Review of Theatre Calgary’s Dial M for Murder
By Eden Martens, October 25 2025—
Even though Frederick Knott’s Dial M for Murder premiered in 1952, I had very little idea of what to expect. The program told me the version I was about to see had been adapted in 2022 by Jeffrey Hatcher to appeal to current audiences. Theatre Calgary didn’t usually include murder mysteries in their season, so I wondered whether Dial M for Murder would match the high quality I’d grown to expect after years in their audience. The switch of genre didn’t seem to affect the play’s attendance, as the seats around me were filled with excited guests of all ages. The lights went down, and I was quickly immersed in the play.
Every scene happened in a living room, set up on a small round stage which I was delighted to discover could rotate to emphasize certain striking angles. I admired the way spotlights were used to indicate to the audience the most relevant clues for each part of the mystery. It was an elegant way to foreshadow events while helping the audience keep track of the many moving pieces and objects.
I was quickly charmed by the characters Margot Wendice (Emily Dallas) and Maxine Hadley (Olivia Hutt). Subtle choices of the actresses like shared smiles and playful line delivery really brought out the tumultuous affection between the two women. At times Hadley’s accent was unconvincing and her gestures on stage overexaggerated, but the comedic elements she brought to her scenes through the irony of Maxine’s work as a crime fiction novelist was the source of much laughter from myself and the rest of the audience.
As the play progressed, I found myself easily rooting for Margot thanks to Emily Dallas’ genuine acting and amazing range of emotions. From her portrayal of Margot’s worry that her affair will be unveiled, to the absolute terror expressed when she is attacked in her home. I remember being especially impressed by Dallas’ skill showing Margot’s paranoia beginning to build when she decides to keep private the information revealed to her by her would-be killer.
Tyrell Crews played the malicious, intensely clever Tony Wendice, and was able to effortlessly embody Tony’s many masks as he improvised over and over again his plan to murder his wife. The way Crews demonstrated Tony’s decision-making progress without dialogue in the scenes where he moved props around in the living room was immersive and gave me a greater insight into Tony’s twisted mind.
The plot itself was packed with twists, turns, and consequences built off of the smallest decisions from each of the characters. Early scenes in the play led me to care about Margot before the revelation of Tony’s plan to have Lesgate (Stafford Perry) murder her. The role of victim and killer was subverted in the play when Margot kills Lesgate in self defence, and struck me as the most intense moment in the play. When the stage was rotating to show the desk on which Margot killed Lesgate, it was a creative and effective way to move one important scene front and centre without sacrificing the layout of the rest of the scenes.
Watching Dial M for Murder for the first time was an amazing experience. I was submerged in the plot and the complicated interactions between the characters and could never predict exactly where the mystery would go next, but it all came together when Inspector Hubbard (Shekhar Paleja) gave the final explanation in that satisfying way murder mysteries always seem to wrap up. I got chills in the final moment of the play when the lighting and sound design converged on the main door of the set for the big reveal of whether Tony was guilty. I wish I could rewatch that last scene for the first time again!
Bring a few friends for a thrilling day at the theatre, or go by yourself to experience a talented cast and crew’s production of this incredibly clever play. Pay attention to every little line, action, and prop, and maybe you’ll figure out the big twists before I did! Dial M for Murder is running until Oct. 26th, and you can buy tickets on the Theatre Calgary website or in person at the Theatre Calgary box office before your show if seats remain.