If musicals are our favorite form of theatre, ’90s courtroom dramas may be our favorite form of film. Especially if Sandra Bullock is in them. So how excited were we when we found out A Time to Kill was being adapted by Rupert Holmes for the stage?! And even after we found out that we didn’t get to choose the murderer in the end, we still couldn’t wait.

The set was pretty cool, but having most of the action take place in the courtroom seemed to confine the play. Much of the real drama seemed to take place offstage, through sound effects or phone calls. The moment the audience actually saw the danger and urgency of the case, when a giant cross burned on stage, was effective, but a little short.

The actors, however, were fantastic, particularly Sebastian Arcelus and Tonya Pinkins. Though Tonya was only in a few scenes, her presence was powerful and heartbreaking. As Jake Brigance, Sebastian carried the play well. After all, he was the one who was usually reacting to phone calls and offstage sound effects. The play was a lot funnier (which was a little weird, tone-wise) than the movie, and he gave the character a nice wit. Being fans of Sebastian to begin with, we can’t wait to see him leading more shows.

If you’re looking for quick and witty courtroom back-and-forth with drama and some great performances, go see A Time to Kill at the Golden. But if you’re looking for really sweaty actors, rent the movie. For tickets: www.atimetokillonbroadway.com