Court is in session at The New Theatre this week for The Verdict

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All rise! Not for the money and the free rides, but for the New Theatre’s latest hard-boiled drama opening this week.

The Verdict is in session at the Theatre and in a classic David takes on Goliath court battle for the ages. With rave reviews from all the critics, we’re going to give our own testimony on what we thought of the opening night performance.

Based on the global-bestselling book by ex-trial Lawyer Barry Reed, The Verdict follows beaten down, alcoholic veteran lawyer Frank Galvin as he tries desperately to seek redemption with one final case. For fans of more serious dramas such as An Inspector Calls, which carry a moral weight and heavy dialogue and detail then this is the one for you. It also helps having a courtroom drama written by an ex-lawyer, adding to the authenticity of the scenes and keeps you hooked until the final verdict.

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For such a dialogue heavy drama, the cast were superb, compelling the audience to listen in to every detail. But no one could top the magnificent performance of Jason Merrells. He just did not put a foot wrong the entire night, commanding not only the courtroom but the audience as well. Every joke that he had to play with landed, and we were with him every step of the way as he calmly tackled his opposition in battle. Reanne Farley also turned in a stellar performance as did Holly Jackson Walters in a short but unforgettable performance on the witness stand. To give my final argument on the cast, they were all consummate professionals which elevated this performance into a resounding success.

Let’s have a recess from proceedings for a moment to talk about the fantastic sets in this show. For the first act it followed the usual set up of dramas and had some big bulky pieces to create Galvin’s office and local bar, with a couple of changing backdrops. These pieces were beautifully done, in particular the bar which looked like it had been ripped straight out of the Rummer Tavern in town. However, never have I seen such a dramatic set change during the interval. The safety curtain came down, and when it came back up the entire stage had been transformed into a very realistic looking courtroom! This impressive change really elevated the performance in the second act, and the genius idea of letting the audience act as jury and having the characters address us directly was a masterstroke. It was the ultimate fourth wall break! Mainly because the set made it appear one wall of a courtroom had been knocked through and some seats had been installed for us to watch.

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Overall, our closing argument for this case is that The Verdict is a hard-boiled courtroom drama, with a stellar cast and a plot that packs a punch. We absolutely loved it. I’m always a fan of a musical in the New Theatre, but I equally love it when a more grounded production like this comes along that challenges our morals and causes us to question the actions of others. You’ve be hard pressed to find a better way to spend and evening in the city this week.

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