REVIEW: Twelve Angry Men at Theatre Royal Windsor

A beautiful, sepia-toned production of Twelve Angry Men reveals that not everything is black and white.

Written as a play in 1954 and is still packing a punch today, a new production of the legal drama is on tour featuring a talented cast including Patrick Duffy.

In a stifling jury room, a dozen men must decide if a young man is guilty of killing his abusive father.

At first it seems the verdict will be unanimous but as time passes and the heat rises, many of the twelve seem ready to hang the jury – and each other – as personalities and sensibilities clash over the case.

If you’ve never seen the 1957 film with Henry Fonda, I won’t tell the plot. I’ve seen the film just once and loved this retelling. It's entertaining, often funny and always compelling.

It’s necessarily an ensemble piece and every actor here holds his own. Patrick Duffy has an imposing height and an understated authority as Juror 8 in relief to the menace brilliantly inhabited by Juror 10 (Gray O’Brien) There’s the physicality of sports-loving Juror 7 (Michael Greco), the scales falling from the eyes of Juror 4 (Mark Heenehan) the besuited timebomb who is Juror 3 (Tristan Gemmill).

Directed by Christopher Haydon, the whole thing is beautifully staged on Michael Pavelka’s great set – complete with plumbed taps.

Seeing the play live brings more power to the tale, its the message of understanding and seeing the bigger picture remains more relevant than ever.

Twelve Angry Men is playing at Theatre Royal Windsor until October 28

It will also be at Wycombe Swan from November 13-17