New Plymouth Repertory's Rough Justice is a thrilling courtroom drama

The cast of Rough Justice, playing now at New Plymouth Repertory Theatre. Photo / Supplied

The New Plymouth Repertory production of Terence Frisby's gripping courtroom drama Rough Justice is an intriguing and thought-provoking play that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Under Heather Harrison's skilled and thoughtful direction, the play - about a famous television journalist accused of murdering his severely brain-damaged baby son - takes the audience on a roller-coaster of emotion as the story unfolds.

The majority of the play is set in a British courtroom, with a few scenes taking place in the defendant's cell or a corridor just outside the courtroom and stage manager Don Freebairn-Read has created a realistic and effective set for this, which from the moments the curtains opened made the audience feel as though they were sat in the jury seats themselves.

Antony Jones, as the defendant James Highwood, is brilliantly cast. Highwood opts to be litigant in person - defending himself in court. Jones manages to convincingly move between arrogance and grief as he spars with the prosecuting counsel, played by Victoria Kerr.

For her part, Kerr is a magnificent opponent as she argues with Highwood, determined to convince the jury the only possible verdict is murder. Kerr and Jones are well matched in this play, and it is their sparring that really keeps the play moving. With so many lines between them, it is to be expected there will be a few missteps on the way, but any momentary fumbling for a line simply adds to the realism of a man fighting to stay out of prison, and a prosecutor determined to put him there.

John Butler, as the judge, is another example of excellent casting. His haughty tones, tempered at times with frustration by the behaviour of the defendant, are perfectly played.

Vanessa Harrison plays the part of distraught mother Jean, who is in the courtroom each day watching her husband's trial. She played Jean as an aloof, cold and brittle woman and at times I felt she lost the sympathy of the audience in doing so. That said, that lack of warmth at the start made it more striking later on when her character became a bit more emotional.

Morris West, as Jeremy Ackroyd, an affable solicitor who is acting as a McKenzie friend for Highwood, was well cast. His frustration as he tries to cajole Highwood into being less combative with the judge and his awkwardness when he is caught between husband and wife, neither of whom want to be left alone with each other, are well played throughout. For much of the play he is required to simply sit and watch the proceedings and West gave his character some delightful facial expressions as he watched Highwood push the judge's patience more and more.

Bryan Vickery played the police officer who recounts the confession and the subsequent arrest to the court, and he did so well. His character was seemingly overawed by finding himself in the Old Bailey but determined to give his evidence.

That evidence was then followed by the expert witnesses played by Gillian Somers and Jim Paxie. Both actors were excellent in these roles, with Somers playing an impressively qualified paediatrician who gives the court a blunt prognosis of future development and quality of life for the child, while Paxie played the pathologist with the unenviable task of explaining exactly how the child would have died.

That description was then superbly picked up later on in the play by Kerr as she makes her final statements to the jury. As she picks up the pillow and talks the jury through what might have transpired that fateful night, she absolutely steals the show.

Rough Justice is not a light play, it is a tough topic that in the hands of this cast and director, is thought provoking and insightful and is a must watch for fans of excellent courtroom dramas.

Rough Justice is playing at the New Plymouth Repertory Theatre until March 5.