Classic Hitchcock thriller Dial M For Murder comes to Blackpool Grand theatre

Frederick Knott’s razor-sharp Dial M for Murder comes to The Grand from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 September 2026.

Before Alfred Hitchcock transformed it into the celebrated 1954 film starring Grace Kelly and Ray Milland, Dial M for Murder was a theatrical sensation. More than 70 years later, its precision remains irresistible. Knott does not simply ask who committed the crime; he lets the audience into the plan, then tightens the tension as they watch it begin to fracture.

This gripping new production brings together an outstanding company of performers with extensive experience across theatre and television.

One phone call. One perfect plan. One fatal mistake.

London, 1952. Former professional tennis player Tony Wendice and his wealthy wife Margot appear to have the perfect life. Behind the closed doors of their stylish home, however, their marriage has become something altogether darker.

Tony has discovered Margot’s relationship with crime writer Max Halliday – and he believes he has devised a flawless way to take revenge. Every detail has been considered, every possible obstacle removed and every move rehearsed. It should be the perfect crime.

But when his carefully constructed plan goes disastrously wrong, Tony is forced to think quickly. What follows is a chilling game of lies, manipulation and shifting suspicion, as one small detail threatens to bring everything crashing down.

There is no safety in watching this story from a distance. The telephone rings in the same room. The lies are told only feet away. Every pause, glance and apparently innocent object might matter. An entire auditorium becomes part of the investigation, holding its breath and silently willing somebody to see what appears so obvious from the other side of the stage.

Soap stars form cast of Dial M For Murder

Tanya-Loretta Dee stars as Margot Wendice, the woman caught at the centre of Tony’s deadly scheme. Her television credits include Peaky Blinders, EastEnders, Doctors, Whitstable Pearl and The Bill, while her theatre work includes acclaimed collaborations with Sir Alan Ayckbourn on Things We Do for Love and Constant Companions.

Pete Ashmore plays the calculating Tony Wendice. His recent screen credits include Netflix’s The Crown and Disney+ drama Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes. On stage, he has appeared in productions including The Rivals, Strangers on a Train, Bedroom Farce and Murder by Misadventure – experience that makes him formidably well placed to inhabit one of theatre’s most dangerously charming husbands.

Simon Pothecary takes the role of crime writer Max Halliday. Pothecary’s credits include the West End and UK tours of The Woman in Black and Not About Heroes, alongside extensive work in performance capture for film, television and major video games.

Katy Dean appears as Inspector Hubbard, bringing with her an impressive theatrical résumé that includes Stephen Daldry’s landmark production of An Inspector Calls, The Full Monty, Gaslight, Deathtrap and a previous production of Dial M for Murder. Her television credits include Channel 4’s The Gathering and ITV’s Emmerdale.

Completing the five-strong company is Phil Stewart as Captain Lesgate – the man Tony intends to make a vital part of his supposedly infallible plan.

Murder mystery comes to the stage

The production is directed by Josh Mathieson, associate director on Lucy Bailey’s acclaimed Witness for the Prosecution and resident director on Stephen Daldry’s multi-award-winning An Inspector Calls. His experience with two of British theatre’s most gripping productions makes him an inspired choice to bring Knott’s intricate clockwork thriller back to the stage.

Andrew Howard, Head of Audiences, Marketing and Sales at Blackpool Grand Theatre, said: “Dial M for Murder is beautifully constructed. It allows the audience into the secret and then makes them sit, almost helplessly, as the tension tightens. Even if you know the famous Hitchcock film, seeing that telephone ring live on stage creates a completely different kind of thrill.

The tour is produced by Phil&Ben Productions and supported by PW Productions as part of a new long-term partnership created to strengthen mid-scale touring drama across the UK.

Audiences in Blackpool now have the opportunity to play their own part in that future – while enjoying a classic thriller that still knows precisely how to wrong-foot a room. Just remember: trust nobody, watch everything and do not assume the perfect plan will stay perfect for long.

Dial M for Murder is at Blackpool Grand Theatre from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 September 2026. An audio-described performance will take place on Saturday 19 September at 2pm.

Tickets start from £18 and are available at blackpoolgrand.co.uk or from the Box Office on 01253 290190.