In a London flat, Margot and Tony seem to have a healthy relationship. While it looks like a romance from an outside view, secrets are hidden beneath the surface.

The couple’s complicated relationship is the focus of “Dial M for Murder,” the 1952 mystery and thriller by British playwright Frederick Knott. Oak Park and River Forest High School’s production hit the stage Sept. 25 through 27 in Studio 200, directed by senior Alex Robinson Bellin.

The audience learns that the relationship between Margot (senior Anna Bullock) and Tony (senior Desmond Murphy) isn’t so perfect after all when Tony hatches a plan to have her killed and take her inheritance. Margot’s affair with the couple’s good friend Maxine (freshman Tessa Pruden) further complicates the plot, leading to scheming plans, confusion, guilt and deception.

Robinson Bellin was considering a list of plays when she came across “Dial M for Murder.” She was aware of the 1954 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and her mom encouraged her to continue looking into it. She said, “I loved the mov-ie. I just felt like it’s so stylistically vibrant and really beautiful, and I just thought that it had such great depth to it.”

Not only did she love the movie and the playwright, she also loved the genre of thriller and mystery that “Dial M for Murder” represents. In her eyes, the thriller has the best elements of drama, except with heightened stakes and an exciting way of expressing a deeper story. “I thought a thriller would be a real- ly great way to give some new actors and experienced actors a way to play some roles with really great emotional depth, but also has some really fun technical el- ements,” she said.

“Dial M for Murder” was the first play that Robinson Bellin has directed. She said she loves being a director, as it gave her a chance to hone her communication with the actors, technical crew and even herself.

The show was well-received by the audience. “The play was very good. I loved the character Tony and when he was talking to the person that he hired to kill his wife,” said senior Chloe Comm. “I thought it was pretty cool. The play exceeded my expectations; I felt very in- trigued and interested throughout the whole play. I would love to see Studio 200 do another thriller and murder play again!”

While directing was challenging, working with a great group of people made it easier for her, Robinson Bellin said. But what she loved the most was blocking scenes and drawing on her own experiences as an actor to guide the cast in their roles.

Bullock said it was challenging to re- ember her lines and get a lot of things done in such a short amount of time. This didn’t stop her from loving Margot. Bull- ock said, “I really love how well-rounded she is. I think she can go through lots of emotions throughout the course of the show, where she’s happy, sad, angry and I just think she’s a complex character.”

Bullock said it’s can be challenging to prepare for a role and face the audience in the theater. “I talk to my castmates back-stage,” she said. “I take a few deep breaths, and I just kind of have to motivate myself to get out there.”

Robinson Bellin said she hoped that all audiences enjoyed the show and felt a connection with Margot. “The whole thing is really the main character, Margo, struggling to be heard and to be understood by everyone in her life, really,” she said. “In the end, she really gets her confidence, and I hope that the audience sees that.”