“Wish you were dead”, the latest play based on Peter James’s books and featuring detective Roy Grace, is somewhere in between a thriller and a ghost story. Not that there are actual ghosts, of course, but the entire play is set in an old French holiday chateau which feels reminiscent of your usual haunted house, complete with creepy paintings and a suit of armour which feels like it could come alive at any moment.
The story is a departure from previous Roy Grace stories, choosing to focus on a holiday for Grace (George Rainsford), his wife Cleo (Giovanna Fletcher) and their baby, rather than focusing on Grace solving a case. Of course, things take a dramatic turn as Grace and his family find themselves with no phone and wifi signal, their car is stolen and the French maid Madame L’Eveque (Rebecca McKinnis) turns out to be a shady figure from Grace’s past.
Previous Peter James plays that I have seen have featured several twists and turns throughout the story, but this is a more straightforward affair, with all mystery revealed by the interval so that the second act becomes a repetitive cycle of Grace being threatened by a gun-wielding Curtis (Clive Mantle, who thankfully adds some much needed humour to proceedings). Of course, there is very little jeopardy as it is unlikely that Grace will meet his maker here.
The play is based on a short story by Peter James rather than a full novel, which is perhaps the reason why the story feels very dragged out despite its short run-time. It seems an odd choice for a stage adaptation, and makes me wonder whether it was chosen due to simplicity rather than the actual story (the entire play is set in a single location).
The actors do their best with the script they are given (along for the ride are nanny Kaitlynn – Gemma Stroyan – and her partner Jack – Alex Stedman) but really the entire thing seems to lack substance, intrigue or tension. Even Grace seems not in the least bit scared at the thought of being murdered by Curtis. Maybe he also realises that the main character, who seems to be getting an annual theatre show recently, is unlikely to be killed off any time soon.
Tom Morley, March 2023
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