Peter James Wish You Were Dead At Theatre Royal, Nottingham Review

Reviewed by Louise Edwards

Peter James’ Wish You Were Dead is the latest stage play by the author featuring Detective Roy Grace. As part of a nationwide tour this week it is performing at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal. Adapted for the stage by Shaun McKenna and directed by Jonathan O’Boyle this is the sixth book to grace the boards, making it the most successful modern-day crime stage franchise, since Agatha Christie.

The show has a star-studded cast featuring Casualty regular George Rainsford playing Roy Grace with Giovanna Fletcher, writer, podcaster and I’m a Celebrity’s Queen of the Castle, playing wife Cleo Grace. Clive Mantle, who played Consultant Mike Barrett in Casualty and has a string of theatre, radio, and TV credits plays bad guy Curtis.

The stage is set in present-day rural France, at Chateau-sur-L’Eveque a gloomy-looking establishment complete with dead animals gracing the walls, a suit of armour and a large painting of the Crucifixion of Christ hanging in the Honeymoon Suite.

Roy and Cleo arrive at Chateau for their holidays. It is actually the chambre d’hotel – where visitors stay as guests of the owners. The couple are joined by baby Noah and their American nanny, Kaitlynn Carter, played by Gemma Stroyan and looking forward to a relaxing time away from their stressful jobs. They are expecting to be joined by Jack Alexander (played by Alex Stedman) but instead, there appears to be no one about. Due to the foreboding atmosphere, no warm welcome and more importantly no WIFI, they agree to leave the next day. Interestingly this part of the story was inspired by the personal experience of Peter James when on holiday in France with his wife.

Eventually, their host appears, Madam L’Eveque played by the fantastic Rebecca McKinnis grumbling that they are late and begrudgingly making them some cheese and bread as a snack. She tells them she lives there with her father in law who is ill and needs a lot of care. They hear (what she tells them is) his walking stick banging on the ceiling for attention. Roy is anxious to speak to a colleague about an important criminal and goes out to try and get signal to make a call leaving Kaitlynn and Cleo. More creeping goings on occur leading them to pack their bags but when their car is taken and Kaitlynn finds Jack’s ID stuffed down the side of the sofa there is definitely more to this place than a few supernatural hunches.

The stage design, by Michael Holt, cleverly fits in both the bedroom and living room and the lighting, by Jason Taylor creates a very atmospheric and haunting environment. The use of gauze to show what is happening in other parts of the house is very clever and effective adding another dimension to the action. This is complemented by the loud, sinister music, by composer and sound designer Max Pappenheim which adds to the suspense.

We enjoyed this production which runs for around two hours with an interval. The story is engaging and there are a few twists that have you wondering where things are going to go and how Grace and his family will escape. The acting is what really makes this show and everyone is believable and likeable or unlikeable as the case may be!

Rating: 4/5

Tickets cost from £19.50 (booking fees may apply).

Peter James’ Wish You Were Dead is at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham until Saturday 4 March, for more information or to book tickets visit https://trch.co.uk/whats-on/pj-wish-you-were-dead-2023/or call the box office on 0115 989 5555.

Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall, Theatre Square, Nottingham, NG1 5ND