Twelve Angry Men – Milton Keynes Theatre

Writer: Reginald Rose

Director: Christopher Haydon

Twelve Angry Men is a courtroom drama most famously known from the 1957 film adaptation, directed by Sidney Lumet, and widely regarded as “one of the greatest films ever made”. Since the film’s release, there have been several stage productions, including a run at London’s Garrick Theatre in 2013-14. Now firmly back in session, the production stops off at Milton Keynes Theatre as part of a UK tour.

At first glance, the story of the play is simple: on a blisteringly hot summer day in the New York County Courthouse, a jury of twelve men debate the conviction or acquittal of a young man accused of murdering his abusive father. The judge says that if there is any reasonable doubt, the jurors must return a verdict of “not guilty”. If the defendant is found guilty, he will receive a mandatory death sentence via the electric chair. The verdict must be unanimous.

As in the film, the audience is thrown straight into the deliberations. Having heard none of the trial, our own thoughts about the young man’s guilt are informed solely by the accounts and opinions of the twelve jurors. At the play’s opening, Juror 8 (Jason Merrells) is the only member of the group to vote not guilty. From this, the play’s narrative arc unfolds carefully and methodically as he asks the other jurors to examine the evidence before them, and the existence of reasonable doubt.

Twelve Angry Men is absolutely an ensemble piece, and it is fascinating to watch the actors reveal the layers of their characters beyond the juror number they have been assigned, through their mannerisms as well as their words. From the meek bank teller to the unflappable and analytical stockbroker, to the wisecracking salesman more concerned with missing his Yankees game than focusing on the case – the varied backgrounds, ages and experiences of the twelve men allow the story to be explored from many different angles, as their individual perceptions and prejudices are neatly teased out over the course of the play’s two-hour runtime.

As Juror 8 – the role made famous by Henry Fonda in 1957 – Jason Merrells is calm, self-assured and empathetic as he remains steadfast in his belief that compassion and logic can in fact break through to provide a different view, even in the face of overwhelming hostility from his fellow jurors. The lion’s share of this antagonism comes from Tristan Gemmill’s furiously-hot-headed Juror 3. Abrasive, loud, and the most passionate advocate of a ‘guilty’ verdict, Juror 3 is almost incandescent with rage right from the play’s opening moments. This never really relents in Gemmill’s performance, however, and does threaten to overpower the other performances on occasion.

Michael Pavelka’s set design works exceptionally well throughout, perfectly capturing the play’s claustrophobic atmosphere (not an easy feat on Milton Keynes Theatre’s expansive stage!) – achieved through the use of a boxed-in set – as the rising stakes of what the jurors’ decision will mean is made clear. One addition to the set is that of a men’s toilets, which – although a departure from the film’s single-room setting – creates an effective space for smaller conversations between different factions of the group to occur. Chris Davey’s lighting is used to further heighten the tension, as the suffocating heat threatens and then unleashes a thunderstorm, lightning flashing and rain hammering on the windows as tempers flare and the play rattles towards its conclusion.

Twelve Angry Men remains as thrilling and intelligent a piece of drama as when it first premiered almost 70 years ago, and this production demonstrates exactly why that is. Powerful and punchy, with compelling performances from each of its twelve-strong cast, this is a cracking production of a classic tale.

Runs until 12 February 2024 and on tour