DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY
Theatre Royal Windsor
★★★
“for the most part the characters are gently engaging”
When P D James wrote “Death Comes to Pemberley”, she prefaced the novel with an apology to Jane Austen for ‘involving her beloved Elizabeth in the trauma of a murder investigation’. She surmised that had Austen wished to dwell on such ‘odious subjects’, she would have written the story herself, and ‘done it better’. The general reception to her novel disputed her modest self-criticism, however, and her sequel to ‘Pride and Prejudice’, written in the style of Jane Austen, was a blend of James’ signature crime writing and Austen’s sardonic romance. It wasn’t long before it was adapted for television, but it has taken a few more years for it to reach the stage.
Duncan Abel and Rachel Wagstaff’s adaptation is a remarkably faithful interpretation of the P D James mystery novel. It is the year 1803, and Darcy and Elizabeth have been married for six years and are comfortable in their orderly world on their idyllic estate of Pemberley. On the eve of their annual ball there is a storm. Elizabeth’s younger sister, Lydia, bursts onto the scene screaming blue murder. A corpse is found in the woods, cradled by Lydia’s blood-soaked husband. It appears to be an easily solved whodunnit. It isn’t, of course. That would make for a very short play. And this adaptation – which opened at the Mill at Sonning prior to its current tour – is most certainly on the long side.
It is not an easy story to adapt, yet Abel and Wagstaff do justice to both Jane Austen and P D James with a cast that authentically recreates the characters. There is inevitably an overreliance on exposition which causes the story to drag occasionally, but for the most part the characters are gently engaging. All eyes are bound to be on James Bye, fresh from his television persona as Martin in ‘Eastenders’. But Bye is unrecognisable, sensitively portraying the solid Fitzwilliam Darcy, adding an appealing vulnerability to his haughtiness. Jamie-Rose Duke places Elizabeth Darcy ahead of her time, unafraid to stand up to her husband but unashamed to stand by him too. The couple seem to be the only ones on the side of the prime murder suspect, George Wickham. He’s a dodgy fellow who does himself no favours, portrayed with infectious energy by Sam Woodhams. Woodhams also doubles as the terminally ill Will Bidwell – quite ironic given the role Will plays in the mystery, but I shall give nothing away.
As skeletons come out of the closet, the plot thickens, relationships tangle, intrigues intertwine, and class divides blur. The atmosphere is seldom fully realised, however, and there is little in the way of suspense. And an awful lot of lines are lost among problems of projection (James Bye is an exception, as is Sarah Berger’s matriarchal Lady Catherine de Bourgh). Director Jonathan O’Boyle ably steers the narrative through the woods, but never really breaks from a trot; particularly in the first act. After interval the pace quickens to a canter, but we want to feel as though we are galloping towards the conclusion. A sense of location is often missing too. Mike Robertson’s lighting attempts to lead us from the salons into the woods, but too much overspill leaves us hovering between the two.
Although it obviously helps, you don’t need to be familiar with Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and prejudice’ (or P D James’ sequel) to appreciate the story being told here. There is plenty to hang onto as the strands of the storyline come together and backstories are revealed. But we are hanging on precariously – the hold on our attention lacking the strength to keep us gripped throughout. It could be a wonderful blend of whodunnit and period drama but, despite the commitment of a fine ensemble cast, it is left swinging between the two, not entirely sure which to reach out for.
DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY
Theatre Royal Windsor then UK Tour continues
Reviewed on 25th July 2025
by Jonathan Evans
Photography by Pamela Raith
Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:
DOUBTING THOMAS | ★★★½ | June 2025
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD | ★★ | March 2025
PRIDE & PREJUDICE (SORT OF) | ★★★ | February 2025
BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF | ★★★★ | January 2025
FILUMENA | ★★★★ | October 2024
THE GATES OF KYIV | ★★★★ | September 2024
ACCOLADE | ★★★½ | June 2024
OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR | ★★★★ | April 2024
CLOSURE | ★★★★ | February 2024
THE GREAT GATSBY | ★★★ | February 2024
