Witness for the Prosecution review: A timeless Christie thriller
70 years later and we’re still wrapped around Agatha Christie’s little finger.
Next week, Witness for the Prosecution is celebrating its 2000th performance since returning in 2017, giving us proof – as if we needed any more – that it’s Agatha Christie’s world and we’re just living in it.
When the show made its West End debut in 1953, it would have been impossible for anyone to tell how long it would last. Yet, 70 years later, on the stage of the London County Hall, this thrilling tale of love, lies and of course, murder holds up as if no time has passed at all.
Based on the 1925 short story, Traitor Hands, the play follows Leonard Vole, a young man accused of murdering a widow in cold blood to get a hold of her fortune. Despite protesting his innocence, the evidence of the case seems to be against him, helped along by those determined to see him face the noose.
As the courtroom drama unfolds and secrets are revealed, the members of the jury (who are in fact paying members of the audience) must decide Leonard’s fate: innocent or guilty?
From the start of the first act it doesn’t take long for you to realise that the set up and characters are classic Christie. There’s the familiar wide-eyed English gentleman, utterly in love with the justice system (and the sound of his own voice), the old battleaxe of a housekeeper, who’s convinced she knows who the murderer is just because, and the mysterious foreigner, whose motives and behaviours remain cryptic right until the very end.
Yet while these caricatures and scenarios are hardly alien to us – we get a new Miss Marple story every Christmas after all – there’s no hint of repetition or tedium, as each character is elevated by the brilliant cast.
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Every person in the ensemble has a strong presence on stage, which not only helps you to feel fully immersed in the courtroom setting, but also feeds your feelings of suspicion and confusion throughout. I found myself wondering at some points if Dr Wyatt (Damian Lynch) had something to hide, or maybe even the court stenographer (Melissa Aduke-James, who was making her West End debut).
Particular credit has to be given to the defence barrister Sir Wilfrid Robarts and the prosecution Mr Myers, deftly played by Stephen Hogan and John Mackay. Their playful banter, astute cross-examinations and impassioned speeches carried the court room scenes, and kept us far removed from the same old same old of Law and Order-style television. Plus, the story just wouldn’t have worked without Benjamin Westerby’s fresh faced and endearing performance as Leonard Vole – more great things to come from him I have no doubt.
It's not just the actors’ talents that bring this tale to life so effectively though. The austere setting of London County Court, once home to the now-extinct Greater London Council, is essential to the feelings of immersion. Because of this, any and all staging is simple but effective. Throughout the show, elements like the figure of Lady Justice and the hangman’s gallows (don’t worry that’s not a spoiler) are enough to make you understand the great danger Leonard Vole is in. Also, real talk, the seats were the comfiest theatre chairs I have ever sat in.
All in all, Witness for the Prosecution is a spine-tingling and mesmerising watch which messes with your mind perfectly. As the twisted plot unfolds and you grapple with all the potential outcomes, each one seeming either too obvious or too farfetched, the only real conclusion you can come to is that it’s foolish to ever try and outwit Agatha Christie.
At the end, and in her usual infuriating fashion, the answer was there all along, but of course, I can’t get into that…
Much like The Mousetrap, and our obsession with its author, I hope this play sticks around for a long time.
Buy Witness for the Prosecution tickets at London Theatre Direct
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When and where can I see Witness for the Prosecution?
Witness for the Prosecution is currently booking tickets until September 2024 with shows on every Tuesday to Sunday (matinee performances on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays).
The show is being held at London’s County Hall on the Southbank. To get there, simply head to Westminster (on the Circle, District and Jubilee line) or Waterloo (Bakerloo, Northern, Waterloo & City and Jubilee line). Or, if you’re coming from outside of London, you can get Southeastern and South Western rail directly to Waterloo and Waterloo East.
How to get tickets to see Witness for the Prosecution in London
Tickets are on sale at the official Witness for the Prosecution website and at London Theatre Direct. Prices start at £19 but go up all the way to £114 the closer you get to the stage.
Buy Witness for the Prosecution tickets at London Theatre Direct
And if you want to see Agatha Christie's other play, here's how to get tickets for The Mousetrap.
Buy The Mousetrap tickets at London Theatre Direct
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