Switzerland

Reading Switzerland's synopsis, it's fascinating to ponder how on earth the idea for this play originally entered Joanna Murray-Smith's brain. The play is set in Switzerland, inside the home of Patricia Highsmith (Sarah Peirse), best-selling author of The Talented Mr Ripley, and we watch what happens when Edward Ridgeway (Eamon Farren), a fresh-faced young fellow from her publisher's New York office, turns up to try and convince her to write a final book in the Ripley series. We learn one of Ridgeway's colleagues who previously visited Highsmith still hasn't returned to work and is recovering from a disturbing incident the author dismisses as hallucination.  

Peirse is meticulous in her recreation of Highsmith's physicality; a glance at a photo of Highsmith in the programme reveals just how striking a transformation Peirse undergoes in order to closely resemble her character - frail yet stoic. Although Highsmith is clearly vile at heart, the constant string of zingers Murray-Smith blesses her character with makes her equally beguiling. Farren's impressive performance ensures we never completely understand his character's motives, almost like an actor playing an actor.  

Michael Scott-Mitchell's sturdy set features a gas-powered log fire that's constantly on the burn, windows that reflect glimpses of the characters' faces when their backs are turned and Highsmith's valuable collection of weapons displayed in cases on one wall — all serving to emphasise unease.

The action unfolds during a continuous 100 minutes with short breaks for the actors when stage lights dim to signify night becoming day (although we wonder whether Highsmith ever actually sleeps). Highsmith speaks of Ripley as if he actually exists and Ridgeway is also capable of placing this fictional character into potential plot lines. There's fascinating power play and we're pretty sure Highsmith would green light Murray-Smith's plot twists.  

At play's close, Farren directs a knowing look toward the audience that we could do without, but Switzerland is cleverly written, demands full attention and promotes vibrant post-show discussion.