Ruth Rendell’s A Judgement in Stone at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Review

Reviewed by Tricia Shaw

The Classic Thriller Theatre Company is currently touring with its adaptation of Ruth Rendell’s “A Judgement in Stone”. Set in 1978 in the main room of the Coverdales’ Mansion House (Lowfield Hall) 5 weeks after Valentine’s Day and the deaths of the Coverdale family, the scene opens on Mrs Parchman the housekeeper who is waiting for the police to arrive.

Through a series of flashbacks interspersed with scenes in the ‘present day’ Detective Superintendent Vetch (Andrew Lancel) and Detective Sergeant Challoner (Ben Nealon) work their way through the evidence and statements to discover what really happened on that fateful night. Who shot the Coverdales? When? Why did Joan’s van crash? Were the two events somehow connected? Could it have been the gardener, recently paroled? Or perhaps the disgruntled cleaning lady? For those that have not read the book the ending was somewhat unexpected.

Antony Lampard and Simon Brett the co-adaptors have used the flash backs in an effective way to bring the book to life on stage without the need for any scene changes. The mansion house set was beautifully designed and transported you to the class obsessed world that is very much at the forefront of the story.

A very talented cast, who all spoke clearly throughout, made this a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment. Particularly pleasing performances came from Sophie Ward (Eunice Parchman) and Deborah Grant (Joan Smith) who had some quite comical moments.

At Aylesbury Waterside Theatre until Sat 3rd June 2017, the tour then continues to:

Glasgow (19th – 24th June)
Woking (26th June- 1st July)
Stoke-on-Trent (17th – 22nd July)
Milton Keynes (24th – 29th July)
Torquay (11th – 16th Sept)
York (16th – 21st Oct)
Manchester (13th – 18th Nov)
Brighton (27th Nov – 2nd Dec)

Rating: 4/5

Tickets cost from £14.40 to £37.40 (plus £2.85 transaction fee).

A Judgement in Stone is at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury from 30 May to 3 June 2017, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury or call the box office on 0844 871 7607.

Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1UG | 0844 871 7607