The Verdict starring Jason Merrells captivates audience on opening night at Mayflower Theatre in Southampton | Review

The Verdict, featuring Jason Merrells, was a phenomenal example of theatre and the cast impressively delivered a gripping tale of a washed up attorney on a mission to prove the malpractice of a hospital after a ‘routine’ birth resulted in a woman being left in a coma.

Jason Merrells, who is known for his roles in Waterloo Road and Cutting It, was superb in his role as a drunk lawyer, Frank Galvin, who managed to win the game after going up against one of the top lawyers in the country.

This flawless play, centred around redemption and growth, was delicately crafted to create an outstanding show with exquisite casting who followed a fast paced script full of legal jargon.

Set in Boston in 1980, the cast had to maintain a thick American accent and they all did so impeccably.

Merrells proved that he was deserving to be on the stage by continuously wowing the audience with his ability to captivate the audience through his acting – instead of relying on big budget effects.

Mrs McDaid, played Sarah Shelton, is the mother of Deborah Ann who ended up in a vegetative state, and her emotional character made the audience sympathise with her situation.

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His side-kick, Moe Katz, played by Vincent Pirillo, was remarkable and his kindhearted nature towards Galvin made him quickly become one of the favourites in the show.

Reanne Farley, who played the stunning Donna St Laurent, was a brilliant casting choice and she did a wonderful job in maintaining her character throughout all of the peaks, troughs and twists in the storyline.

The first half of the show was split between Galvin’s dingy office and his regular Irish bar and the stage was transformed into the courtroom, where the audience became the jury in a clever twist.

The juxtaposition of the settings before and after the interval created a clear representation of Frank’s growth as an attorney and throughout the play, the costumes and settings portray the development of case number 108.

The play was outstanding and it definitely sits on the recommendation list.