Thriller is a highly entertaining puzzle

Mindgame, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, to March 17.

This psychological thriller by Anthony Horowitz, which was adapted from his own novel of the same name, certainly plays games with your mind.

It’s an enigma wrapped in a puzzle and overlaid with some very dark humour indeed. Oh – and with the suggestion of some quite nasty violence.

Any hint at the plot of this three-hander would be a spoiler. Suffice to say it takes place in what’s described as an institution for the criminally insane, and the twists and turns in the story build to an unexpected climax.

And since Horowitz probably wants his audience to go out into the night reflecting on the nature of madness and who really is insane (whatever that might mean), he plays – well, mind games. And very clever and unsettling ones, at that.

The acting is solid but the play, although highly entertaining, is not for the faint-hearted, or for those who, when the curtain comes down, like to leave knowing exactly whodunwhat to whom.

You’ll certainly find yourself unpicking the plot and talking about it all the way home.

Tickets from http://www.belgrade.co.uk/

Pictured: Cast members Sarah Wynne Kordas, Andrew Ryan and Michael Sherwin