PRESENTED by the Middle Ground Theatre Company, this medieval murder mystery is a bit like an Agatha Christie with a Benedictine monk in the Poirot slot.

Gareth Thomas, right, in the title role (the monk, not the virgin) does a solid job, but the script does not give him enough scope and seems to lack the warmth and quirkiness that makes Ellis Peters’ Benedictine sleuth such compulsive reading.

Other familiar faces include Richard Walsh and Rupert Baker, who both appeared in TV series London’s Burning. I also enjoyed the evil guffawing of Greg Fitch’s outlaw as he mistreated his young hostage.

Much of the action takes place outdoors during a bitter winter, and back projection is used to good effect as characters stumble through snowy forests in search of a group of outlaws who have attacked and beaten one of the brothers and possibly committed even more heinous crimes yet to be discovered.

The play is a slow burner, enlivened by several production hiccups drawing unseemly titters from the audience.

An unwieldy item of scenery noisily loses its roof and then refuses to leave the stage despite the efforts of blackcowled stagehands; a tree is carried off stage left and then solemnly returned to exit stage right; a dashing gesture with a necktie is thwarted by difficulty untying the knot. The timing of the sound effects could do with sharpening up, too.

I’m told that the production has rested for the past week, and doubtless these matters, however diverting, will be rectified as the run progresses.

Until Saturday. Box office 01325-486555 and online darlingtonarts.co.uk