★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewer - Annie

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review.

I must admit, despite being a huge theatre fan, I have never been to see an Agatha Christie play. So well renowned are her plays and novels - not only for hailing the longest-running play in the West End but also for how cleverly they are written, I have always felt a rather fraudulent theatre-goer having had a Christie missing from my checklist.

This all changed on Thursday evening when we were invited along to the press night for the new cast at ‘Witness for the Prosecution’ at County Hall. Christie’s famous whodunit play has now firmly planted its feet in the London theatre scene welcoming its latest turn of new cast members.

Set in the County Hall on Southbank, the play has been totally reimagined whilst still remaining authentic to the original script. By being set in an actual courtroom, audiences get the best elements of an immersive experience which feels relevant to the storyline, and it adds a new level of drama and anticipation to the production. As we are seeing evermore across the theatre world, immersive theatre is becoming increasingly popular, and this production offers elements in line with this trend but has kept true to its storyline and not overdone it in any way. It was so exciting to sit in the courtroom and watch the drama unfold right in front of you. It truly is a stroke of genius to stage the production in this way, and it is a testament to how well the show is continuing to do that it clearly is being enjoyed by so many.

Terence Wilton (Mr Justice Wainwright) in Witness for the Prosecution - photography credit Jay Brooks.jpg

The cast of Witness for the Prosecution - photography credit Jay Brooks.jpg

Despite this reimagined staging to keep up with contemporary trends, the production is true to the original in terms of setting and costuming, which creates a real sense of classic murder mysteries generation after generation have adored and continues to do so. The props and staging is stripped back but alludes to the era, enabling full focus to be on the drama and court hearing.

The cast is an excellent mix all providing self-assured, confident portrayals. For such an intimate setting, with very little lighting and separation from the audience, the cast proves their professionalism and entraps the audience with their performances.

Huge congratulations go to Harry Giubileo starring as leading man Leonard Vole, who makes his West End debut in the show. If this wasn’t stated in the programme you would not think twice about Giubileo being a regular in the West End circle. His power to lead the cast with such presence and passion was exceptional. His portrayal of Vole was excellent and he has totally mastered the art of a murder mystery performance - not alluding to any of the twists and turns the play takes us through.

As for the rest of the cast, they have clearly worked incredibly hard on the show. Not one performance fell short of the others, and with this, the play unfolded at an incredible tempo - perfectly playing to the tension and intimate moments. It has been a long time since I’ve seen a play where I haven’t had to wonder what the time is at any stage. Usually, you find yourself thinking, an interval must be coming soon, but with this show, I was shocked there wasn’t more - I was so involved with the cast and the story.

I hardly need to explain Christie’s talent for writing, but it is a true testament that so many still stand so relevant today, almost one hundred years since the initial short story was published. Of course, it was then adapted for the stage but Christie’s talent is with no doubt a masterclass of script writing. Providing a perfect balance of humour, wit and tension - it is easy to understand why they are surviving today, and why audiences continue to enjoy performances.

If you fancy a night at the theatre but with many twists and turns, I urge you to get down to the County Hall and try your hand at Jury service.