REVIEW: Peter James’s Picture You Dead, at Nottingham Theatre Royal, is a cracking, suspenseful delve into the murky world of counterfeit art
As a huge fan of the DCI Roy Grace book series by Peter James, I was very excited to see how the crime thrillers would translate to the stage.
Picture You Dead is the latest of the books to be adapted for the stage, and sees Detective Superintendent Roy Grace (George Rainsford) investigates a cold case that leads him to the rarified air of fine art, but beneath the respectable veneer lurks a dark underworld of greed, deception and murder.
When unsuspecting couple Fiona and Harry Kipling unearth a potentially long-lost masterpiece at a carboot sale, which is worth millions of pounds if it is an original, they discover that their dream find is about to turn into their worst nightmare and only Grace can stop them from paying the ultimate price.
Aiding, or sometimes hindering, the investigation is former conman turned artist Dave Hegarty (award-winning Coronation Street star Peter Ash), who is brilliantly played with cheeky-chappie aplomb with a sly grin and twinkle in his eye.
Taking a much more sinister approach his portrayal of the dastardly is Nicholas Maude as super rich, super snooty Stuart Piper, and Jodie Steele gives a commanding performance as Roberta Kilgore who will do whatever it takes to get her hands on the painting.
Also flying the flag for girl power is Gemma Stroyan as DS Bella Moy who holds her own in the investigation and handles the casual sexism with confidence.
Fans of the books will love the subtle references, including Grace making a joke about being able to “write a book” about what became of his ex-wife Sandy.
In answer to my earlier question, does the latest Roy Grace book translate well to the stage? It’s simply ‘picture perfect’ with an excellent cast and seamless staging which transports audiences easily from one scene to another.
If you enjoy your crime thrillers with a few sneaky twists that you don’t see coming, definitely give this one a watch. RA
