The stage adaptation of Peter James’ WISH YOU WERE DEAD featuring DSI Roy Grace kicks off its UK Tour next February and gets to us at the New Theatre in Cardiff in May.

The stage play follows DSI Roy Grace and Cleo Morey as they take a much-needed holiday together. Cleo hopes that she will finally get Grace to herself for a few days and away from his crime-solving exploits. But their dream escape turns out to be the holiday from hell, as the past comes back to haunt them.

Following the critically acclaimed smash-hit primetime ITV series ‘Grace‘, based on the best-selling novels by the UK’s number one crime author PETER JAMES, the world stage premiere of ‘Wish You Were Dead’ is the sixth stage adaptation of his best-selling novels – making it the most successful crime thriller stage franchise since Agatha Christie.

Peter said…..

“I have always loved live theatre, so it’s been thrilling to watch how much audiences around the UK have loved the plays. Theatre and the escapism it provides us all is so important – particularly now. Inside the safe cocoon of a theatre, audiences love to be on the edge of their seats and sometimes shocked, always hoping when that final curtain falls, order will have been restored and the world will seem just a little bit of a better place.

I am incredibly grateful for the support regional theatres and their audiences have shown our plays and it will be fantastic to see another one of my books being adapted for the stage – the sixth one! – and audiences enjoying it, in 2023.

Previous Peter James novels brought to the stage include: ‘Looking Good Dead‘ which played at the New Theatre last September, starring Adam Woodyatt; ‘The House on Cold Hill’ starring Joe McFadden and Rita Simons in 2019; ‘Not Dead Enough’ starring Shane Richie/Bill Ward and Laura Whitmore in 2017; ‘The Perfect Murder’ starring Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace in 2016 and ‘Dead Simple’ starring Tina Hobley in 2015. 

The TV series was an instant hit when it launched on ITV in 2021, with almost nine million viewers tuning in to watch the primetime drama starring John Simm as DSI Roy Grace. Series two returned, with five more thrilling episodes being the most watched programme across all channels on each of the Sundays they were broadcast. A third series has already been commissioned for next year.

Peter James list of achievements is second to none, not only is he a number one bestselling author of crime and thriller novels and the creator of the much-loved Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. He has topped the Sunday Times bestseller list 19 times and has achieved global book sales of over 21 million copies which have been translated into 37 languages.

Synonymous with plot twisting page turners, he has garnered an army of loyal fans throughout his storytelling career which also included writing for TV and producing films. He has won over 40 awards for his work, including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award, Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger and a BAFTA nomination for The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons, which he also executive produced.

WISH YOU WERE DEAD will be adapted by award winning writer Shaun McKenna, who worked on 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 Jason Taylor and Sound by Max Pappenheim.

The world premiers will kick off a major five-month nationwide UK tour next February, stopping at the New Theatre in Cardiff from Tuesday 16th through to Saturday 20th May. Performances are at 7:30pm each evening with a 2:30pm matinee on Wednesday and Saturday.

No casting to tell you about as yet, but you just know it’s going to be good. For more details and to get your tickets, go HERE.