The Daughter of Time ★★★ Charing CrossTheatre | Jul 18 - Sep 13, 2025


For over five hundred years, the mystery of the princes in the tower has fascinated the public. Historians and such eminent writers as Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More have long attributed the disappearance of 11-year-old Edward V and his 9-year-old brother Richard to their usurper uncle, Richard III. But, in 1951, Josephine Tey, in her novel The Daughter of Time proposed a different theory, and history buffs were more than intrigued. This dramatisation of Tey's book will probably be equally interesting for that group, but whether it will have a general appeal is another question. Tey propounds her original hypothesis for the historical whodunit in the context of a love story which is based upon the Shakespearean antecedent of Much Ado About Nothing. Confirmed bachelor and detective Alan Grant is in hospital with a broken leg. He is bored and cranky, and his lady friend, the actress Marta Hallard, introduces him to the mystery of the princes in the tower in order to distract him. Simultaneously, Marta schemes with another actor friend to nudge the obtuse Grant into realising that he wants to marry her. This love story is as light, silly and contrived as Grant's investigation from his bedridden state is dense, scholarly and convoluted. And unfortunately, the former never quite succeeds in leavening the latter. Except for real history enthusiasts, the stage version of The Daughter of Time may seem heavy on talk and light on action. The cast is generally strong and the three principals all manage to hit the right, somewhat mannered, note. Rob Pomfret's portrayal of Grant, the quick-witted sleuth who is slow on the uptake in the emotional department, is particularly notable. It seems a shame that a show which is all about history also has some details such as the hospital bed and a Zimmer frame that are anachronistic, but the real issue here remains the ponderous, long-winded development of mystery plot. This dramatic version of Tey's clever historical revisionism probably won't be able to sustain the interest of most audience members.

Rated: ★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Manuel Harlan

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: The Arches, Villiers St, London WC2N 6NL, UK

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