Tense drama of life behind closed doors in Kidderminster

In Two Minds will play at the Rose Theatre, Chester Road North, from Monday until next Saturday.

Divorced father-of-two David, played by Stef Austin, is moving into a new house with his partner Annie, played by Viv Cole.

The previous occupant, Ike, has returned to Australia, leaving them a generous amount of furniture, a bottle of Champagne and a friendly cleaner.

The house seems to be everything Annie ever dreamt of, from the location to the atmosphere and the carpets, which have also been left by Ike.

David and Annie believe they have truly landed on their feet and begin moving into their new home together.

Unfortunately, it does not take long for a string of strange events to cast a shadow over their life and cause David’s negativity and paranoia to rise to the surface.

Constant interruptions from their vaguely sinister neighbour, Hewlett, played by Stanley Barton, who has full access to their house with a key previously left in his car, puts great strain on their relationship.

Hewlett, however, always forgets to return the key whenever he pops in.

Although they know he is married, Annie and David are yet to set eyes on Hewlett’s mysterious wife. Then David finds women’s clothing burnt in the incinerator, meant only for garden rubbish, at the back of their house.

He discovers the inside proportions of the house do not measure up with the exterior measurements – and Annie hears crying through the walls of their terrace house.

David becomes increasingly suspicious and accusatory as Hewlett’s wife remains completely elusive and Hewlett himself becomes suspiciously unwilling to answer the most casual inquiry as to his wife’s welfare.

Annie has always been able to deal with David’s doubts and insecurities to a certain extent but will his obsession with their neighbour finally be the thing which drives them apart?

The tense drama is written by Richard Harris and gives an insight into the live and minds of ordinary people behind closed doors.