THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM

Cert Running time

Get lost in the gothic and grisly gloom of this blood-curdling murder mystery. This pea souper of fact and fiction sees real-life Victorian characters mixed up with a fictional serial killer in London’s downmarket Limehouse district.

With more than a dash of Hammer House of Horror, it all resembles the case of Jack the Ripper as if it were being investigated by an ageing Sherlock Holmes.

With his cadaverous face and grave manner, the venerable Bill Nighy is well cast as Inspector John Kildare. And as wild rumours abound that the mythical Golem is responsible for a killing, when the ageing detective is sent to investigate, he stumbles across a second murder case which may be connected.

Oldham-born actress Olivia Cooke is fabulous as the former singer and dancer Lizzie, who is the prime suspect in the poisoning of her playwright husband. Her incandescent vitality and talent outshines everyone and is the best reason for watching.

Kildare, picking his way though a shroud of intrigue, corruption, exploitation, rape and, of course, murder, is led to the music hall where the famous Dan Leno performs.

The real life drag artist, dancer and comic is played with a suitably theatrical flourish by Douglas Booth. He’s part of a bawdy repertory of performers and trapeze artists who all have their secrets, allowing for a shoal of red herrings to be scattered. This production has been cursed with a limited budget which doesn’t stretch to grand spectacle, but the money has been spent wisely on the period costumes and interior design.

Filmed on location up north, Leeds and Manchester stand in for the capital and show how sinister they can be at night. So beware the danger lurking in the shadows when you slip out to see the Limehouse Golem.