The Tabard theatre in west London has revived "Home at Seven", a 1950 play by RC Sherriff that has been largely overlooked. The play, written by the author of "Journey's End", premiered in London four years after J.B. Priestley's "An Inspector Calls" and two years before Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap".
Set five years after the second world war, the play centres on assistant bank manager David Preston, who returns home on a Tuesday evening believing it is Monday. His wife, listed only as Mrs Preston, has reported him missing for 24 hours. The plot thickens with a reported murder, leaving the audience to decide between a time-slip and a whodunnit.
Sam Ellis plays Preston, with Bridget Lambert as Mrs Preston. Karl Moffat appears as a Major, and Maddie Crofts makes a brief but significant appearance as barmaid Peggy. Claire Evans directs a cast that also includes Andrew Williams, Greg Fitch and Jeremy Todd as a GP, detective and solicitor.
"Home at Seven" is notable for being the play actor Arthur Lowe was touring in when he died in 1982. The production marks the 50th anniversary of Sherriff's death and the 40th birthday of the Tabard theatre.
