It’s a play, about a play, inside of a play. Confused? That’s understandable. No Refund Theatre took a dark turn this week with its rendition of the dramatic thriller, “Deathtrap.”

The show focuses on the trials and tribulations of the once-great playwright Sidney Bruhl. Unfortunately, Bruhl is going through a bit of a dry spell and finds himself struggling to write his next big hit. Of course, that is until Clifford Anderson, one of Sidney’s most loyal fans and a student in one of his writing seminars, sends the mastermind a copy of his own work for Bruhl to review and critique.

The play is a five-character, two-act thriller that is nearly perfect in form according to Bruhl’s expertise. And in a desperate attempt to get himself back on top, Sidney, much to his wife Myra’s concern, plays with the idea of doing whatever it takes to rid himself of Clifford and present the play as his own.

The play is directed by senior Sam Philips, who has been with NRT since the beginning of her freshman year, but now in one of her final seasons, is directing a play on her own for the first time.

“I have some experience assistant directing and directing with other orgs, so that helped a lot with this show. My cast was great, I have no complaints there. I’m glad to have this experience,” Phillips said.

The show itself is a drama to its very core. Throughout the entirety of the play, the many surprise revelations serve to keep the audience on their feet. But Phillips argues that despite all of the suspense, there is still a deeper meaning to gleam.

“I think that the show really emphasizes how far people will go to achieve fame. Fame is dangerous,” Phillips said. “As you can see with many of these characters, fame can make people do crazy things, yet they’re all willing to go there.”

If you want to check out the show for yourself, performances will be held September 28 through September 30 in 111 Forum. As always, admission is totally free. For more information, check out the event’s Facebook page here.