“The Verdict”, based on the 1980 novel by Barry Reed (and adapted into a film starring Paul Newman in 1982) has an intriguing premise, realistic and intense courtroom scenes, and a likeable protagonist. But, oh boy, it is slow.
The play focuses on Attorney at law (yes, it’s American) Frank Galvin, played by Jason Merrells, who decides to represent a mother who has ended up in a comatose state after being administered anaesthetic whilst in labour. His task is to sue the hospital for negligence, but first he has to obtain proof.
The cast for the play is huge (15 actors in total), as the play aims to recreate a full courtroom drama in the second act. Among the cast are Richard Walsh (as both formidable Judge Eldredge Sweeney and Bishop Brophy), Vincent Pirillo (as Moe Katz, Galvin’s former mentor) and Nigel Barber (as J. Edgar Concannon, the attorney defending the hospital). As one can imagine, the cast is heavily made up of older, white men – as one may expect from a realistic courtroom drama set in 1980s Boston. The diversity stakes are evened a little by Okon Jones (as doctor Lionel Thompson – who is quickly discredited when giving evidence as not having the appropriate medical training) and Reanne Farley (as Donna St Laurent, a barmaid who takes a shine to Galvin – yawn).
The main problem with the play is that it’s not very interesting. The stakes never feel particularly high, and the drama never really kicks off. Even the conclusion of the play is more down to luck rather than Galvin actually making a smart lawyer move. The courtroom scene feels repetitive (which might be realistic, but doesn’t mean it’s fun to watch).
The play also gets lost in adding lots of unnecessary backstory to Galvin’s character. Do we really need to know about his alcoholic father or his dead brother? Do they add anything to the story? Do they make us care any more about the court case? The answer to all of those questions is a resounding “no”.
The play is well-acted, and the cast are doing the best with the script they have (although some characters did stumble over their lines at parts). The play is slowed down further, however, by a copious number of blackouts covering unnecessary scene changes.
Overall, the play succeeds at recreating a realistic court case. It’s just a shame the result is pretty boring.
Tom Morley, February 2023
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