As the UK tour of Peter James’ Wish You Were Good Dead gets underway, producer Josh Andrews has announced that Katie McGlynn, will be joining the lead cast from May this year. Katie will feature in the cast as it plays Cardiff’s New Theatre the same month.
Katie, best known for her seven-year starring role as Sinead Tinker in Coronation Street (for which she won a National Television Award), as well as Waterloo Road, Hollyoaks and the 2021 series of Strictly Come Dancing – will be taking over the role of Cleo Morey from Giovanna Fletcher, who will be performing the role on tour from February 16th through to April 29th. Tickets for all tour venues are on sale now from PeterJames.com.
Katie will be making her professional stage play debut in this World Premiere production of Wish You Were Dead, playing the role of Cleo Morey from 2nd May at the Leeds Grand Theatre, and then performing at top theatres across the UK until the tour concludes on 29 July at Woking’s New Victoria Theatre.
Katie will join other star cast members, George Rainsford (Casualty, Holby City, Call The Midwife) as DSI Roy Grace and Clive Mantle (Game of Thrones, The Vicar of Dibley, Sherlock, Casualty) as Curtis. Other cast include Rebecca McKinnis, Callum Sheridan-Lee, Alex Stedman and Gemma Stroyan and Leon Stewart will reprise his role as DS Glenn Branson, having previously starred in another Peter James stage adaptation, Looking Good Dead. The understudies are Lizzie Grace, Jayda Kariuki and Christopher Killik.
Katie McGlynn says: “I can’t think of a better way to make my stage play debut than with this brilliant and thrilling Peter James masterpiece and am so excited to be performing alongside such an incredibly talented cast. I’m really looking forward to visiting theatres all over the country, witnessing the audience reaction to the many twists, turns and edge-of-your-seat moments in the show.”
Wish You Were Dead is the sixth stage adaptation of James’ novels – making it the most successful crime thriller stage franchise since Agatha Christie, follows DSI Roy Grace and Cleo Morey as they take a much-needed holiday together. They are hoping for a few days away from their dark worlds of murder and the mortuary. But their dream escape turns out to be the holiday from hell, as the past comes back to haunt them.
Produced by Josh Andrews and Peter James and adapted by award winning writer Shaun McKenna, who has adapted the five previous Peter James plays, the production will also reunite the creative team from Looking Good Dead, with Jonathan O’Boyle directing, Design by Michael Holt, Lighting by Jason Taylor and Sound by Max Pappenheim.
Previous Peter James novels brought to the stage include: ‘Looking Good Dead‘ which premiered in 2021 starring Adam Woodyatt and Gaynor Faye; ‘The House on Cold Hill’ starring Joe McFadden and Rita Simons in 2019; ‘Not Dead Enough‘ starring Shane Richie and Laura Whitmore in 2017; ‘Dead Simple‘ starring Tina Hobley in 2015 and ‘The Perfect Murder‘ starring Les Dennis and Claire Goose in 2014.
- Wish You Were Dead will play Cardiff’s New Theatre from May 16-20 2023. For ticket availability visit the Cardiff New Theatre website