I’m not sure if there’s some sort of deal on EastEnders stars at the moment, but the Belgrade Theatre is fast becoming the new Albert Square. Ian and Jane Beale (Adam Woodyatt and Laurie Brett) will soon be appearing in Looking Good Dead, and Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) follows in their wake, starring in Cluedo. But first up there’s The Da Vinci Code, which features no less than four of the soap’s alumni, most notably Nigel Harman, who played Dirty Den’s son Dennis Rickman.

His father died in dubious circumstances of course, and a grisly murder kicks off Dan Brown’s best-seller, as the curator of the Louvre is found dead in the museum, surrounded by a series of ciphers that Harvard professor Robert Langdon - Harman playing the hero this time around - is brought in to solve, alongside fellow cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Hannah Rose Caton).

The unlikely duo end up on an international quest to crack a code hidden in the works of Da Vinci, roping in help from eccentric expert Sir Leigh Teabing (Red Dwarf star Danny John-Jules), all the while trying to stay one step ahead of the police and a murderous monk from Opus Dei, a religious sect desperate to keep a shocking historical secret from coming to light.

Brown’s plot is completely preposterous of course, but exhilaratingly compelling all the same, and Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel’s theatrical adaptation makes a decent fist of matching it. The brilliant hi-tech staging, particularly the dazzling video projections, not only dictate time and place but more importantly pace, giving the production a real zip, and provide a useful contrast to the wordier elements, especially when sections of the plot are explained rather than performed.

The latter is well served by John-Jules, who brings an element of warmth and humour to proceedings, and makes the lengthy exposition just about palatable - though not necessarily comprehensible - and the rest of the cast do sterling, if not entirely memorable work. In truth there was never likely to be room for much depth or character development in a romp like this, but Harman and Caton develop an easy platonic rapport, and Joshua Lacy deserves special mention for a suitably compelling portrayal of the fanatical monk Silas.

Aside from the occasional light-hearted moment - including a knowing nod to the pandemic - it’s full steam ahead to the denouement, but the journey to get there is enjoyable enough, and if you’re one of the 100 million people to have read the book then you’ll know how it all turns out. And if not, cue the ‘duff duff’ cliff-hanger drum beats...

Four stars

Reviewed by Steve Adams at Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, on Tuesday 22 February where the show continues until Saturday 26 February. The Da Vinci Code then plays Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 8 to 12 March; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury from 7 to 11 June, The Alexandra, Birmingham, from 21 to 25 June and Malvern Festival Theatre, 13 to 17 September.