UK Theatre Network

Published by Clare Brotherwood on Thursday, February 5 2009

Bill Kenwright’s latest production certainly proves that the show does go on - and that it is invariably all right on the night, whatever the problems.

Pack of Lies’ impressive cast was to have included Roy Marsden - for 14 years PD James’ detective hero Adam Dalgliesh.

But on Tuesday, Kenwright himself told an opening night audience at the Theatre Royal Windsor that less than a week before Marsden had fallen ill and Daniel Hall, whose TV credits include My Family, Kingdom, Midsomer Murders, The Bill, Judge John Deed and Hope and Glory, had stepped in.

With just three-and-a-half days’ rehearsal, including an all night session with the rest of the cast, Hugh Whitemore’s thriller was a triumph.

Set in 1960 Ruislip and based on true facts, Pack of Lies revolves around the Jacksons, a quite frankly, dull family, who are drawn into the nightmare world of deception and treason when a stranger enters their lives.

The role of the stranger is pivotal - and Hill’s performance was quite amazing as he settled into his character with apparent ease, totally convincing us that he was who the programme said he was, exiting only once to check his lines but making it look like it was all part of the plot.

Pack of Lies opens up all sorts of demons when an ordinary family find they have to keep a secret and choose between their loyalty to their friends and their loyalty to their country.

The emotions involved sometimes make it hard to watch, especially as the strain of her situation begins to tell on the painfully dull Barbara Jackson, played so sensitively by Jenny Seagrove.

Simon Shepherd as ‘pipe and slippers’ man, Bob Jackson, is totally unrecognisable, as is Judy Garland’s younger daughter, Lorna Luft, an altogether totally unexpected member of the cast, seeing as she plays a woman living in a semi in Ruislip. However, she is no ordinary suburban housewife and plays her character to the full - a loud, loving Canadian who still manages to fit in a few bars of a song.

Pack of Lies continues at the Theatre Royal Windsor until February 14 and then goes on tour until April 11 when it goes into London’s West End.