You may remember Patricia Highsmith’s murder mystery, “Strangers on a Train”, which was made into a thrilling film noir by Alfred Hitchcock.

Epic Theatre’s Kevin Broccoli has taken the plot and rewritten it for two women, adding a couple of extra plot twists, and giving us two hours of total entertainment.

Things aren’t always what they seem in this roller coaster of a ride that is filled with lies and deception and characters that you may not always like, but will be fascinated by.

The strength of the production, which is also directed by Broccoli, is in the performances of Hanna Lum and Kelly McCabe, two women who get inside their characters, play beautifully off each other, and keep the audience guessing right to the end.

Georgia (Lum) and Beth (McCabe) meet on a train, where the more aggressive Beth engages Georgia in conversation, which turns quite personal, as Beth manipulates Georgia to reveal much about her personal life.

Without giving too much away, I can tell you that they enter into an unholy alliance that involves each doing a dastardly deed for each other.

The cleverness of the play lies in the dialogue between the two that results in a number of twists and turns that come as complete surprises to themselves, the people in their lives, and the audience. Just when you think you know where the plot is headed, something happens to send it in another direction.

Beth hates her brother (Mike Petrarca) and Georgia would like to rid herself of her student lover (Justin Pimental). After a couple of murders, a detective (Kate Lester) starts snooping around, getting the two women caught in a web of lies.

Joan Batting plays a board member in Beth’s firm and Kerstyn Desjardin appears in the final clever scene that wraps up a very clever production.

If you like to be taken on a ride, fooled and entertained, you’ll get all of that in Broccoli’s world premiere of “Total Strangers.” He makes a good novel and movie even better by playing with the concept and adding to it.

“Total Strangers” is at Epic Theatre82 Rolfe St., Cranston, through May 21. Call 490-9475, or go online at www.epictheatreri.org for reservations. Tickets are $15.