Twelve Angry Men – Review

Lichfield Garrick main auditorium

Monday 8 April 2024

By Jono Oates

I remember watching Twelve Angry Men, the 1957 film, when I was about 12-13, it was a bit heavy going for someone of my age who was, at that time, more interested in Westerns and James Bond films, but I remember being drawn in to the dialogue and drama of it and the sheer emotion displayed by the actors.

The film was based on a 1954 teleplay by Reginald Rose and was directed by one of Hollowood’s greats, Sidney Lumet. It starred Henry Fonda, Lee J Cobb, Kack Klugman and Jack Warden, amongst others, and was one of the best films of 1957, winning many awards including a BAFTA for Henry Fonda in the Best Foreign Actor category.

The action takes place in a single room, the jurors’ room at the New York County Courthouse on a baking hot, and thundery, summers day. Twelve jurors are tasked by the judge to find judgement in the case of a juvenile Puerto Rican accused of stabbing his father to death after an angry exchange. The judge tells the jurors that they must come to a unanimous majority decision, or they have to declare a hung verdict, which would enforce a retrial with a different jury. It appears that the jurors are certain that the young offender is guilty as charged and they all vote for him to face the death penalty. However, juror number 8 is unsure about the young boy’s guilt and votes for not guilty. Now that the outcome is 11 for and 1 against the jurors must enter a debate about the guilt, or innocence, of the accused. As juror 8 outlines his reasons for his decision, he reminds his fellow jurors that his guilt must be proved ‘beyond reasonable doubt’. Will juror 8 be able to persuade his fellow jurors to change their minds, or will he be influenced to match the guilty verdict and send the accused to the electric chair?

Considering this play faithfully recreates a film that is nearly 70 years old this drama, produced by Bill Kenwright Productions, certainly stands the test of time. You could hear a pin drop in the main auditorium as it held the appreciative audience spellbound as the jurors debated, argued, shouted, pushed and shoved each other before finally coming to their final decision. Jason Merrells (Agatha Raisin, Casualty, Emmerdale), plays juror 8 determined to make sure that justice is done, while his chief antagonist is juror 3, played by Tristan Gemill, who is determined that the juvenile is guilty. Well known TV stars Gary Webster (Minder), Gray O’Brien (Casualty, Coronation Street) and Michael Greco (Eastenders) play other juror members and Greco, as juror number 7, is excellent, playing a wise guy, chewing bubble gum and desperate to escape the courtroom so he can go to a baseball game that same evening!  

The tension between the jurors is palpable and as the angry exchanges escalate the jurors display their true colours, some of then showing bigotry and racism while the foreman desperately tries to bring them to order and to come to their final conclusions.

The set design is very clever, and as the temperatures, and tempers, continue to rise in the jury room you can almost see the sweat on their brows and sense the claustrophobia of twelve male egos trapped in the same, locked, room. The accents are all very convincing and the atmosphere and feel is very much American. Directed by Christopher Haydon, the cast all put in excellent performances and took a well-deserved ovation at the end from the enthusiastic audience.

Twelve Angry Men is truly a very dramatic play, and is sure to keep you gripped from beginning to end, its thoroughly entertaining and the social commentary is just as relevant as it was in 1957 – it’s simply superb and is, undoubtedly, one of the best, if not the best, courtroom dramas on the screen or in the theatre – definitely a Jono recommendation!

Twelve Angry Men runs at the Lichfield Garrick, main auditorium, from Tuesday 09 to Saturday 13 April, performances start nightly at 7.30pm, with a matinee on Saturday 13 at 2.30pm.
Tickets start from £16 and can be booked by visiting the Garrick Box Office (during usual opening times), ringing 01543 412121 or booking online at:
www.lichfieldgarrick.com/whats-on/drama/twelve-angry-men/3306#