Staged at the New Theatre in Cardiff, ‘Dead Simple’ is one of the few plays I have seen that are an adaptation of a novel. The author, Peter James is well-known for his crime thrillers and especially the Roy Grace series, and therefore this award-winning literary figure would seem an obvious choice when choosing material for the stage. There are also plans to create a film based on the book in the near future, and it will be interesting to see how the same nucleus of ideas is conveyed via three different mediums. I must admit that I feel a film perhaps lends itself more naturally to be adapted from the novel due to the wealth of cinematic cameos present in the story and its rapid pace.
Yet again, it is a bold move to create a play based on crime fiction that is so embedded in the form of a novel, which can induce all sorts of fruitful experiments as transitioning between artistic modes yields enlightening ways of tweaking the storyline according to the constraints and possibilities of a certain established convention. One of the main strengths of the play is that it didn’t solely deliver the novel’s course before our eyes. Differences in the storyline were particularly interesting to see how it can change in light of a set of features attributed to a single genre.
There will of course be some readers who wish to remain a slave to their imagination and not rely on a constructed interpretation of the characters. In this sense, the novel may triumph in terms of character building. However, the advantage of a public platform is that it brings alive those vivid images we can’t possibly conjure in our minds when reading a book. The essence of a play is usually getting to know the characters as the story unfolds, so the experience of a dominating plot leading characterization was new for me.
The dramatization begins with a couple preparing for their wedding, and the groom discussing his stag do with his best friend, who is also his partner in a very successful business. The bride’s uncle comes to stay, and the opening scene fools us to think this is a simple romance. Alas, for those who have not read the book version, they are in for a shocking turn of events.
In this exhilarating thriller, there are more unexpected twists than ‘Snakes and Ladders’, which keeps the audience guessing throughout. In the question and answer session following the performance, even those who had read the novel said they were surprised by some events, which attests to the vibrancy of the fast-moving plot. As the characters spiral into a web of deceit and murder, the gasps that vibrated through the audience confirmed that some of the story’s hallmarks could not have been anticipated. It has been a while since I heard an audience reacting in this way.
Accompanying the main character in a premature burial, being rescued by an autistic young man, kidnapping, chopping his finger off and much more, we are driven to the painful realization that the characters are not what they seem. The inquiry led by the detective Roy Grace and his witty sidekick also gives us a chance to recover from the relentless incidents imposed on the characters and builds tension, and introduces a new theme as he has been known to use a psychic medium to solve cases.
The author was inspired by what happens at stag nights, the idea of burying somebody alive and psychology, and his admittedly challenging task of staging some events was intricately achieved – especially the road accident and witnessing the groom in the coffin. Watching some productions makes me feel that sound and lighting effects are mere add-ons used for the sake of using effects, and do not truly enhance the dramatic effect of particular scenes. However, ‘Dead Simple’ makes exceptional use of these, from the chaos of the car crash to the complete darkness inflicted on the audience at times in order to accentuate how we empathize with the dire situation of being alive within a coffin. The set was also striking as it was divided, which allowed us to see different scenes consecutively, constantly shifting our focus. The paradox between the luxury white-walled flat of the engaged couple and the darkness of the forest looming into the coffin in the earth was highly innovative. The fact that Peter James locked himself in a coffin as research for the novel is reflected in the credibility of the main character’s performance.
Although there are some farcical elements in the narrative and touches of humour that incited the audience to laugh out loud, we are also not blind to the severity of the occurrences and the realistic perils of being too rich. The cast was very apt, consisting of familiar faces from many televised dramas, although I was unsure about some of the actors’ grasp of the accents required. They all succeeded in concealing clues masterfully and delivering astounding revelations, which is not a small feat considering they are well-versed in the story’s outline. The star of the show for me was Davey, the autistic character played by Josh Brown, who embodied the frustration of communicating and captured the bodily gestures of this condition very convincingly.
Although detective stories do not usually appeal to me, I’m glad I went to see the production as it provided an insight into how a novel can be dramatized. It certainly fulfilled its aim of entertaining if we consider this to be the foundation of any piece of art. And despite ‘Dead Simple’ being true to its title in delivering a story that isn’t too difficult to understand, it may also provide food for thought in considering how we perceive people – even those we trust most. It will certainly shake us to confront darker themes and delve into our inner terrors and fears, but most importantly with a healthy dose of humour.