The Guilty review – Russell Tovey is the lead in a dread-filled cop thriller | stage

TDonmar has had mixed results adapting left-wing films like Force Majeure and The Fear of 13. But this production, based on the 2018 Danish film Den Skyldige (by Gustav Müller and Emil Nygaard Albertsen), is a fantastical theatrical experience, part crime thriller, part ghost story.

At 70 minutes, it’s shorter than the film, but arguably more devastating, with the kind of suspense that fills you with dread and leaves you palpitating. As a critic who takes copious notes, I walked away at the end of the show with an almost empty notebook because I was too absorbed to look away.

In what might be called a control room procedural, the inimitable Russell Tovey plays police officer Joe on the night shift. The plot brings two central developments, one about him and the other connected to the emergency call he receives from Emily. She says she was kidnapped, and her children are alone at home. Joe digs – deeper than he probably should. It becomes clear that he is taking too much of the case into his own hands and breaking the rules. Is he obsessed? Is he a good or bad cop? We kept guessing. When a twist comes to Emily’s story, it’s unexpected and terrifying.

In Chloë Moss’s film adaptation, Joe is more disturbed and volatile than the original character. The rest of the office is empty and Joe talks to several drunks or time wasters who call in a monotone. But we learn more about him, with an additional story about his family life that is similar to Emily’s. Moss manages to add to the desperation and helplessness of those with extreme mental states and the sense of abandonment they feel from wider systems. It’s a subtle social commentary but feels utterly human and tragic.

We also feel Joe’s silent sense of guilt. He made a mistake and is scheduled to appear in court the next morning. There is an unexplained mystery surrounding his case that increases the tension.

And what tension. Feel it on the skin. It is raised from the outside and kept high. A lot of that is down to Tovey’s sheer drive as he absorbs us. But Punchdrunk founder Felix Barrett’s direction is expert, too. This show is based on technology – Alex Eales’ kit includes control room tools and equipment. There is a high risk of different phone calls not being in sync, but they all work properly. Anna Watson’s lighting design uses spotlights in moments of high emotional tone, then dims back into sadness and mystery. There is a final revelation, further into the film, that creates a theatrical flourish.

Joe’s revelation is the only thing that’s troubling here and requires further explanation. It feels ideological, too, as if it’s coming from the writer’s mouth rather than the character’s – a commentary on police violence but without context and a less likely scenario when transplanted to London. This criticism is on a formal, and perhaps logical, level. On a purely human level, this is the most exciting and profound drama. She never wasted a minute, never missed a beat. At least a white knuckle ride.