Picture the scene. It’s a murder mystery play. Written by Agatha Christie. Already a recipe for success, just look at the mega power that is ‘The Mousetrap’. But wait, it’s a courtroom drama, and it’s being performed in London County Hall’s Council Chamber, giving the sense of a real court room. Ladies and gentlemen, I think that we are on to a winner here. This is ‘Witness For The Prosecution’.
Christie herself named ‘Witness for the Prosecution’ as her favourite play and since the show returned to London in 2017 at the iconic County Hall on the Southbank, it has thrilled and delighted crime drama fans with both its story full of twists and turns and its unique immersive setting.
We are introduced to Leonard Vole (George Jones), a wide eyed charming young man who has found himself accused of the murder of an older women who he has been helping at her home. But, of course, he claims that he is completely innocent. It is up to his solicitor Sir Wilfred Robarts Q.C (Oliver Boot) to get him off a death charge, whilst Mr Myers Q.C (Gyuri Sarossy) is the crowd prosecutor, and even Vole’s wife Romaine (Meghan Treadway) to called to the witness stand.
There is a very clear reason as to why Agatha Christie is described as one of the greatest crime writers of all time, and, to put it simply, that is because no one can quite weave a tale in the way that she could. ‘Witness for the Prosecution’ is packed full of twists and turns, moments that have you wondering who did it and moments that have you doubting your own thoughts. One minute it seems crystal clear who is the guilty one and the next, everything is so cleverly and deliciously flipped on its head that you really don’t’ know who to suspect. This is a story that will have you hanging on every word until the very last minute, and whilst its ending might not be as closely guarded as that of ‘The Mousetrap’, this production still asks its audiences to respect the court and keep the secret, therefore I can’t say too much more about the plot itself in risk of letting a spoiler slip.
As Leonard Vole, Jones shines. He is a captivating performer, holding the story together from start to finish. His interactions with Robarts, Myers and Romaine create many avenues in which the story, and the case itself, could go. Boot and Sarossy become the double act of the piece as the solicitor and the prosecution, with what can best described as the ‘banter’ between them. They are people of law who simply love what they do and love to wind each other up even more, creating many a laugh. Treadaway is the perfect women of mystery as Romaine, with her own story to tell as she commands the stage.
And what a stage it is. London’s former Council chamber becomes the most spectacular of court rooms for this drama. William Dudley’s set design puts this amazing space centre stage with the action happening in real witness boxes complete with judge (David Killick). A simple wooden beam becomes the stand and for scenes taking place away from the court room, cosy home comforts are seamlessly brought in and out by members of the cast. Although we are encouraged to focus on the stage and the boxes throughout, a little look around will showcase the amount of detail that has gone into creating this production. Court officers guard the doors, calling for witnesses to enter, a clerk takes notes for the judge, and if you are sat in the courtroom stalls (quite possibly the comfiest seats in the West End) speakers built into the seats gently play scene setting background noise, the rattling of keys for the cells below the court, footsteps as witnesses make their way down the corridors, and reactions to the action itself. This production is a wonderfully immersive experience, you feel as if you really are the fly on the wall of a murder case in a grand old courthouse.
Overall, if you are a fan of a good old murder mystery, then this production can do no wrong. The twists and turns will have you gripped from start to end, the performances are clever and believable, and you will feel the thrill of trying to guess who did it before all is revealed.
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