Review: The Da Vinci Code, Theatre Royal Bath – ‘a proper stage-turner’

If you (still) like the book, you’ll love this production. Beautifully designed by David Woodhead, with stunning animation by Andrzej Goulding, The Da Vinci Code rips through its plot, deliberately not giving us a second to question the absurdity of what is going on.

As with the book, we are so dazzled by the cleverness and speed that by the time we get to the end we’re sated by it all. It’s a proper stage-turner.

If you enjoyed Galileo, though, you probably won’t be so happy. This is not a play which explains difficult concepts in an accessible way, making you feel smarter at the end than at the beginning. No, this is a bamboozling mix of anagrams, twists, turns and ritual which doesn’t bear much scrutiny.

The curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered, and alongside his body are a series of baffling codes. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon finds himself the chief suspect, whose escape is engineered by Sophie Neveu, a cryptologist who has a connection with the murdered man.

Danny John-Jules as Sir Leigh Teabing, Hannah Rose Caton as Sophie Neveu – photo: Johan Persson

The Parisian police (I am trying so hard not to call them the Keystone Cops) are in hot pursuit, whilst a mysterious monk is literally beating himself up over his involvement in the affair. Langdon and Neveu travel freely around Europe to seek out the master of symbology, Sir Leigh Teabing, in the belief that he will help them. How naïve they, and we, are.

On their journey they meet a knowing banker, a disgruntled servant, an earnest nun and a truculent curator before finally discovering what they were looking for. Whatever it was. Scholars of the book still argue what the ‘Holy Grail’ actually is – is it a chalice? Is that a euphemism? Has that woman been sitting in that chapel all along? What?

There are some strong performances, most notably from Joshua Lacey and Debra Michaels. And there is ensemble choreography which does much to keep the symbolism concept afloat. But sadly there is no consistency in tone from the lead performers.

Danny John-Jules as Sir Leigh Teabing – photo: Johan Persson

Nigel Harman is solid and credible but not charismatic, Hannah Rose Caton displays a sense of discovery and excitement more suited to theatre for the very young, and Danny John-Jules seems to be in a different play altogether.

Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel have adapted the book faithfully, with smart choices designed to keep the plot on-piste by avoiding some of the rabbit holes down which Dan Brown sent his readers. Director Luke Sheppard gives us spectacle and physical exposition so that we stay, mostly, on top of what’s happening.

A great deal of skill and effort has gone into this production, full of intrigue, puzzles and urgent questions. For me, though, the unanswered question of the whole thing remains – why?

Hannah Rose Caton as Sophie Neveu – photo: Johan Persson

The Da Vinci Code is at Theatre Royal Bath, Sawclose, Bath, BA1 1ET until February 5, at 7.30pm, with 2.30pm matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm. Tickets are available at www.theatreroyal.org.uk.

Main photo: Johan Persson

Read more: Review: The Play What I Wrote, Theatre Royal Bath

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