AFTER seeing Pack of Lies you can’t help but have a lively discussion about what you would do were you faced with the dilemma put in front of protagonists Bob and Barbara Jackson.

Based on a true story from the early 1960s, the play tells the tale of an ordinary middle class family, Bob and Barbara (Peter Wallis and Merrily Powell) and their daughter Julie (Emily-Jane Anslow), who live a quiet and happy life in suburban Ruislip.

That is until Mr Stewart (Lewis Cowen), an MI5 officer, asks them if his team can use their house to spy on their friends and neighbours Peter and Helen Kroger (Helen Wuscher and Paul Myles) two apparently happily married Canadians.

All the action takes place in the Jacksons’ comfortable home; a set that was well put together and immediately transports the audience to 1960’s suburbia. Peter Wallis gives a flawless performance and perfectly demonstrates how an ordinary middle-aged British man would react to such an intrusion into his content family life.

While he deals with the gradual revelation that his friends are criminals with a stiff upper lip, his wife is torn apart by the situation. Merrily Powell’s interpretation of the role is sympathetic and moving. She remains strong in front of her husband and only breaks down around Thelma (Carolynn Jureidini), one of the surveillance team that has set up camp in Julie’s room, reflecting the gender barriers of that decade.

Lewis Cowen gave a strong and intriguing performance as the enigmatic, and sometimes sinister, Mr Stewart. His effortless wit provided the occasional element of humor in what was, on the whole, a rather heavy play. At first I was quite confused by Helen Wuscher’s New York accent but all becomes clear as the plot develops. Her flamboyant performance as bubbly and fun-loving neighbour, Barbara, transpires to be the ideal facade for a spy.

Paul Myles let his accent slip at times, a small blot on an otherwise convincing performance.

Bar a few forgotten lines and, at times, quite a talkative audience, this was a very enjoyable production that would not be out of place on a professional stage.

The production runs until Saturday, March 22, with tickets available from Devizes Books.