The Kidnap Game

The Kidnap Game
By Tudor Gates. Tugun Theatre Co., Gold Coast. Director: Lachlan Mitcherson. May 13 – 29, 2021.

Tugun’s latest offering is The Kidnap Game, a drama about a rather brazen, would-be ransom seeking young man’s attempt to be with his underage girlfriend. 

Set in the office of a highly successful international CEO Paul Kendron (Graham Scott), the play opens as he receives the devastating phone call to inform him of the disappearance of his teenage daughter while on her way to school. The extremely confident caller (Luke Jones) demands a ransom for the girl’s return.

Beside himself with shock at the caller’s audacity, Kendron summons Danes, his head of security (Jim Fury) – a retired police inspector and informs him that he will comply with the caller’s demands and under no circumstances are the police to be informed.

Being an ex cop, Danes has already involved his former colleague Inspector Joy Hart (Tracy Carroll) and so the situation begins to unravel - to the despair of Kendron.

The first act is a little drawn out as the plot is revealed and the characters introduced. 

The kidnapper actually visits the CEO’s office to collect the money personally. Obviously, the police tail his escape (via the London Public Transport System) but lose him in a crowded department store (where he actually works as a shop assistant).

Eventually the schoolgirl, Sarah (Alyssa Burnett), is released and is reunited with the kidnapper who turns out to be a former teacher at Sarah’s school and they have been in love for quite some time.

Roger McKenzie

Image: Dan Ryan

Subscribe to our E-Newsletter, buy our latest print edition or find a Performing Arts book at Book Nook.