Writer:Peter James
Adaptor: Shaun McKenna
Director: Jonathan O’Boyle
Peter James is an excellent writer of crime thrillers and his Roy Grace novels have been developed into a highly successful television series as well, which makes this rather lacklustre stage adaptation of his novel Picture You Dead something of a let down.
The plot revolves around the discovery of a two hundred year old lost French Old Master painting by an ordinary couple and the inevitable quest by the villain of the piece to get it for his private collection. The couple, have a copy made so that they can have it on display while the original is kept securely. In the meantime Chief Superintendent Roy Grace and his sidekick DS Bella Moy are investigating the reopened case of an art dealer murdered in 2016. Inevitably the murder is linked to the present day through the art collector Stuart Piper and his procurer of art Roberta Kilgore.
The set design by Adrian Linford is clever making three different locations connected yet separate, but there is a baffling balcony area which is never used. There is no location for the police station and any interactions which are meant to be there are done in the walk space in front of the main set. This is ineffective and only enhances just how minor the character of Roy Grace is in the plot.
The original novel is a well written detective thriller, with the Grace character front and centre to the plot. Unfortunately in this adaptation he is reduced to almost a secondary character in favour of the majority of the other roles. He and Bella walk on, meet with other characters, walk off, interspersed with the occasional chat back at base. The character is not given any time or space to actually show who he is, or generate any connection with the audience. George Rainsford in the role lacks charisma and energy.
This criticism can be applied across the majority of the cast. Lines are lost as actors mumble. There is no feeling of suspense or intrigue, and it comes across more comedy drama than thriller. Peter Ash works hard as Dave Hegarty and is most successful at creating a person the audience can care about. The rest left this reviewer unable to find any reason to care about them, and this sadly includes Grace himself.
As a lover of crime thrillers in all formats this reviewer wanted to love this show. Picture You Dead did not hit the mark and at the end of the night was disappointing. It could be so much better.
Runs until: Saturday 19th April
The Reviews Hub Score
No thrills here.
