Amazing Grace takes on art world villains in theatres across West Midlands and Shropshire

Based on crime writer Peter James’s bestselling novel, the stage adaptation of Picture You Dead will be treating crowds at Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn to a delicious whodunnit from April 29 to May 3. It will also be playing at the Birmingham Alexandra from June 24 to 28.

The seventh Peter James book to be adapted for the stage by award-winning writer Shaun McKenna, Picture You Dead features an all-star cast including Emmerdale alumnus Fiona Wade and Casualty’s George Rainsford, who is bringing the great Grace himself to life.

Though fans will doubtlessly have been delighted with previous James adaptations including Wish You Were Dead (2023) and Looking Good Dead (2021-2022), George assures us that this one is something particularly special.

“DSI Grace and his team are working on a cold case in Brighton, and it gets into the world of fine art and forgery,” he said. 

“Essentially there’s a normal couple, they uncover a masterpiece by accident, and they think they’ve won the lottery. But there are arch-villains who are also after it and it’s up to Grace and his team in a race against time to solve the case and make sure that they don’t get their hands on it.”

Having played Grace previously in Wish You Were Dead, George is making a welcome return to the role. Fiona, meanwhile, is excited to be treading the boards in her first Peter James tale and taking audiences along for plenty of fast-paced fun.

“I play Freya Kipling” she said, “and she is part of the everyday, lovely couple that find the painting at a car boot sale. They’re a really lovely couple – you’re rooting for them the whole way through. They’ve found this masterpiece and it could change their lives. 

“What attracted me to the role was, essentially, that it’s Peter James; I love these books and how popular they are. I love a crime thriller, and to star in this one is fantastic. It’s a great story – a real fast-paced, exciting tale.”

George has described his return to the role of the fabled detective as ‘a real honour’ and has been excited about taking on a new challenge while wearing a familiar pair of shoes.

“It’s a different type of case from the last one,” he said, “which is what attracted me to it – a more traditional cold case detective story. You have the audience trying to work it out along with Grace, which is great. We’re really enjoying it.”

With the tour having fittingly started in Grace’s stomping ground of Brighton back in March, George and Fiona have both had a decent taste of audience reaction. So far, all has been positive.

“The audience enthusiasm, I’m sure George would agree, has been really fantastic,” said Fiona. “Everywhere we’ve been we’ve had a great response, and it’s just lovely when the audience are enjoying it. 

“They come on that journey with us which is really good fun.”

And George assures us that Queen Camilla’s admitted love of DSI Grace last year has not added any extra pressure. “Well, if she turned up and watched it, that certainly might,” he adds.

Starring alongside Fiona and George are a store of other acclaimed actors, including Coronation Street’s Peter Ash – universally praised for his highly emotional exit from the soap following his time as motor neurone disease sufferer Paul Foreman.

“We’re very lucky,” said Fiona. “Peter Ash is such a great person. Everyone is really gorgeous and lovely. I honestly couldn’t wish for a better cast.”

“We’ve got a real wealth of experience,” added George “and it’s quite an even play with lots of parts that are as juicy as the others. It feels like we’re genuinely all in it together.”

Both George and Fiona are famous for longstanding TV roles – Fiona as Emmerdale’s Priya Sharma, George as Casualty’s Ethan Hardy – yet have relished returning to the stage, which to both of them is something of a first love.

“I was in lots of plays before I went into Casualty,” said George, “so this is actually a world I know better. For years I was very happy to be involved in Casualty; it was great. But it’s great being back in theatre. You can’t really replicate the live element; there’s nothing like a live audience. That really lifts you and energises you.”

“I totally agree with George,” said Fiona. “Before Emmerdale I was doing lots of theatre as well, and I hadn’t been on stage in anything for years because I’d been in Emmerdale for so long. 

“A play last year with George was the first time I’d been on stage in ages, and I thought ‘how is my body going to react to this?’ But it was so incredible, and to get to do it again, I’ve really got my love of the theatre back.

“I left Emmerdale because I wanted to challenge myself and feel that excitement again. The process is really enjoyable – going on stage and creating something every night with each other. It’s been really lovely to have that back again after so long.”

Peter James has had 20 Sunday Times No.1 bestselling crime novels to date. The Roy Grace books have sold over 23 million copies worldwide, been previously adapted for six hugely successful stage productions, and, of course, have been transformed into the aforementioned ITV drama, Grace. With Picture You Dead hitting theatres, the author himself has spoken out of his delight.

“It is truly incredible for me to see the seventh stage adaptation of my books,” he said. “I am so grateful to the hundreds of thousands of people around the UK who have come to their local theatre and enjoyed the plays over the last 10 years. Now that I have seen Picture You Dead performed, I am thrilled to say I think this new play is the best one so far!”

Fiona and George would, naturally, be quick to agree, and promise an evening to remember for all in attendance in Shrewsbury and Birmingham.

“It’s a night of pure enjoyment and a really great story with a fantastic twist, and it’s a laugh as well,” said Fiona. “It’ll be a great night out.”

“Two hours of whodunnit, thrills and fantastic characters,” added George. “What more do you need?”

Tickets for Picture You Dead are now on sale at peterjames.com