It might not sound like the most electrifying of topics, but Ladies in Retirement offers a lot more than you might expect. The play, by Edward Percy, is the latest production on offer at the Priory Theatre.

Directed by Mark Jefferies, the Priory's version is superbly atmospheric.

The title might suggest gentility, but the actual story is far from that. It's murder on the marshes in the Thames estuary.

The basic plot revolves around Miss Ellen Creed (Juliet Grundy). Down on her once large fortune, to make ends meet and help keep her eccentric sisters Louisa and Emily (Anita Dalton as Louisa and Marlene Penn as Emily), she is now a housekeeper and companion to Miss Leonora Fiske (Suzie Walker).

Her sisters come to stay at the house but Leonora does not take to them and nor them to her.

She asks Ellen to send them back to London and so she pretends to make plans to do just that.

But Ellen sets about getting her plan in motion to obtain Leonora's house and money.

She has murder in mind.

The only part of this gruesome act you see is Ellen creeping downstairs in the dark, rope in hand. But, as time goes on, her conscience begins to trouble her.

Add to that the arrival of her caddish nephew Albert (James Durrant), who begins to suspect foul play.

Soon the tale is unravelled and when she is overheard by Lucy the maid (Charlotte Jefferies) she finally has to give up her freedom and admit the truth.

Ellen was brilliantly played by Juliet Grundy, but the show stealers were, without question, Anita Dalton and Marlene Penn as the eccentric sisters.

Credit should go to all involved, including Anthony James, who designed the intricate set, and the crew behind the scenes who had obviously worked very hard on lighting, costumes and props.

Despite some fluffed and forgotten lines, and an incident with a grape, it's easy to see why the popular little theatre was absolutely packed out on Tuesday night and every performance is now sold out.

Lucia Clifford

Verdict: Atmospheric and gruesome