The Third Man – Menier Chocolate Factory

Sam Underwood and Natalie Dunne in The Third Man at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London. Picture: Manuel Harlan

The Third Man continues at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London until 9 September 2023.

Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩

Graham Greene’s The Third Man is a truly beloved film – widely regarded as one of Britain’s best. It is a classic noir tale of crime, murder, and penicillin, set against the backdrop of post-war Vienna. Much of its brilliance comes from the way its moody, dark, black and white cinematography draws the viewer in, and I’m happy to report that this new Trevor Nunn-directed musical theatre adaptation at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory does an admirable job of re-creating those gorgeous and engaging noir vibes.

You might expect that having other audience members in your sightline while seated in the round might destroy some of the magic, but Nunn and set/costume designer Paul Farnsworth have chosen wisely with this seating arrangement. There is not a bad seat in the house and the 18-strong cast confidently burst beyond the confines of their stage. It is impossible to tune out and imagine you are anywhere but post-war Vienna when you are literally surrounded by the excellent character work of this talented ensemble, illuminated by Emma Chapman’s pitch-perfect lighting work.

The cast all do a brilliant job of bringing the drama to life. Sam Underwood’s alternately (and sometimes simultaneously) skittish and drunken energies amplify the unnerving setting perfectly. As the danger intensifies, he becomes an exceptional audience surrogate, to the extent it is quite a relief to see the actor smile and laugh during the bows after all his character has gone through. Playing the only woman with a name in post-war Vienna, apparently, Natalie Dunne gives Anna Schmidt enough independence and unpredictability to counteract the inescapable fact that this story was originally developed by men from a fair few decades ago.

There is not a weak link in this cast, with Edward Baker-Duly and Jonathan Andrew Hume proving exceptional in their humour and stage presence as Major Calloway and Sergeant Paine, and Harry Morrison showing real mysterious menace as Popescu. Another standout is Simon Bailey (in two roles), whose performance is never anything less than commanding, and who treats us to some powerful vocals in Act II. With so many twists and turns of the plot and so many well-drawn and impeccably performed characters, it may well be Bailey’s performance that you find yourself discussing on the train home.

George Fenton’s songs (with lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton) are exquisitely arranged and performed well by musical director Tamara Saringer’s eight-piece band, but with no standout musical numbers, they do feel like a compilation of those tracks from a cast recording that you might not skip but wouldn’t add to a playlist. Even Schmidt’s solo number in the cabaret club – which should be a perfect opportunity to show off musically and lyrically without fear of interrupting the noir moodiness of the drama – is just ‘fine’: perfectly pleasant and entertaining in the talented hands of Dunne, but ultimately not as enticing as the Kander and Ebb classics that presumably inspired it.

Criminally, the songs too frequently get in the way of the drama rather than enhance it. A crime noir like The Third Man lives and dies on the exhilarating pace of its twists and turns. I am not one of those unimaginative cowards who believes some things simply can’t be made into a musical, and indeed, there are moments in the show where the score adds great power to the action onstage. Unfortunately, however, there are also moments where the drama stops entirely so a character can tell us for the third or fourth time how they feel about something, or take us out of the moment with slightly on-the-nose rhymes.

The songs aren’t the only element that slows the proceedings down. Though there are many elegant and well-choreographed sequences throughout the evening, some of the prop work and scenery changes feel decidedly clunky. In an intimate venue like the Menier Chocolate Factory, every creaky hinge, squeaky wheel and offstage clatter can distract, and they do. For all the successful creative flourish that has gone into the set, these small details sadly detract from the professional sheen of this not-inexpensive production. When a musical theatre adaptation of a beloved movie is longer than its source material, it should be because it has something more to say, not simply because it needs to fit in the obligatory songs and scenery changes.

Having said that, promise abounds in this production. There are many beautiful elements that show the wonderful possibilities of a musical noir. I imagine and hope that as the run continues into the summer, some of the wrinkles of the prop work and pacing will be ironed out and this will become a thoroughly enjoyable night out. If you were to go into this show with no knowledge of the plot, there would no doubt be enough intrigue to power you through any slight drags, and if you are a big fan of the film or novella – as the creatives involved in this production clearly are – it might prove fun to spend an evening in a well-realised version of this world. The Third Man is a well-directed, well-designed and frequently transportive play, that almost but doesn’t quite live up to the promise of the source material and the creative team involved.

Ian Bowkett