They are two of Albert Square's most-loved characters, and now the award-winning actors behind Walford's double act Kat and Alfie are coming to Northampton.
From Monday, Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie will star in The Perfect Murder at the Derngate Theatre.
It's the perfect duo taking on best-selling crime-author Peter James' celebrated work, making a heady mix for theatre lovers with a penchant for gripping deliveries.
Victor Smiley and his wife Joan have been married for a long time and their marriage has reached crisis point.
Victor decides there is just the one way to get Joan out of his life forever. But he is about to get a nasty surprise...
As young detective Roy Grace begins to investigate his first homicide case, dark forces intervene and Grace begins to fear that nothing is quite as it seems.
“It has always been my dream that one day the curtains would rise in a theatre and a play of my work would be performed,” Peter said.
“That dream came true in 2014 after a chance meeting with my old friend, producer, Joshua Andrews.
“The first run was a sell-out success...to now have Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace star in The Perfect Murder is another dream come true...I can't wait to see Shane and Jessie planning to murder each other on stage every night!"
And the work has a comedic element too: “Throughout all my writing I've always had elements of comedy and darkness very close to each other. I go out with the police a lot and they cope with so many tragedies through gallows humour. There's bodies on the deck and they'll find something funny, otherwise they'd go nuts.
“I think horror is always stronger if you get the audience laughing, and then turn it on them.
“With The Perfect Murder, with the first part of the first act audiences are not really sure if they should be laughing or not. That goes right up to when one of the characters is murdered.
“There's a hysterical body disposal scene and it's interesting because some audiences are laughing their heads off and others are going 'Are we meant to be laughing?' The suddenly it gets massively dark.”
The Perfect Murder shows at Northampton Derngate from Monday (March 14) to Saturday (March 19).
Call the box office on 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk
