Detective Superintendent Roy Grace returns to Mayflower Theatre in Picture You Dead from Thursday 27 February to Saturday 1 March 2025.
The show is adapted from the UK’s number one crime writer Peter James’ bestselling novel. The world premiere of Picture You Dead is the seventh Peter James book to be adapted for the stage by award-winning writer Shaun McKenna.
Back home in Brighton, DSI Grace 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 one unsuspecting couple unearth a potentially long-lost masterpiece, 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.
Roy Grace is a crime fiction phenomenon – the books have sold over 23 million copies worldwide, been previously adapted for six hugely successful stage productions, and ITV’s critically acclaimed primetime drama about the Brighton-based detective, Grace is a ratings smash-hit. Season four of the crime series will broadcast later this year, with season five currently in production.
Peter James said: “From early childhood, I have always passionately loved live theatre and the sense of the shared experience that comes with it – surprise, suspense, shock, laughter and the entire range of human emotions.
“With Josh Andrews’ brilliant producing, Shaun McKenna’s very clever adaptation and Jonathan O’Boyle’s masterly and inventive directing, I’m confident that Picture You Dead is going to be my best adaptation yet and I hope everyone who comes to see it will have a fantastic time!”
Peter James has 20 Sunday Times number one bestselling crime novels to his name. The world premiere tour of Picture You Dead marks the latest thrilling theatre adaptation of his books and is once again produced by Joshua Andrews and Peter James. Directed by Jonathan O’Boyle, it cements the adaptations of James’ Grace books as the most successful modern-day crime franchise on stage since Agatha Christie.
2024 National Television Award winning actor, Peter Ash, will return to the stage, following his acclaimed and unforgettably emotional exit from Coronation Street in September. Peter’s other numerous credits include Footballers’ Wives and the lead role in the National Theatre’s War Horse. Joining Peter is Fiona Wade who, following 11 years in Emmerdale, took to the stage earlier this year in the hit 2:22 A Ghost Story and she will soon be seen in the highly anticipated Fox comedy series, Going Dutch. West End favourite Jodie Steele (Bonnie & Clyde, Wicked, Heathers, SIX) will star as Roberta Kilgore and one of the nation’s favourite TV doctors, George Rainsford, (Casualty, Call the Midwife and All’s Well That Ends Well at the National Theatre), will return to reprise the role of Peter James’ famous literary detective, DSI Roy Grace, which he played in the 2023 hit production of Wish You Were Dead. George will also reunite with Fiona, who he starred alongside in 2:22 A Ghost Story.
Tickets for Peter James’ Picture You Dead (Thursday 27 February – Saturday 1 March 2025) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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