For a night filled with psychological suspense, intense drama and edge-of-the-seat unpredictability, the new stage adaptation of iconic film Single White Female at the Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent will not disappoint.

The production stars well-known actress and singer Kym Marsh in the lead role of Hedy, and the equally popular presenter Lisa Faulkner as Allie - although understudy Anna Ruben played Allie this evening. Single White Female tells the story of a very plausible yet frighteningly sinister course of events which could happen to anyone advertising for a flatmate online...

Written for the stage by Rebecca Reid and directed by Gordon Greenberg, the production pays homage to the original film script of the early 1990s but it has been updated to the very different and more complex world of 2026 with convincing effect. In a world now dominated by social media and AI - and where surveillance and intrusion into personal domains easily destroys privacy - it is much easier to imagine a scenario where identity is hijacked and where strangers can easily manipulate and ruin a person’s lifestyle and peace.

Unlike the original film, Allie is no longer on her own looking for a flatmate, she is now a single mum struggling with a tech start-up business and finding it a challenge to pay school fees after her cheating husband Sam, played with laconic enthusiasm by Jonny McGarrity, stopped paying maintenance. Needing some extra financial support, the idea to advertise for a lodger sounds like a good idea and her friend and business partner Graham - played with heartfelt concern by actor and singer/songwriter Andro - encourages her to take the option, not anticipating the devastation which will ensue. 

Remembering the menacing nail-biting content of the original film, the play captures the essence of the thriller convincingly. The set, lighting and sound all admirably convey the dark foreboding developments alongside some lighter family moments but the context has definitely changed. Instead of Hedy wanting to consume Allie’s life and persona, the play redirects to Hedy wanting to have what is most precious to Allie - her daughter Bella (Amy Snudden) and a happy family with estranged ex-husband Sam. Strangely, there is some logic for Hedy behind this desire - as such, the plot is not just about jealousy and envy but also some very real social issues.    

The new adaptation could disappoint die-hard fans of the original story, but the narrative is extremely engaging and it remains as shocking as the original 1992 film script. The menacing undercurrents of identity theft are still very much there, but the modern and equally disturbing realities of cyber bullying, sexual assault, moral transgressions and sinister obsessions deliver a different, interesting and credible update on the enthralling and memorable storyline.

Anna Ruben was endearing and convincing in her depiction of Allie, a mother trying to have it all but struggling to navigate the twists and turns of relationship breakdown, teenage angst and psychological deception. Kim Marsh is both sinister and plausible as the unbalanced Hedy, who could quite feasibly befriend anyone whilst unnervingly plotting their downfall. Amy Snudden plays Bella, Allie’s annoying and ungrateful daughter, with characteristic chutzpah - but she is just a child trying to deal with the consequences of teenage bullying and family breakdown, and her mother is too preoccupied to notice her suffering. Hedy, however, is not...

Single White Female is a certainly a suspense-laden and engrossing thriller which has made the transition from film to stage with integrity intact. It delivers a powerful adaptation which will undoubtedly leave the audience mesmerised and disturbed in equal measure and it provides an evening of truly engaging theatre - a production not to be missed.

Four Stars

Single White Female was reviewed on Tuesday 26 May by Carol Lovatt at The Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, where it shows until Saturday 30 May