REVIEW: Judgement in Stone

Judgement in Stone is one of Ruth Rendell’s most successful works but unlike other thrillers it doesn’t transfer well to the stage.

This adaptation is told in a series of flashbacks – and there are just too many of them so much so that all too often the actors haven’t time to get on and off stage with the result the effect is lost and the audience confused.

Rendell, unlike other thriller writers, isn’t interested in twists, turns and the motive but more concerned with the psychological source of the killer’s action.

The story revolves around the Coverdales, an upper middle class family and Miss Parchman, the housekeeper at their country home. When the whole family are brutally murdered the thriller revolves around not who but why.

An experienced cast of household names including Shirley Anne Field, Mark Wynter, Andrew Lancel and Ben Nealon bring the roles to life with polished and believable characterizations. Sophie Ward’s Miss Parchman is outstanding from her working class accent to her physical traits, including a convincing character-based gait. Teamed with Deborah Grant’s brash ex-prostitute turned post mistress they take the play to a dramatic conclusion although the link between them is never developed. Judgement in Stone will not leave you at the edge of your seat but will delight all Rendell fans.

To April 29.