Review | Double Indemnity | Manchester Opera House | 28 April 2026
- 19 hours ago
- 2 min read
Based on the 1943 crime novel and acclaimed 1944 film, Double Indemnity makes its way to the stage with a UK tour. With its trademark film noir aesthetic, it should translate brilliantly to the stage. However, it never quite delivers the excitement or drama that it promises.
The story follows insurance salesman Walter Huff (Ciarán Owens), who quickly becomes entangled with Phyllis Nirdlinger (Mischa Barton). Their flirtation soon escalates into a plot to murder her husband (Oliver Ryan) for financial gain through a double indemnity clause in his newly signed life insurance. It is in the events that follow where the story gets interesting, however it takes far too long to get there.
With most of the first act setting the scene, the production drags its heels a little too much. In spite of the scene setting, it fails to develop the relationships enough for the audience to truly invest. For the stakes to feel high, the audiences needs to better understand the dynamics of Phyllis’s marriage, to appreciate how she could take such drastic action for money. Similarly, there isn’t the chemistry between Walter and Phyllis to pass as believable. The pace does picks up in act two when things start to unravel. There are moments that engage, with earlier hints to the final scene paying off. However, it all comes a little too late in the evening.
The saving grace is in some of the performances. Ciarán Owens is completely compelling as Walter, breaking the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience. His direct address helps anchor the play and has the audience questioning how they would behave if in a similar scenario. The wider cast mostly deliver solid performances, although there is a key performance that lacks the bite and presence needed to steal the show.
Visually, the production has its strengths. Joshua Gadsby’s moody lighting design captures that signature film noir aesthetic, enhanced by subtle underscoring that occasionally heightens the tension. The static industrial set however is less successful and does little to help with the storytelling.
Double Indemnity has the potential to be a far more stylish and gripping piece of theatre. Whilst it gets closer to that towards the end, the pacing and lack of emotional depth holds it back from becoming something more memorable. It plays at Manchester Opera House until Saturday 2 May 2026.
Note: My ticket was gifted in exchange for a review. This review is based on my honest opinion alone and is without influence.
