The Verdict
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
25 - 28 April 2017
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
25 - 28 April 2017
The audience verdict is that The Verdict is an enjoyable courtroom drama– by Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
Middle Ground Theatre Company is back touring, this time with their production The Verdict. This is an intense courtroom thriller which inspired an Academy Award-Nominated film starring Paul Newman and James Mason. It now stars TV favourites Clive Mantle and Jack Shepherd. Clive Mantle has appeared in many shows including, Robin of Sherwood, The Vicar of Dibley, Mount Pleasant, and Holby City. Jack Shepherd, meanwhile, is well known from Wycliffe, but has also won awards for his work in the theatre.
The play, based on a novel by lawyer Barry Reed, adapted by Margaret May Hobbs, revolves around a washed up, ambulance chasing alcoholic lawyer, Frank Galvin. Clive Mantle makes this part his own, both as the drunk and later as the lawyer in court, and as his character dominates the play he is rarely off stage. He takes up a malpractice case against a hospital run by the Catholic Church, and instead of settling, he decides to fight, as he believes there is a cover up. Everyone is against the idea, even the mother of the girl, now comatose in hospital, as they think he has no chance of winning against the church, powerful lawyers, and a judge who is biased against him. However, he refuses a low settlement offer and takes them all on.
One point I would make is that for a down at heel alcoholic, Frank was too expensively dressed. Additionally, when in court he appeared to have sobered up rather too much, although the water he was tippling during the trial may have been vodka.
In the beginning, as the audience were taking their seats, it took some time to realise that there was a drunken body rolling around the stage. This was quite effective as it set the scene for Frank Galvin as an alcoholic, before the play had even started. The first half sets the back-story, as he downs drink after drink whenever he can. He also has an unlikely relationship with a waitress (Cassie Bancroft), but the play really comes into its own in the second half court scene. There were strong performances by the defense lawyer (Peter Harding) and the judge (Richard Walsh), who also doubled up as the Catholic Bishop Brophy .
There was a nice performance by Jack Shepherd as Frank’s old mentor, Moe Katz. He played him as rather frail, and in the beginning, I was concerned that his chest pains were not Moe but Jack. I was waiting for a shout of ‘Is there a doctor in the house?’
I particularly liked the performance of the expert witness, played by Okon Jones. He had an insouciance that was irritating to the opposition and he refused to be brow beaten by them. The fact he was black also made his indifference to the opposition’s tactics even more effective. In addition, the Italian Nurse was well played, in this performance by Hannah Timms.
Although the subject was a serious one, there was humour and wit in the debates between the characters, which made the audience laugh. This occurred particularly in the courtroom altercations between Frank and Judge Sweeney, which were very entertaining. Additionally, there were a couple of interesting twists at the end, which took the audience by surprise.
The play, based on a novel by lawyer Barry Reed, adapted by Margaret May Hobbs, revolves around a washed up, ambulance chasing alcoholic lawyer, Frank Galvin. Clive Mantle makes this part his own, both as the drunk and later as the lawyer in court, and as his character dominates the play he is rarely off stage. He takes up a malpractice case against a hospital run by the Catholic Church, and instead of settling, he decides to fight, as he believes there is a cover up. Everyone is against the idea, even the mother of the girl, now comatose in hospital, as they think he has no chance of winning against the church, powerful lawyers, and a judge who is biased against him. However, he refuses a low settlement offer and takes them all on.
One point I would make is that for a down at heel alcoholic, Frank was too expensively dressed. Additionally, when in court he appeared to have sobered up rather too much, although the water he was tippling during the trial may have been vodka.
In the beginning, as the audience were taking their seats, it took some time to realise that there was a drunken body rolling around the stage. This was quite effective as it set the scene for Frank Galvin as an alcoholic, before the play had even started. The first half sets the back-story, as he downs drink after drink whenever he can. He also has an unlikely relationship with a waitress (Cassie Bancroft), but the play really comes into its own in the second half court scene. There were strong performances by the defense lawyer (Peter Harding) and the judge (Richard Walsh), who also doubled up as the Catholic Bishop Brophy .
There was a nice performance by Jack Shepherd as Frank’s old mentor, Moe Katz. He played him as rather frail, and in the beginning, I was concerned that his chest pains were not Moe but Jack. I was waiting for a shout of ‘Is there a doctor in the house?’
I particularly liked the performance of the expert witness, played by Okon Jones. He had an insouciance that was irritating to the opposition and he refused to be brow beaten by them. The fact he was black also made his indifference to the opposition’s tactics even more effective. In addition, the Italian Nurse was well played, in this performance by Hannah Timms.
