Review: Agatha Christie’s Verdict **

Anyone hoping to see a gripping Christie thriller at The Grand this week will be sadly disappointed. For Verdict, is a tired and dated play that lacks the twists, turns and suspense one has come to expect from Christie’s work and has a plot that is just so predictable.

Written and first performed in 1958, it is one of the few plays of The Queen of Crime not based on one of her novels or short stories.

It tells the story of a brilliant and idealistic professor, Karl Hendryk, who has been forced to flee persecution in his home country and now leads a content and morally upstanding life in England. However, his world is turned upside down when the prospect of life-saving treatment for his wife persuades him to take on a new pupil against his better judgment; the spoilt conniving socialite Helen who will stop at nothing to get her way.

Despite the overly wordy and at times dull script, this work is an ideal platform for some fine acting by Susan Penhaligon as Lisa Kolesky, a physicist, who has put her career aside to look after her invalid cousin and be near to the man she loves. Penhaligon drives the play with some beautifully emotive scenes that show her ultimate devotion to Karl.

As the “man who loves two women at the same time” Robert Duncan’s characterization of Karl is perfectly balanced. He shows an outwardly sympathetic passion towards his wife and yet at the same time, with a few well chosen words and tender reminiscences we are able to detect his love for Lisa.

Elizabeth Power, as-the-salt-of-the-earth “daily” brings some much needed light relief with her comings and goings and “tea buying” antics while Mark Wynter’s Dr Stoner injects pace into the plot just when it needs it.

To August 20.