Ahead of the start of rehearsals next week, Producer Josh Andrews has announced the full cast for UK tour of Peter James’ Wish You Were Dead.
They will join previously announced lead cast George Rainsford (Casualty, Holby City, Call The Midwife) will star as James’ famous detective DSI Roy Grace, alongside Giovanna Fletcher (2:22 A Ghost Story and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Queen of The Castle in 2020) who will star as Cleo Morey and Clive Mantle (Game of Thrones, The Vicar of Dibley, Sherlock, Casualty), who will star as Curtis.
The full cast features Rebecca McKinnis, Callum Sheridan-Lee, Alex Stedman and Gemma Stroyan and Leon Stewart, who will return to the role of DS Glenn Branson. The understudies are Lizzie Grace, Jayda Kariuki and Christopher Killik.
Adapted exclusively for the stage, Wish You Were Dead kicks off a major nationwide UK tour in February 2023 at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley. The production will then travel to a selection of top theatres across the country until late July. Tickets are on sale now from PeterJames.com.
Giovanna Fletcher will be starring at venues up to and including Milton Keynes, with another star name to be announced soon for dates from Leeds to the end of the tour.
The world stage premiere of Wish You Were Dead follows five successful stage plays and the critically acclaimed smash-hit primetime ITV series ‘Grace’, which are all based on the best-selling novels by the UK’s number one crime author Peter James. This will be the sixth stage adaptation of James’ novels -making it the most successful crime thriller stage franchise since Agatha Christie.
George Rainsford said: “I can’t wait to be part of a theatre ensemble again and delve into Peter James’ thrilling criminal underworld. Getting to play Roy Grace, his most renowned detective creation, will be a huge honour. I am excited to meet audiences from all over the UK, and share with them some enthralling, edge-of-your-seat entertainment!”
The stage play of Wish You Were Dead follows DSI Roy Grace and Cleo Morey as they take a much needed holiday together. They are hoping for a few days away from their dark worlds of murder and the mortuary. But their dream escape turns out to be the holiday from hell, as the past comes back to haunt them.
Produced by Josh Andrews and Peter James and adapted by award winning writer Shaun McKenna, who has adapted the five previous Peter James plays, the production will also reunite the creative team from Looking Good Dead, with Jonathan O’Boyle directing, Design by Michael Holt, Lighting by Jason Taylor and Sound by Max Pappenheim.
