J. B. PRIESTLEY’S classic,  Dangerous Corner  is tackled well by HATS.

It’s theme is the interaction between  and revelation of secrets by  people who attend a gathering at Freda and Robert Caplan’s country home.

It begins with them listening to a  radio play called The Sleeping Dog.

They then question the history of a cigarette box, once owned by Martin Caplan who has apparently committed suicide.

The guests’ connections with him and other confessions come out  one by one as Robert (Colin Baker)  probes them into revealing everything.

Some of the guests have experienced lustful if not loving feelings towards each other or Martin.

Martin was Robert’s brother and, in one way or another, they all knew him.

That goes for Robert’s wife, Freda, played with fire by Lindsey Andrews, who also ‘knew’ him in the biblical sense.

The plot has a lot in common with the radio play they have been listening to.

One of them (not his wife) fancies Robert.   Robert, in turn,  lis besotted with someone else who is having an affair but not with him.  The husband of the woman Robert worships turns out to be bisexual and loved the deceased Martin.Oh! and someone else fancies Robert.

However, I won’t give the game away by saying who exactly fancies whom.

Some of the actors give passionate speeches which should be mentioned.

Colin Baker’s Robert gives vent to his frustrations near the end.

Lara Daintree’s outpouring  that her character, Betty’s marriage is a sham is another outstanding  example.

Both Linda Grierson-Irish as Olwen Peel and Chris Silke as Charles Stanton emotionally confess to criminal acts.

Congratulations to stage manager, Adam Wright, to John Cockshott and David Bramwell's set and to Ashley Stokes’ sound which ensures that gun shots and thirties style music comes in at exactly the right time.

.This play has a lot in common with the author’s  An Inspector Calls and as in that play, you enjoy its twists, turns and unexpected ending.

Well done, HATS for having the courage to present this difficult and wordy play.   It makes a nice change from comedy.

*   Dangerous Corner is at St Hugh of Lincoln Parish Hall, Glastonbury Road, Stretford until Saturday, September  26.     For tickets telephone 0161 748 5040 or email tickets@hatstheatre.org.uk.      Star rating:  * * *