Dial M for Murder - new twist on classic thriller
Our journey through the 2025–2026 season continues with a fresh take on a classic mystery thriller in Dial M for Murder. Considered a landmark example of its genre, this new version of the script proves just how engaging this kind of mystery can be.
Originally written by Frederick Knott for a BBC broadcast in 1952, the play soon moved to the stage, first in London and then on Broadway. The 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film adaptation starred Grace Kelly, along with John Williams and Anthony Dawson, who reprised their roles from the stage version, and helped vault the story into enduring public awareness.
The show is considered a perfect example of what’s known as an “inverted mystery.” There is no mystery: we know exactly who did it, and how. Instead, the fun and thrill of the show come from seeing whether and how the guilty party is caught. It’s the classic “Columbo” effect. In fact, the bumbling detective character with “just one more thing” to ask was inspired in large part by this play.
This 2020 adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher, while keeping the setting and story the same, adds new urgency and twists. Hatcher said he was initially hesitant to tamper with what he described as a “perfect play.” “To fiddle with such jewel-like precision is to court disaster,” he said. But he found a way in, giving Margot more agency and changing the nature of the relationship between her and her lover. This version also, in my opinion, does a nice job of trimming the original three-act play into a lean, tight two-act adaptation for contemporary audiences.
Follow us on this journey through the twists and turns of this clockwork thriller, and discover why Dial M for Murder and the stories it inspired continue to enthrall us to this day.
Enjoy the show!
Jamie Ulmer
Executive Director
Theatre Lawrence News & Announcements
