Twelve Angry Men Brings Courtroom Drama to HMT

A jury has to decide whether a teenager accused of murder lives or dies. These are the stakes as the stage adaptation of Twelve Angry Men opens a UK-wide tour with a run in Aberdeen this September. The play is drawn from Reginald Rose’s 1954 teleplay, later adapted into Sidney Lumet’s 1957 film, which was nominated for three Academy Awards. The jurors argue their way through their own prejudices before reaching a verdict.

Gray O’Brien takes the lead, known to television audiences as Tony Gordon in Coronation Street. He’s joined by Bill Ward, currently touring in The Shawshank Redemption, who played Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street and James Barton in Emmerdale. Ricky Norwood, who played Fat Boy in EastEnders, and Tristan Gemmill, who starred as Dr Adam Trueman in Casualty and appeared in The Bodyguard in the West End, are also in the cast, alongside Ben Nealon, best remembered as Captain Jeremy Forsythe in Soldier Soldier.

Steven Milne, Aberdeen Performing Arts Head of Programming, said: “Twelve Angry Men is an enthralling courtroom drama… as clever, thought-provoking and full of extra-ordinarily talented performers as the legendary original film.”

Paul Beech, Graham Elwell, Jeffrey Harmer, Mark Heenehan, Kenneth Jay, Paul Lavers and Owen Oldroyd fill out the rest of the jury. Elwell, Harmer and Oldroyd have all previously toured with The Shawshank Redemption. Micquel Pereira completes the line-up, making their professional stage debut.