Meet The Daughter of Time, a new play based on Josephine Tey’s crime novel now playing at Charing Cross Theatre.
Written by M Kilburg Reedy, Rob Pomfret (Uncle Vanya) stars as Inspector Alan Grant, a brilliant but cantankerous Scotland Yard detective confined to a hospital bed and compelled to turn his investigative skills to a centuries-old mystery.
London, 1950. Inspector Alan Grant, laid up in hospital, investigates the alleged crimes of Richard III and the murder of the Princes in the Tower as a “cold case file.” What begins as a distraction becomes an urgent mission, as Grant tangles with two scheming Shakespearean actors, a couple of opinionated nurses, his own sceptical deputy, and a lovesick young American historical researcher to solve his case. Along the way, he might just solve the mystery of his own heart.
Rachel Pickup (The Gilded Age seasons 2 and 3) plays Marta Hallard, a glamorous leading lady of the London stage whose affection for Grant runs deeper than friendship. Noah Huntley (The Days of Our Lives) plays Nigel Templeton, a polished Shakespearean actor and Marta’s loyal confidant.
Harrison Sharpe (Overwhelm) is Brent Carradine, an earnest young American researcher whose enthusiasm proves infectious. Hafsa Abbasi (The Daughters of Oedipus) plays Nurse Ingham, a theatre-loving young nurse with strong opinions and a soft heart.
Janna Fox (African Gothic) is Nurse Darroll, a no-nonsense, history-loving caregiver with a formidable presence. Sanya Adegbola (Doctor Who) plays Sergeant Williams, Grant’s grounded and good-humoured colleague from the Yard.
Completing the cast is Henry Douthwaite (The Butterfly Lion), understudy for Grant and Templeton; Sophie Doyle (Twelfth Night), ensemble and understudy for the Nurses; and Gregor Roach (Primary Playwrights), ensemble and understudy for Carradine and Williams.
Directed by Jenny Eastop, the play has set and costume design by Bob Sterrett, lighting design by Oliver McNally, composition by Haddon Kime, sound design by Andrew Johnson, hair, make-up and wigs by Diana Estrada Hudson, casting by Neil Rutherford and production management by James Anderton. The Daughter of Time is produced by Excelsior Entertainment, Mercurius Theatre and Steven M Levy for Charing Cross Theatre Productions Limited.
It is now running until Saturday, September 13, 2025. Tickets here.
Top image: The Daughter of Time. Credit Manuel Harlan (image supplied)
