Off West End
When One Call Changes Everything
There is something compelling about a story told in real time, particularly when the stakes are life and death.
Written by Chloë Moss and directed by Felix Barrett, The Guilty follows Joe, a 999-call handler with a troubled past, who is stuck on the night shift when a call comes in that changes everything. What follows is a night of twists and turns, revelations, and tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Russell Tovey Commands Every Moment
Russell Tovey proves more than equal to the challenge in this one man play. He never lacks energy, and his portrayal of Joe is emotionally raw and balanced.
With only a headset, a desk and the voices on the other end of the phone, Tovey creates an entire world through subtle shifts in expression and physicality. It is an impressively sustained performance that anchors the production throughout.
Tovey’s ability to shift between controlled professionalism and emotional collapse keeps Joe’s journey compelling. Even in quieter moments, he ensures there is always a sense of something unsettled beneath the surface.
The Design Does Much of the Heavy Lifting
Anna Watson’s lighting design is particularly effective. The cold, clinical lighting of the call room immediately reinforces Joe’s isolation, creating an environment that feels both sterile and oppressive. As the pressure builds and Joe begins to spiral, the lighting subtly reflects his deteriorating mental state, helping to convey his loneliness and growing sense of panic.
Gareth Fry’s sound design is equally vital. In a play centred around emergency calls, sound is the world of the play. The constant presence of voices, background activity and the atmosphere of the call room immerses the audience in Joe’s working environment. It succeeds in making the audience feel part of the call centre, surrounded by the pressures of the job while also highlighting Joe’s isolation within that space.
A Strong Premise That Doesn’t Quite Build
Despite the promising premise and the talent on stage, the rhythm of the play never quite settles. Just as the suspense reaches boiling point, the script pivots into quieter exchanges or moments of humour that feel at odds with the mounting urgency. While these lighter beats are presumably intended to offer emotional relief, they instead interrupt the momentum, making the overall experience feel slightly disjointed.
The play’s central device—a 999 call handler responding to emergencies over the phone—is undeniably effective. However with the reliance on telephone conversations, there are moments where the experience feels less like watching a thriller unfold and more like overhearing a series of phone calls.
Personal Demons That Never Quite Connect
Running alongside the emergency call is Joe’s own troubled personal life, gradually revealed through conversations and fragmented details.
Yet these elements never feel fully integrated with the central narrative. Instead, they sit alongside it, and they ultimately feel somewhat tacked on rather than woven organically into the main story.
A Twist That Raises More Questions Than Answers
Without giving too much away, the final revelation is certainly unexpected. The play clearly aims for an ending that forces audiences to reassess everything they have just witnessed.
For me, though, I was more confused than reflective. The mechanics of the twist are not explored in enough detail to make the conclusion entirely satisfying, and I left the theatre with more questions than answers. Ambiguity can be powerful, but here it feels as though a crucial piece of the puzzle is missing.
Final Thoughts
Despite some uneven pacing and an ending that doesn’t entirely stick the landing, The Guilty is an engaging theatrical experience, thanks to Russell Tovey’s commanding central performance.
The uneven pacing, repetitive reliance on phone conversations and underdeveloped personal storyline prevent the play from reaching the heights its premise suggests.
The ingredients for a truly gripping thriller are all present: a compelling concept, a superb central performance and a brilliantly realised atmosphere. But The Guilty ultimately feels like it is not quite the fully realised drama it could have been.
Written by Helena Featherstone
Get your tickets here: https://www.donmarwarehouse.com/events/the-guilty/?instance-type=standard#content-dates-and-times
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