The powerful courtroom thriller that inspired a multi Academy Award-Nominated film starring Paul Newman is set to return to the stage this evening starring JASON MERRELLS.
Based on Barry Reed’s best-selling novel, THE VERDICT, Jason plays Frank Galvin, a washed up, alcoholic lawyer lawyer finding a new lease of life crusading for a downtrodden client in a seemingly un-winnable case against the city’s biggest law firm. He courageously refuses an out of court settlement, believing it is negligence that has condemned a young mother. Smelling a cover up, he instead takes the case and the entire legal system to court.
Filled with intrigue, suspense, and plenty of humour too, the story has some clever twists, which keep this courtroom drama as fresh as when it was first written.
JASON MERRELLS is an actor millions of us have seen, and enjoyed on our screens over the years. Think – Agatha Raisin, Emmerdale, Casualty, Waterloo Road and more recently, Finding Alice. He is joined by Richard Walsh (London’s Burning), Reanne Farley (River City), Vincent Pirillo, Nigel Barber, Okon Jones, Michael Lunney, Sarah Shelton, Jason Wilson, Teresa Jennings, Holly Jackson Walters, James Morley, Bruce Chattan, Anna Arthur and Dave Speck.
This phenomenal and gripping courtroom thriller has been a huge success at theatres across the UK and Ireland when it toured a few years ago. We get to see it at the New Theatre in Cardiff when the tour opens next Tuesday.
We caught up with Jason at the end of rehearsals in Malvern, home to Middle Ground Theatre Company, who are producing the show.
We spoke about the play, his numerous TV roles and his love of art (he has an art degree). But first, with just days to go before the play opens, we wondered how rehearsals were going.
THE VERDICT gets to the New Theatre in Cardiff from this evening, Tuesday 24th through to Saturday 28th. Performances are at 7:30pm each evening with a 2:30pm matinee on Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets start at £17 through to £35, with a variety of concessions and prices in between. For more details, and to book yours, go HERE.
