PRESTON Drama Club put on a truly professional production at the Playhouse.

Ira Levin's Deathtrap - a comedy thriller - had more twists than Blackpool's Big One, and the surprises made the audience gasp out loud.

The story centres on a once successful playwright who is consumed with envy when a student sends him an excellent script. Would jealousy move him to murder?

The cast of five delivered their lines smoothly with first-rate acting, and the action was slickly executed.

The set was lavishly adorned with gruesome props from the playwright's past productions such as guns, daggers, handcuffs and bayonets. The sense of impending murder was ever present, and we weren't disappointed.

In all, a flawless performance and one of the best plays I've seen in months.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.