The Quality of Murder: Concerning the Life and Crimes of Dr Harold Shipman written and performed by Edwin Flay is a dark harrowing play exploring the mind and offering reasoning
The crimes committed by the serial killer Dr Shipman or Dr Death as the newspapers nicknamed him were extensive and took place over twenty-three years. Once he began to sense he was about to be exposed he would move on to a new hospital or doctor’s surgery, which is why he continued for that long. His calculated behaviour and actions horrified the communities where he lived and had once practised medicine.
Flay’s portrayal of the Dr shares a haunting resemblance to the images the nation saw in the newspapers. Calm collected and the cold matter-of-fact delivery of the crimes committed highlight the narcissistic doctor’s self-important belief in himself that he could choose whether a person lived or died. Those who often questioned him never did again.
The sheer horror of the number of lives he took can be seen on the screen at the back of the stage. A stark reminder of the extent of his perceived “power”. He was eventually convicted of 15 murders and another two hundred victims were added to his total. The visual image leaves a haunting memory.
It’s a shocking and moving piece of Theatre. If dark gripping plays are your preference then this is one to watch.
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Five Stars
Theatre, Art and Film Reviews 
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