Review: THE DA VINCI CODE, Salisbury Playhouse

As I'm probably one of only a handful who hasn't read the book or seen the film of The Da Vinci Code, I was looking forward to the play based on Dan Brown's bestselling novel of 2003 described as thriller, mystery and treasure hunt.

Selling more than 80 million copies, the book was turned into the second-highest grossing film of 2006, totalling $760 million worldwide. Directed by Ron Howard, it starred Tom Hanks, Audrey Tatou and Ian McKellen.

Harvard professor of religious symbology Robert Langdon becomes the prime suspect for the murder of Louvre curator Jacques Sauniere. Police discover a cipher on the body and start to investigate. Langdon escapes with the assistance of police cryptologist Sophie Neveu and they begin a quest for the Holy Grail. Also searching is a cabal in Opus Dei, who want to keep the Grail a secret to prevent Christianity's destruction. Will Langdon solve the mystery? Will he get the girl?

So many adore The Da Vinci Code (excluding those, of course, who claim it's badly written and historically inaccurate), I thought the theatre version would be a dead cert. Imagine my disappointment when I find the co-production between Wiltshire Creative and Mercury Theatre, Colchester confusing – and an altogether sorry and lifeless affair.

Writers Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, who adapted The Da Vinci Code for the stage, set the tale of intrigue in the present day. However, there's nothing new – other than the brief appearance of an iPhone with a fun quip about Apple and one reference to The Little Mermaid ­– brought to this production. A missed opportunity, but maybe it's deemed more important to give audiences what they're expecting – and reap the resultant commercial gains.

On the plus side, Alys Whitehead's set design is clever, with a central staircase, video screen at the back and paintings dropped in. At one point, four urinals artfully slide across to represent the gent's bathroom. As there are a number of locations ­­– London, Paris, Scotland and two airplane journeys – the set's flexibility eliminates tedious scene changes.

The pacing of this lengthy play – two hours and forty-five minutes – is not great and the production feels static. With the whiff of the school play about it the big reveal in the final scene, which should have been dramatic, portrays two main characters motionless on either side of the stage.

Even though the show suffers from a lamentable lack of direction and movement, some characters manage to shine through. Joe Bannister's Robert Langdon is amiable and upbeat, and Philip Bretherton steals the show as dynamic Leigh Teabing. His projection's excellent, which can't be said for some of the rest of the cast. In particular, I was longing for more stagecraft and volume from Georgia-Mae Myers' Sophie.

There aren't a lot of laughs here; and on the flip side, there could be more palpable tension. Where's the emotional heft that makes us really care about the characters?

To be fair, I think it's a big challenge transferring a story that's very plot-driven to the stage. I was longing to like The Da Vinci Code as much as I did The 39 Steps, adapted by Patrick Barlow in 2005. With its witty English-isms and small-scale feel, it skipped over the problems of excessive plotting, winning the hearts of audiences in the UK and abroad. It also scooped up numerous awards, including an Olivier and two Tonys.

Maybe diehard fans of the book and film will enjoy seeing the theatre version of The Da Vinci Code more than I did, as presumably they understand the plot and will be rewarded by simply seeing an old favourite performed on stage.

The Da Vinci Code runs at Salisbury Playhouse until May 3 and then tours.