurenson as Scott, the poor dupe in his thrall, a character permanently glistening with a sweat of apprehension, was equally good.

At the opening we are regaled with an erudite and witty lecture from Stuart on historic niceties in the development of chess. This carried on at intervals, intercutting the play, as Stuart coerced and maneuvered Scott into murdering the girl, Salome. Action was accompanied and paralleled by the actual playing of chess. It was a game within a game, cynical, sophisticated and funny.

Nicola Walker was superb as the girl who manages to ‘checkmate’ in the end. The Cambridge Nights Company perform with admirable comic élan. And they’re pretty good chess players too!

Six degrees

Crispin Whittell, the playwright, also wrote Killing Him and Party Tricks.

James Laurenson, also appeared in Neuromancer [Radio], Passion Play [Stage] and Spooks [TV]. He first appeared in episode 305 of Spooks [TV] as Lord Young. He then appeared in various episodes of Series 6 as Sholto.