Review: Picture You Dead at Floral Pavilion

“…enough twists to keep engaged throughout…”

Picture You Dead by Peter James adapted by Shaun McKenna Floral Pavilion

By Abi Kelly

This adaptation of Peter James’ novel ‘Picture You Dead’ by Shaun McKenna is the latest of seven book-to-stage adaptations. It brings us a story of deception and drama as we journey to the seemingly innocuous lives of Freya and Harry Kipling who are about to discover their remarkable find from a car boot sale ties them to a rather harrowing journey to the violent and deceitful underbelly of the art-dealing world.

Using a split stage, we are given a view into the three homes woven together – the Kipling’s (played by Fiona Wade and Ben Cutler),  Stuart Piper’s (the resident villain, art dealer and collector, played by Ore Oduba) and Dave Hegarty’s, a Copyist – a legitimate occupation in the art world, one who copies the art of the master’s and all above board ( played by Mark Oxtoby). The set was an inviting creation, aesthetically interesting and well illustrating the personalities of the characters. Though appearing simple on first glance, it evolves with the play’s progression teasing hints and revealing secrets in hand with the dialogue.

For fans of the book, the stage show loses the direct POV of the novel’s protagonist, Roy Grace, played by George Rainsford, though this undoubtedly suits the stage rather well, as he and fellow detective, Bella Moy, become the magnifying glass that direct the narrative, keeping the play moving towards its climax.  

The twists and turns are well handled and gave opportunity for that deeply gratifying moment with an investigative drama, where you connect the dots a breath before the characters do themselves. Suddenly you’re not just watching a play – you’re investigating alongside the characters, which, on this occasion, had the audience leaving the auditorium discussing and debating what clue pointed to which revelation.

Given that this production was sourced from a page-turning novel, I was glad to see the pace play out well, with never a dull moment and meaning to every line of dialogue. There is always a to clue be homed in on by the in-seat investigators from the stalls, many of whom were whispering to one another what clues were still available to be unpicked.

The performance had a lot of recognisable faces, mostly from the TV screen and London’s West End, with standout performances from Ore Oduba as Piper and Mark Oxtoby as Dave Hegarty. These characters in particular were given a depth that allowed the actors to really dive in and have fun with the roles, which shone through in moments of humour and playfulness for Hegarty and the more suspenseful moments for Piper – who really brought punch and melodrama to the stage.  

Overall, Picture You Dead delivers a gripping night at the theatre. Pacey and punchy and packed with intrigue, it strikes a great balance between comedy and suspense, with enough twists to keep engaged throughout a two-hour runtime. If you’re a long-time fan of detective Roy Grace, or if you’re coming to the story fresh, this production provides an entertaining and engaging drama. A great show to see for those of us that enjoy solving the mystery as much as watching it unfold.

Picture You Dead plays at Floral Pavilion until Saturday 24 May. Tickets are available here.

Abi Kelly is a writer and theatre enthusiast who has studied both Drama and Scriptwriting. A lover of weird and wonderful stories, she’s usually found at home with a book in hand or deep in a theatre seat.