Based on the Josephine Tey novel by the same name, The Daughter of Time is a slightly unconventional murder mystery in which Scotland Yard Detective Alan Grant (Rob Pomfret) is confined to a hospital bed with a broken leg with only boredom for company. His close friend and famous actress Marta Hallard (Rachel Pickup) encourages him to engage his brain in some detective work by looking at the faces of historical figures. Grant focussing on a portrait of Richard III sets out to prove Richard’s innocence by solving the mystery surrounding the disappearance and murder of the nephews.

Bob Sterrett’s set features a hinged edge which transforms the functional hospital room into a variety of ingenious scene settings. Stained glass for a fashionable restaurant, thick red curtains for the Old Vic, all integrated seamlessly and efficiently, which is particularly impressive given the size of the stage.

Oliver McNally’s lighting cleverly portrays the daily time changes with moonlight and sunshine pouring in through the window.

The book was published in 1951 and keeping the period setting for the play is a good choice allowing Bob Sterrett a chance to show his skill with the costumes. Nurses are in dresses, starched white aprons and caps rather than scrubs; D.I. Grant in his blue striped pyjamas, Templeton suave and effete and the lovely Marta in a series of elegant designs. The only flaw was Sergeant Williams’ overly tight trousers, which didn’t fit 1950s fashion.

Pomfret’s central performance is nicely sustained as he goes from being a disgruntled patient to a professional detective at work, able to solve a centuries old mystery despite being confined to bed.

Rachel Pickup injects glamour into lovelorn actress Marta Hallard, inexplicably infatuated with the oblivious Grant. Marta’s theatrical best friend, Nigel Templeton (Noah Huntley), delivers Richard’s opening soliloquy with Olivier like aplomb.

The support cast is generally strong although the characters verge on caricatures. Nurse Darroll (Janna Fox), fixated on Richard Lionheart not Richard III, is no nonsense, comic working class, Nurse Ingham (Hafsa Abbasi) a funny theatre loving foreigner.

Sanya Adegbola as police Sergeant Williams is the sceptical good solid copper

Harrison Sharpe as researcher Brent Carradine captures the character’s eccentric nervousness providing an energy to proceedings.

Jenny Eastop’s production feels dated and Reedy’s translation is dry and weighed down by narrative as the same facts about Richard are constantly repeated. Sadly, the elements injected to lighten the play such as the love interest and cheese wheel, also help make this production overlong. It is difficult to imagine a scenario today in which an individual remains hospitalized long enough to complete the Times crossword let alone solving a case that dates back 400 years.

3 stars

Reviewed by Nina Gardner

Photo Credits

Rehearsal Thomas Bowles

Production       Manuel Halon

The Daughter of Time is showing at Charing Cross Theatre

18th July 2025 – 13th September 2025. Tickets are available from the link below

https://charingcrosstheatre.co.uk/theatre/the-daughter-of-time

Cast

Nurse Ingam  Hafsa Abbasi

Alan Grant        Rob Pomfret

Marta Hallard                 Rachel Pickup

Nigel Templeton           Noah Huntley

Nurse Driscoll               Janna Fox

Sergeant Williams      Sanya Adegbola

Brent Carradine            Harrison Sharpe

Creatives

Written by: M. Kilburg Reedy
Based on the novel by: Josephine Tey
Directed by: Jenny Eastop
Produced by: Excelsior Entertainment, Mercurius Theatre, and Steven M. Levy 
Set and Costume Design by: Bob Sterrett
Lighting Design by: Oliver McNally
Composed by: Haddon Kime.