Review: Wish You Were Dead brings holiday hell to Milton Keynes Theatre

If you have experienced that sinking feeling, then you’ll have some sympathy for Roy and Cleo Grace, the key characters in Peter James’ stage adaption of Wish You Were Dead which has arrived at Milton Keynes Theatre this week.

In fact the couple played by the excellent George Rainsford alongside Giovanna Fletcher turn out to be dead unlucky when arriving in the south of France on what was supposed to be their first romantic break away… although I’m not quite sure how that was ever going to be possible with baby son Noah and nanny Kaitlynn (Gemma Stroyan) also in tow.

This trip turns out to be a holiday from hell which begins with some minor incoveniences such as no-one being at their chateau to welcome them, some dodgy electrical wiring, no phone signal, TV or wifi, oh and of course a raging storm outside.

The excellent set design gave it a real haunted house feel, with animal heads on the wall, a picture of the crucifixion in the master bedroom, and a spooky suit of armour in the hallway which you half expected to come alive as if it was straight out of an episode of Scooby Doo!

As the couple contemplate leaving this eerie place before they’ve so much as settled in, up pops the mysterious, and rather abrupt, Madame L’Eveque (or was it Madame Edith from 'Allo 'Allo!) who points out there can be no refunds for early departure under the booking T&Cs.

Someone else who hasn’t popped up is Jack, the nanny’s boyfriend who was supposed to meet them at the chateau, but that mystery will slowly unravel as we discover that Roy’s work back home in Brighton as a Detective Superintendent is the reason for their vacation predicament as a past case comes back to haunt the family.

Suspicions grow stronger when they find Jack’s wallet stuffed down a sofa and then they realise just how much trouble they are in.

After taking a while to set the scene, the tension was starting to ramp up and I found myself really immersed in the story. In fact the interval was a rather rude interruption, I just wanted the action to continue to play out without the 20-minute break as the gun-toting Curtis (Clive Mantle) revealed himself moments before the curtain fell on Act 1.

Despite being armed and dangerous, Curtis brought a certain dark humour to the scenes in Act 2 rather than any great menace. So while it wasn’t a gripping thriller it was an enjoyable, but at times predictable, drama.

This tale of revenge runs at MK Theatre until Saturday, April 29. For tickets see here.