Review: 'No doubt' that Doubting Thomas worth seeing

The curtain is up on a new play marking the launch of an exciting new venture. 

Theatre Royal's historic venue has introduced a Creatives in Residence scheme, with Doubting Thomas as the inaugural production. 

Its authors, Catherine O'Reilly and Tim Churchill, were announced in April as the theatre's writers-in residence for the next three years. 

The couple's play, Closure, was a hit with audiences in Windsor earlier this year. A tense thriller shot through with humour, it featured Susan Penhaligan and Peter Duncan as a long-married couple who invite their two adult daughters - along with each daughter's distinctly different love interest - to the countryside home. 

Sparring sisters also feature in Doubting Thomas which features three generations of the Noble (what a name to live up to) clan. 

The set shows a spacious room backed by a stylish atrium with stained glass, French windows, trailing vines and comfortable seats for uncomfortable conversations. 

It's the rather lovely house of Jane (Felicity Dean) and Tom Noble, though the latter has dementia and is in a nursing home. 

And through scenes with Jane's daughters Sara (Claire Marlowe)  and Anna (Eva O'Hara), nephew Matt (Ben Nealon), grandson Ben (Matt Taylor), details emerge that there has been a tragedy, Tom was found with the dead body of his carer Mark and is suspected of causing his death. 

Facing trials enough of their own, the family are devastated when lawyer Karima (Nikki Patel) tells them that the case must go to court. 

Character, culpability and honesty are tested and surprising truths come to light. And there is plenty of light as contrast to the shade, plenty of laughter in the exchanges. 

When Sara complains about her teenage son being terse during his A levels, her mother reminds her: "Darling, you were awful!"

And Tom's vicar brother Peter (Gary Webster) has a pleasing number of vices. 

I especially  liked the scene where he is outside smoking and talking with Anna, while the action shifts back and forth between them through the window and the separate conversation downstage. 

It's a minor quibble, but I found the single-syllable male names, all of biblical origin, too similar. 

With Tom and Mark never appearing on stage, it took me a while to distinguish who was being talked about. Perhaps referring to Tom as 'Thomas' would help - and better match the play's title. At least Peter has two syllables. 

But make no mistake: this is a wonderfully involving and entertaining play and, doubtless, one worth seeing.  

Doubting Thomas will be showing at Theatre Royal Windsor until Saturday, June 14.