ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM – UNTIL SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2022.
REVIEWED BY NADIA DODD
4****
With a rocky start to their tour in Birmingham as some of the cast have been ill, so two performances were cancelled, it was great to see the actors on their first evening showing of the stage adaptation of the book by Peter James.
Fantastic to see the lead roles Tom Bryce (Adam Woodyatt, Eastenders) and Kellie Bryce (Laurie Brett, Eastenders) being reunited on the stage after being out of their Eastenders partnership for a while now. The story and action takes place at the Bryce household and the surrounding areas of Brighton, Sussex.
The family are having problems. Tom has over–extended the business to almost bankruptcy. This pushes the stress levels up of wife, Kellie, who we learn is a recovering alcoholic, compulsive cleaner and can quite easily spend money that the family don’t have. Teen son Max (Luke Ward-Wilkinson) is dreaming of getting away from the family rows to join his half brother who is currently on a gap year travelling the world.
When Tom brings home a USB stick that a passenger on the train ride home left behind one evening, he and son Max watch a crime unfold on the laptop that they then get deeper involved in as the days go by…. but is it all as accidental as it first seems?
The stage set up is basic and minimal as we jump between the Bryce house, the local police station and what appears to be a derelict warehouse where the crimes take place. Yes basic, but very clever how the stage is easily adapted to take the audiences mind to exactly where they want us to be led.
Peter James is the UK’s number one bestselling author of crime and thriller novels. I wouldn’t class this adaptation as a ‘thriller’ although there’s plenty of crime involved and would be suitable for teenagers to attend. There are some attempts to bring some humour into the script, mainly between the detectives investigating the crime, led by Roy Grace who fans of the novel will remember.
A gripping crime drama that does have a few twists at the end that you wouldn’t have been expecting, worth a visit to experience for yourself.