★★★

AN excellent cast ensure a successful revival of Emlyn Williams' Night Must Fall, which, as with many psychological thrillers, is strong on suspense but not on mystery.

It doesn't need a Sherlock Holmes to detect the murderer, though it takes Inspector Belsize (Daragh O'Malley) most of the play to do so.

Caustic wheelchair-bound Mrs Bramson (Gwen Taylor) is won over by cheeky charmer Dan (Will Featherstone). His arrival at her remote woodland home comes after he has made her maid Dora (Melissa Vaughan) pregnant, and following the disappearance of a woman.

When the missing woman's headless body is discovered in the woods, Mrs Bramson's niece Olivia (Niamh McGrady) suspects Dan.

Taylor, Featherstone and McGrady give superb performances, with the stunningly attractive Niamh cleverly portraying a plain, lonely young woman.

Olivia receives a marriage proposal from the self-assured Hubert (Alasdair Buchan), and the writer missed a trick by only briefly referring to Hubert as the possible suspect.

Forthright cook Mrs Terence, ideally played by Mandi Symonds, stands up to the demanding Mrs Bramson, whose barbs are mainly directed at her nurse (Anne Odeke) and Olivia.

David Woodhead provides an excellent set and director Luke Shepperd maintains tension despite the slow pace.