Playwright Alex Dennison is a man on a mission. The woman he loved and planned to marry, actress Monica Welles, was found dead ten stories below her balcony a year ago, within a few hours after her opening night as the lead in his latest play. Was this an unfortunate and sorry suicide? Case closed. Or not? Dennison hasn’t let go of the idea she was murdered. But what lengths will he go to in order to prove it?

Robert Daws as Dennison leads a highly experienced band of players in this entertaining whodunit. Written by Richard Levinson and William Link, the authors of Murder She Wrote, this play within a play has twists and reveals that are impressive in their ambition.

The action takes place in a West End theatre in the 1980s. Designer Julie Godfrey gives us plenty of well-realised interior detail – a scruffy backstage doorway for instance, with plenty of general stage detritus, lights and bits of scenery. The main area of the stage is for the most part left clear, needs must for a cast of 11 to move about with sufficient freedom.

Roy Marsden’s direction always ensured the truth-seeking Dennison held our attention, particularly in the moments where Douglas Kuhrt’s lighting emphasised his isolation.

Dennison assembles the same cast that supported his beloved Monica a year ago, for a read-through of his latest murder mystery plot. Will this be enough to eke out some residual guilt in the actors, or will his plans explode in his face?

Dennison’s thwarted passion for Monica is the fuel that ignites this story and Robert Daws gives the role good emotional range throughout the evening. The unfortunate Monica is played with impressive intensity by Amy Robbins, who captures perfectly the sassy yet extremely vulnerable qualities of this particular leading lady.

There is good support from Robert Duncan as leading male actor David Mathews and Susan Penhaligan as the no-nonsense producer Bella Lamb. The youthful presences of Lucy Dixon as the coquettish actress Karen Daniels and her fellow thespian, now ex-husband Leo Gibbs, played by Ben Nealon, helped to swing the proceedings along at pace, and a further ramping up of atmosphere and tension was realised through Dan Samson’s sound.

Just when you thought you could spot flaws in the plot, Levinson and Link’s writing was always there to put you back in your place. They clearly enjoy playing the audience like a fish on a line, finally reeling us in with a final audacious double twist!     ★★★☆☆     Simon Bishop at Bath Theatre Royal on 30th March 2016