Cyprus

Mull Theatre's revival of Peter Arnott's West End hit Cyprus at the Tron updated a political thriller that gripped London audiences in 2005. This ensures its murky web of intrigue populated by a motley cast of spies, assassins and terrorists is equally current and relevant today.

When Kern Falconer's Brian Traquair - a civil servant with a shadowy past - is joined unexpectedly in his remote Scottish home by his daughter Alison, played by Mary Wells, and former associate Mike Griffen, played by Mark McDonnell, a mysterious mind game begins.

The mood is sinister and unpredictable. The absorbing plot maintains a brisk momentum with the smooth dialogue and complex interplay between the three characters setting a cracking pace. Each one questions the other in a search to identify their motivations and allegiances and in the hope to unveil hidden secrets from the past. Are these people really as they appear? Whose side is anyone on and why are they all here now? The acting exhibits experience and ability. Falconer in particular excels with an exceptional portrayal that exudes an almost tangible air of secrecy.

The narrative twists unpredictably but seamlessly as the characters spiral further into depths of doubt and paranoia. Truths are clothed in contradictions and history lurks ambiguously in the shadows. There is an underlying theme of sadness and loss; lives wasted and minds ruined by mistrust and mislaid loyalties for futile causes. Real events are referred to and political decisions subtly questioned. Despite these veiled insinuations, the implication is clear. The current state of constant terrorist threat is the direct result of UK foreign policy.

This is an intense and satisfying drama which skilfully weaves a tangle of mystery and offers real insight on the roots of international terrorism. [Susan Macguire]