Centring around an extended family of rancourous brother and sister Jack and Luciana Locke (Christopher Timothy and Charlotte Weston), ex-mother in law - and also old flame of Jack's - Vivienne Trent (Rula Lenska) and conniving grandfather Cyrus Locke (Peter Byrne), this is a story concerned with who killed the head of the family, and the head of Locke Industries, Sebastian Locke.
Adapted by Hugh Janes from a Barbara Taylor Bradford novel - perhaps surprisingly, given the vast sales of her books, the first to be so honoured by a stage production - it is at best perfunctory, at worst farcical. The cast does its best with the mediocre material available - and Christopher Timothy, coming in at a week's notice, almost succeeds in making his character enjoy more dimensions than the writing allows - but the plot becomes so convoluted and ludicrous, particularly with the second half, which centres on the Countess De Granaille (Helen Ryan), that as far as audience reaction is concerned it becomes literally laughable.
Without meaning to demean Taylor Bradford, her style obviously appeals in books and on screen in Dallas/Dynastyesque mini-series but is simply not robust or rigorous enough to make compelling theatre.
Runs until Saturday. To book, phone Belfast 240411
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