Although the subject was a serious one, there was humour and wit in the debates between the characters, which made the audience laugh. This occurred particularly in the courtroom altercations between Frank and Judge Sweeney, which were very entertaining. Additionally, there were a couple of interesting twists at the end, which took the audience by surprise.
Clive Mantle with Jack Shepherd
The director Michael Lunney created a good courtroom atmosphere by the lawyers addressing the audience as if they were the jury. As a result, everyone felt involved in the debates. There was even the jury foreman placed in the audience, to stand and pronounce the verdict.
In the first half, there seemed to be some technical difficulties with the lighting. As the stage is used to create different venues, the separate parts were lit alternately. As a result, when two characters were centre stage, one was in the shadows. However, in the second half, everyone was impressed by the courtroom set. That part is definitely the stronger, and more interesting part of the play.
There were also minor quibbles about vocal projection in some of the scenes, particularly in the scene between Moe and Nurse Rooney (Veronica Quilligan), when they were almost inaudible.
I also wondered about the background music. Most of the time it was jolly Irish jigs, which were too lively for the subject matter, but I suppose related to the Irish American feel of the play. However, Oh How We Danced on the Night We Were Wed, didn’t seem to have any relevance at all.
The play is long and could, excuse the pun, have done with some judicious cutting, especially, in the first half. As the judge states to the jury as they retire to make their decision, the play should be ‘long enough to cover the subject and short enough to be interesting.’ That rendered a laugh in the auditorium.
It was an entertaining evening and the courtroom scenes gripped the mostly mature sell- out audience. Apart from the occasional humorous moments, there was an interested silence as everyone was listening and concentrating intently, whilst thoroughly enjoying every minute.
If you like a good courtroom drama, the play continues at the Palace Theatre until Saturday as follows:-
Wed - Thurs 8pm + Thurs 2.30pm - £30.50, £28.50, £22.00
Fri & Sat 8pm + Sat 2.30pm - £32.00, £30.00, £26.00
Concessions £2.00 off
U16s £19.00
Senior Citizen Thurs Matinee Special - £25.50, £22.00
Group Discounts - 10% off groups of 10-19, 20% off groups 20+
Applies to all performances excluding Fri & Sat 8pm
www.middlegroundtheatre.co.uk
For tickets go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
In the first half, there seemed to be some technical difficulties with the lighting. As the stage is used to create different venues, the separate parts were lit alternately. As a result, when two characters were centre stage, one was in the shadows. However, in the second half, everyone was impressed by the courtroom set. That part is definitely the stronger, and more interesting part of the play.
There were also minor quibbles about vocal projection in some of the scenes, particularly in the scene between Moe and Nurse Rooney (Veronica Quilligan), when they were almost inaudible.
I also wondered about the background music. Most of the time it was jolly Irish jigs, which were too lively for the subject matter, but I suppose related to the Irish American feel of the play. However, Oh How We Danced on the Night We Were Wed, didn’t seem to have any relevance at all.
The play is long and could, excuse the pun, have done with some judicious cutting, especially, in the first half. As the judge states to the jury as they retire to make their decision, the play should be ‘long enough to cover the subject and short enough to be interesting.’ That rendered a laugh in the auditorium.
It was an entertaining evening and the courtroom scenes gripped the mostly mature sell- out audience. Apart from the occasional humorous moments, there was an interested silence as everyone was listening and concentrating intently, whilst thoroughly enjoying every minute.
If you like a good courtroom drama, the play continues at the Palace Theatre until Saturday as follows:-
Wed - Thurs 8pm + Thurs 2.30pm - £30.50, £28.50, £22.00
Fri & Sat 8pm + Sat 2.30pm - £32.00, £30.00, £26.00
Concessions £2.00 off
U16s £19.00
Senior Citizen Thurs Matinee Special - £25.50, £22.00
Group Discounts - 10% off groups of 10-19, 20% off groups 20+
Applies to all performances excluding Fri & Sat 8pm
www.middlegroundtheatre.co.uk
For tickets go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
Ask the Audience
John Newman – Leigh
"We always go to the West End to the theatre, but if there is a play on locally, we like to come and see it. As I have lived in America, I thought the Irish American aspects were very realistic, particularly the arguing with each other. It is a very good play and we thoroughly enjoyed it."
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Mervyn Howell – Basildon "I enjoyed it. I thought the defence lawyer (Peter Harding) was very good and the Italian nurse (Hannah Timms). There were lighting issues and the scene with Moe and Nurse Rooney was too quiet. I enjoyed the second half much better. I also liked the expert witness (Okon Jones)." |
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Lynda Belt – Leigh "I thought Clive Mantle was very good as the alcoholic in the first half, but he didn’t play as someone who had been an alcoholic in the second half. I also thought that Jack Shepherd was too quiet all through the play and it was very static in the beginning. However, it is a good play and I did enjoy it." |