Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield – until June 7th 2025
Reviewed by Sharon Farley
5*****
“Keeps its secret hidden until the very end”
When Detective Superintendent Roy Grace reopens an old murder case involving an art dealer, we find ourselves along for the ride as two plot lines coil around each other into one winding thread, leading acrobatically to a double twist at the end. Whilst intriguing, this tale avoids being the standard whodunnit by instead becoming a where-is-it; enough clues are liberally scattered to make the villains quite obvious, but this distracts the audience from the actual mystery embedded in this cat and mouse chase to find a missing masterpiece. The drama is periodically lightened with a sprinkling of well timed laughs along the way.
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Peter James, the story has a large dose of truth behind it; not only is the role of the art forger, Dave Hegarty (Mark Oxtoby), based on a real life character – David Henty – but James was introduced to him by the ex-police officer that arrested him! Indeed, Henty, the copyist that inspired the book, has himself become a much sought after name in the art world for his meticulously produced copies of great masterpieces. The story behind the story is almost as captivating as the play itself.
The success of James’ Roy Grace novels having led to sales surpassing 23 million worldwide plus a hit TV series, ‘Grace’, is most likely due to the deep research he is famed for, and the details are not lost in this production. The police work we see on stage is neither flashy nor action packed, instead it is focused and methodical, lending an aspect of realism that underpins but does not overshadow the other elements of the gently unfolding story. In fact, the presence of each of the characters is extremely well balanced throughout, with almost everyone playing a pivotal role; thus all members of this highly accomplished cast have their own opportunity to shine.
In this classic game of hide and seek, we see DSI Roy Grace played by George Rainsford (Casualty, 2.22 A Ghost Story, Bank of Dave 2), who gives the character a quiet, measured charm, though always with his hands firmly on the reigns of the investigation. Jodie Steele (Malory Towers, Filumena, A Merry Royal Christmas) sizzles as Roberta Kilgore, the elegant but despicable art consultant and henchman, in a way reminiscent of Joanna Lumley’s Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, though with all the comedy surgically removed and the poise and sneer left perfectly intact. She plays alongside Ore Oduba’s (Strictly Come Dancing, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Noughts + Crosses) ice-cold portrayal of Stuart Piper, the high flying art dealer who moves freely with neither morals nor conscience. Though Oxtoby (Eastenders, Silence!, Muppets Most Wanted) as Hegarty serves as the lynchpin around which all other characters are joined, he does so more as a facilitator than a protagonist, allowing others their share of the limelight. But for me, his character is the most complex of the entire piece.
Fiona Wade (Emmerdale, 2.22 A Ghost Story, Silent Witness) and Ben Cutler (The Sandman, War Horse, 7 Days in Entebbe) play Freya and Harry Kipling, the couple who make the discovery of a lifetime with a car boot sale purchase, and bring all the naive innocence of passers-by caught in the crossfire. The polished performance of Adam Morris (Sister Boniface, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Nolly) as TV Antiques expert, Oliver De Souza, sits in contrast to their normality, making his cameo appearance stand out as a key moment. Gemma Stroyan (Taggart, Othello, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth) comes back solidly in the role she originated as Grace’s sidekick, DS Bella Moy. Art thief, Archie Goff is convincingly played by Sean Jones (Hollyoaks, Blood Brothers, Wings).
Divided into two halves, the set design by Adrian Linford (L’etoile, The Mirror Crack’d, Dead Man Walking) appears quite complex but has surprisingly few moving parts; it pairs well with lighting (Jason Taylor: Journey’s End, Some Girls, Treason) to allow numerous locations to emerge. The combined impact of scenery and brilliant cast performances permits the audience to engage fully in yet another highly entertaining stage adaptation of a Roy Grace mystery that keeps its secret hidden until the very end.