The first review
Zoë Cruse, a local doctor with a longstanding involvement in theatre, both as a performer and an avid audience member, had this to say
"From its opening moments, "The Thrill of Love" establishes an atmosphere that is as striking as it is unsettling. Blood-red lighting slices across a layered set, catching different levels at once and making the space feel slightly off-balance, while the incongruous sound of Billie Holiday drifts through—melancholic, yet strangely light. It’s an uneasy combination that lingers, quietly foreshadowing the emotional complexity to come.
Written by Amanda Whittington, the play tells the real-life story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain after the murder of her lover in 1955. Rather than presenting a straightforward retelling, the narrative unfolds through fragmented recollections, circling the events that led to Ellis’s final act. It feels less like a story being told and more like one being reconstructed, leaving the audience to sit with its ambiguity.
Directed and produced by Geraldine Broderick (previous credits "The Revlon Girl" and "Taking Off"), this production is guided by a clear and confident artistic vision. The film noir aesthetic is evident not only in the visuals but in the pacing and tone, with shifts between past and present handled with impressive fluidity.
At the heart of the piece is a compelling ensemble performance. Lisa Lauder, Birgitte Anderson, Lauren Miller, Grace Gibson and Ben Cain bring a real sense of restraint and emotional intelligence—nothing is overplayed, allowing the quieter moments to land with greater impact and moments of direct address prove particularly effective.
There is a palpable sense of sisterhood among the women, grounding the piece, while the lone male presence acts as a subtle but powerful catalyst.What makes "The Thrill of Love" particularly striking is its commitment to telling the story through female voices. By centring the perspectives of the women who surrounded Ellis—friends, colleagues, and confidantes—the play reclaims a narrative that was historically dominated by male authority figures. This shift in perspective not only deepens our understanding of Ellis herself, but also shines a light on the broader social realities faced by women of the time. Their voices, often sidelined in traditional accounts, become essential in reconstructing a story that is as much about systemic injustice as it is about individual tragedy.
The play resists offering easy answers.Ultimately, this is a production that lingers—not because it resolves anything neatly, but because it refuses to. The questions it raises about justice, gender, and whose voices are heard feel far from historical—and are impossible to leave behind.