Cardiff’s New Theatre was graced with a stunning performance by a star cast last week in the shape of Wish You Were Dead – a stage adaption of a recent entry in bestselling author Peter James’ crime thriller series Grace, following its previous transformation into an ITV drama, starring John Simm as the Brighton-based detective.
The audience finds the eponymous Roy Grace – played by George Rainsford, also of Casualty – off duty, and at the Chateau-sur-L’Eveque in France for a holiday. Thrilling performances from Katie McGlynn, Gemma Stroyan, Rebecca McKinnis, Clive Mantle and Leon Stewart bolster Rainsford’s stage presence, as do haunting sound effects and perfect lighting – altogether telling the tale of a nightmare holiday to remember.
If the Grace TV series is perfect when tucked up in the safety of your bed, from the vantage of a theatre seat it’s just as exciting. I for one was on the edge of that seat for the duration of the performance. A star-studded cast is supported by a highly commendable backstage team tying the loose ends together from start to finish.
Shaun McKenna, who has now overseen six successful adaptations of Peter James’ novels, managed to convey the suspense and drama perfectly – entwined with humour, and relevant contemporary content, on the trials and tribulations of modern-day policing. Joshua Andrews, who has a proven track record as a two-time Olivier nominated and Tony Award-winning theatre producer, brings his knowledge of the stage to bear here, too.
After watching it with a friend, I returned for a second viewing with my parents. My father – a fan of the Grace books – called the transition between the first and the second half of the performance “intense and gripping, like a cliffhanger at the end of a perfectly crafted chapter, where you just want to find out more.”
The tone of this play, the use of stage space, and the fact that each line of Wish You Were Dead is relevant to the story seemed to leave everyone present both shocked and thrilled – and, in my case at least, wanting to devour more material by Peter James himself.
Wish You Were Dead, New Theatre, Cardiff, Tue 16 May
words MEGAN EVANS
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