Russell Tovey delivers a commanding performance in The Guilty, a gripping adaptation of the 2018 Danish film Den Skyldige by Gustav Möller and Emil Nygaard Albertsen. Directed by Punchdrunk founder Felix Barrett, the production runs 70 minutes at the Donmar Warehouse, shorter than the film but arguably more devastating, with razor suspense that leaves audiences palpitating.
Plot and Performance
Tovey plays Joe, a night-shift police officer in a control room who receives an emergency call from Emily, a woman claiming she has been abducted and that her children are alone at home. Joe digs deeper than he should, breaking rules and taking the case into his own hands. The plot delivers two central twists—one around Joe and another connected to Emily's story—keeping the audience guessing whether he is an obsessive, a good cop, or a bad cop. When the twist to Emily's story comes, it is unexpected and horrifying.
Adaptation and Direction
In Chloë Moss's adaptation, Joe is more stroppy and volatile than the original character. The rest of the office is empty, and Joe speaks to drunks and time-wasters with dead-eyed monotone. An additional storyline about his family life draws parallels to Emily's story, adding desperation and helplessness. Moss subtly comments on the desertion felt by those suffering extreme mental states from wider systems. Joe's wordless guilt—he has done something wrong and faces a court hearing the next morning—adds murkiness and tension.
Technical Execution
The tension is palpable, raised from the off and kept high, largely due to Tovey's command. Barrett's direction is expert, with Alex Eales's set incorporating control room gadgetry. Phone calls risk falling out of sync but work immaculately. Anna Watson's lighting uses spotlights in emotionally high-pitched moments, then dims to mystery. A final reveal beyond the film makes a theatrical flourish, though Joe's revelation grates, sounding ideological and lacking context—a commentary on police violence less likely transposed to London.
On a human level, this is thrilling and visceral drama. Not a minute wasted, not a beat missed—a white-knuckle ride. At Donmar Warehouse, London, until 15 August.
