Wish You Were Dead Review by Natalie Anglesey

 

WISH YOU WERE DEAD Review at The Lowry by Natalie Anglesey

With the title, Wish You Were Dead, there’s no prizes for guessing that the current production at The Lowry is a thriller. Although most of us enjoy a good thriller in book form,  film or on television, now here’s the opportunity to see one on stage.

This production follows five previously successful stage plays plus the critically acclaimed ITV series Grace, all based on the best-selling novels by the UK's number one crime writer Peter James. This is the sixth stage adaptation of James’ novels - making it the most successful crime thriller stage franchise since Agatha Christie.

 However, a  good play needs an equally good cast and while there’s a plethora of telly names treading the boards., there are varying degrees of stage experience. Alas John Simm, who plays Grace on television, is not in this stage production. However, there’s a sound performance from George Rainsford (Casualty, Holby City, Call The Midwife) as DSI Roy Grace.

The time-line takes place when a younger version of Grace is planning a weekend away with his girl-friend Cleo Morey complete with baby - which turns out to be the holiday from hell. Cleo is played by ex Coronation Street’s Katie McGlynn, (Sinead Tinker)  : “I can’t think of a better way to make my stage play debut than with this brilliant and thrilling Peter James masterpiece and am so excited to be performing alongside such an incredibly talented cast.”

Leon Stewart reprises his role as DS Glenn Branson, having previously starred in another James stage adaptation, Looking Good Dead with Clive Mantle (Game of Thrones, The Vicar of Dibley, Sherlock, Casualty) playing Curtis. Other cast members include Rebecca McKinnis, Callum Sheridan-Lee, Alex Stedman and Gemma Stroyan, The Lowry is a large auditorium to fill and vocally some of the inexperienced cast need to project more. However the audience responded with enthusiasm.

Produced by Josh Andrews and Peter James, it’s adapted by award-winning Shaun McKenna, who has previously adapted five Peter James plays. The production reunites the creative team from Looking Good Dead, with Jonathan O’Boyle directing, Some of the production team have Manchester connections with a terrific stage design of the interior of a French chateaux by Michael Holt, Lighting by Jason Taylor and Sound by Max Pappenheim.

Previous Peter James novels brought to the stage include 'Looking Good Dead'  starring Adam Woodyatt and Gaynor Faye; 'The House on Cold Hill' starring Joe McFadden and Rita Simons ( 2019); 'Not Dead Enough' starring Shane Richie and Laura Whitmore ( 2017); 'Dead Simple' starring Tina Hobley (2015) and 'The Perfect Murder' starring Les Dennis and Claire Goose (2014). Peter James has topped the Sunday Times bestseller list 19 times achieving global book sales over 21 million copies, translated into 37 languages. Wish You Were Dead is at The Lowry until 27th May. For tickets www.thelowry.com.