It is a long time since a play by Francis Durbridge was seen in the West End, and House Guest is a good example of his particular art. He may not write particularly sparkling dialogue and the characterisation is not especially inspired, but he can, as they used to say “spin a yarn”, and this is a very tangled one indeed, which is constantly being unravelled and then tied up again in puzzling knots.

Once again, a mystery tale is set quite literally in stockbroker belt, the St George’s Hill estate, no less, where live Robert Drury, a successful film actor, and his wife Stella, both pretty glossy but human people, with a small son who has been kidnapped. Much of the suspense, for both the Drurys and the audience, is in determining why the child has been taken. Not for money it seems, and the explanation given by the sinister Major Crozier, that he wants only a couple of nights free board and lodging, after which the boy will be returned, does not sound very liekly either. With the arrival of the police and the subsequent rapid disposal of Crozier, events move in a very strange way and the author brings all his twists and turns into full play, creating considerable suspense and making us feel the plight of the Drurys, rich, intelligent people who are quite helpless victims of a conspiracy which remains veiled until the end.

Gerald Harper is very skilful as a man who somehow feels he has to live up to his screen persona by taking action which he knows will be futile, and Susan Hampshire is an archetypal heroine, attractive and brave and only letting her emotions show at moments of deepest stress. Philip Stone is splendidly equipped to depict both good and evil, and leaves us in doubt as to which he is until the last possible minute; Sarah Bullen and Jane Cussons also have us pondering about their good or bad intentions; and Barbara Atkinson is a country relative whose vagueness might conceal something or other. Val May’s direction keeps it ticking over with satisfying mystification.