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BrumHour saw Wish You We Dead at the invite of The Alexandra.
By Charlie Farmer
For Brum Radio’s Interval Theatre, actor George Rainsford talked about playing Grace in this UK tour. Listen below:
Review: Wish You Were Dead at The Alexandra
⭐⭐⭐⭐”Complex characters and witty banter”
Directed by Jonathan O’Boyle and adapted by Shaun McKenna from Peter James’ quick read.
In a manor in France, Roy Grace knocks on the door. It’s unlocked. He lets himself, his wife Cleo, their baby and their friend Kaitlynn out of a storm and into a vivid reconstruction of Dracula’s castle. They are met by a woman calling herself Madame L’Evêque, who lives with her father-in-law.
Something is wrong with this house. The honeymoon bedroom paintings are grotesque, the wine is like a monster from a Greek Myth and Kaitlynn’s husband Jack hasn’t arrived yet. Where is he?..
The above description of the set being ‘a reconstruction of Dracula’s castle’ is no mere idle boast. When I heard the mention of Roy Grace believing in the supernatural, theories jumped up and down in my head about the hosts being vampires. The morbid, macabre decorations certainly helped strike this impression. The ingenious use of technology to hide parts of the set and change the setting – perhaps through a two-way mirror? – was something akin to a master stroke. The choice of opera music was oddly fitting – it allowed for a creepy vibe while also giving off a sense of danger.
There was theft as well as murder in this production, for Clive Mantle stole the show with his mannerisms, his roaring voice and his hilarious lines such as “Silence. All is well! Wait, maybe he’s dead!”. He was utterly hilarious, injecting vital comedy into this thriller whilst keeping his character from seeming silly or incompetent. Gemma Stroyan and Rebecca McKinnis both did excellent accents, and respectively portrayed grief-stricken vengeance, terror, courage and a sense of decency very well. And let’s not forget George Rainsford as Detective Roy Grace. He played an intelligent and cunning yet kind and dutiful man brilliantly.
For those who are new to the theatre, when you clap in a very good play – and trust me, you will clap – you will by instinct pound your hands together with the speed and strength of Hercules. I highly recommend this play for those who like mysteries, thrillers and Diabolical plots. Those who like complex characters and witty banter. When I watched this, I felt amused, shocked, scared and sad. The tone was dark, hilarious and high-staked. There were daring escapes, and hopes of vengeance.
If all this interests you, then go onto the Alexandra Theatre website and start clicking! Wish You Were Dead is at The Alexandra until 24th June 2023. Book tickets using BrumHour’s affiliate link >> HERE <<.
