Roy Grace returns to the stage in Picture You Dead, the seventh theatrical adaptation of a Peter James novel.
With a top-tier cast including George Rainsford as Grace, Peter Ash, Fiona Wade, and Jodie Steele, this crime caper promises intrigue and suspense—but ends up leaning more towards the delightfully daft.
The plot, revolving around a priceless painting bought at a car boot sale, plunges quickly into forgery, deception and a touch of chaos that wouldn't feel out of place in an episode of 'Allo 'Allo! There are plenty of twists, but most of them can be spotted a mile off—making this more of a comfortably familiar whodunnit than a gripping thriller.
That said, the cast are entirely convincing, with George Rainsford bringing a calm gravitas to Grace and Jodie Steele a scene-stealing energy as Roberta Kilgore. There are genuinely funny lines peppered throughout (yes, even Liz Truss gets a namecheck), and fans of James' books will be pleased with the stage rendition. And yes—someone does say the title of the play out loud, just as predicted!
It might not be groundbreaking, but Picture You Dead is a fun, fast-paced evening that will entertain anyone who enjoys a blend of crime and comedy. Recommended for Peter James fans and anyone who likes their detective stories with a touch of the absurd.
Photo Gallery
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- Picture You Dead1 Peter Ash (David Hegarty) - credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead2 L-R Peter Ash (David Hegarty), George Rainsford (DSI Roy Grace) - credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead5 L-R Fiona Wade (Freya Kipling), Peter Ash (David Hegarty) - credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead6 L-R Peter Ash (David Hegarty), Jodie Steele (Roberta Kilgore) - credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead7 L-R Nicholas Maude (Stuart Piper), Jodie Steele (Roberta Kilgore) - credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead8 L-R Ben Cutler (Harry Kipling), Peter Ash (David Hegarty) - credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead9 L-R George Rainsford (DSI Roy Grace), Nicholas Maude (Stuart Piper) credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead10 L-R Ben Cutler (Harry Kipling), Fiona Wade (Freya Kipling) credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead11 Mark Oxtoby (Archie Goff) credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead12 George Rainsford (DSI Roy Grace) credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead13 L-R George Rainsford (DSI Roy Grace), Peter Ash (David Hegarty) credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead14 L-R Fiona Wade (Freya Kipling), Ben Cutler (Harry Kipling) credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead15 L-R George Rainsford (DSI Roy Grace), Gemma Stroyan (Bella Moy) credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead17 L-R Nicholas Maude (Stuart Piper), Jodie Steele (Roberta Kilgore) credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead18 Nicholas Maude (Stuart Piper) credit Alistair Muir
- Picture You Dead19 L-R Nicholas Maude (Stuart Piper), Jodie Steele (Roberta Kilgore) credit Alistair Muir
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Trailer
