Dermot Hoare spends an evening on the edge of his seat, figuring out whodunit in Bill Kenwright's production of A Judgement in Stone, showing at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud until February 4.
![YAT MAIN STAGE A Judgement in Stone with cast[1].jpg](https://www.essentialsurrey.co.uk/downloads/8893/download/YAT%20MAIN%20STAGE%20A%20Judgement%20in%20Stone%20with%20cast%5B1%5D.jpg?cb=7491ae46efbf848ce996f1857ee913bb&w={width}&h={height} "YAT MAIN STAGE A Judgement in Stone with cast[1].jpg")
What a difference a week makes. Last week Bill Kenwright’s production of Ruth Rendell’s 1977 story, A Judgement in Stone, was at Richmond receiving less than favourable reviews – ‘sluggishly paced with variable performances’ – last night at the Yvonne Arnaud we were treated to a polished performance of this exciting thriller. Admittedly, Ruth Rendell’s stories tend to lend themselves more to television than a one set stage production but Simon Brett and Anthony Lampard’s adaption supported by a first-class cast made for an excellent evening’s entertainment.
The story centres around the murder of the middle-class Coverdale family; father, mother, daughter and step-son and the action alternates between before and after that event – incidentally, giving the cast plenty of opportunity to demonstrate their skill at quick changes! Running through the story is the character of Eunice Parchman, the professional servant played perfectly by Sophie Ward, whom we see at one end being interviewed for the position of housekeeper and at the other end as routinely keeping the house in order as the police investigate the deaths.
While efficient as a housekeeper, Eunice has a problem she is anxious to hide, she can’t read, a fact that we can well see inevitably landing her in trouble. But she has compensations, she befriends the local post mistress, an irrepressible Deborah Grant playing the part of a onetime prostitute who has found religion and who offers damnation and salvation with equal fervor making her an unwelcome guest at the Coverdale’s house.
So, we are left with the question whodunit? Is it her? Or the part-time gardener with a record, the cleaner who comes in once a week or, of course, Eunice herself. But where’s the motive. Come and see for yourself.
A Judgement in Stone is showing at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre until February 4th and Woking's New Victoria Theatre from June 26 - July 1. Book tickets at ents24.com
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