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Stars explained: * A production of no real merit
with failings in all areas. ** A production showing evidence of not
enough time or effort, or even talent, and which never breathes any real
life into the piece – or a show lumbered with a terrible script. *** A
good enjoyable show which might have some small flaws but has largely
achieved what it set out to do.**** An excellent show which shows a
great deal of work and stage craft with no noticeable or major
flaws.***** A four star show which has found that extra bit of magic
which lifts theatre to another plane. |
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Dan Payne as Sir Wilfrid Robarts QC and Laura Hinton as Romaine, wife, alibi and witness Witness for the Prosecution Sutton Arts Theatre **** Agatha Christie and not a drawing room or country house in sight in what is one of her most theatrically compelling works, setting almost the entire play in a sombre courtroom in The Old Bailey at a time when a capital crime brought a capital punishment. Courtrooms have long been a fertile ground for drama with the likes of Twelve Angry Men, The Verdict, To Kill a Mockingbird and the like, with witnesses the key element and Christie uses that device to provide the drama. The plot is simple: young Leonard Vole, a somewhat unworldly, naïve and, if we are honest, hardly intellectually gifted individual, has been arrested for the murder of wealthy Emily French, an older lady who had befriended him. He had been the last person to see her alive, she had left her fortune to him, and his alibi, thin as it was, depended purely on his wife claiming he was at home when Miss French was killed. As he was unemployed, virtually penniless and stood to inherit a fortune, some £85,000 in 1953 when the play first appeared – the equivalent of more the £3m today – he was manna from heaven to the police led by Insp Hearne, played by Patrick Richmond-Ward., Add to that the fact Vole's wife, Romaine, was East German, a foreigner, which is a common Christie ploy to employ a degree of prejudice to create suspicion.
Kieran Jenkins as the accused. Leonard Vole With enough circumstantial evidence against him to fill two hours or so of drama, Vole finds himself in the dock with not much in the way of defence apart from "I didn't do it". Kieran Jenkins gives us a Vole who seems too honest for his own good, saying things in all innocence that can be twisted by any half decent prosecutor, much to the consternation of his defence team Mr Mayhew, his tenacious solicitor played by Patrick Rayson and his barrister Sir Wilfrid Robarts QC in an imposing performance from Dan Payne. His legal adversary, leading the prosecution and pushing the boundaries of legal procedures and the judge's patience, is Mr Myers QC, advocated by Alan Groucott, with Andrew Tomlinson holding court on the bench as Mr Justice Wainwright displaying a wry line in judicial humour. The trio bring a mix of gravitas and drama to proceedings as witnesses are called and dealt with. There is Liz Berriman enjoying herself as Janet McKenzie, the cantankerous, bristling longstanding housekeeper to Miss French whose dislike of Vole is palpable. The police surgeon Dr Wyatt played by Ethan Gibson provides evidence that is both telling and confusing at the same time while James Christoph's forensic expert, Thomas Clegg, provides the sort of facts that both prosecution and defence can pounce on. It might have been cutting edge 70 years ago but at this point it is worth remembering DNA in 1953 was probably short for Did Not Attend in council minutes so forensics on, say, blood evidence, when analysed could narrow things down a bit, and that is being generous.
Alan Groucott as the methodical Mr Myers QC for the prosecution In 1953 the number of people with blood group O in the UK, for example, would reduce the suspect pool to a mere 25 million people or so. Then there is Romaine herself. The wife. The East German rescued by Vole in his days of, presumably, National Service in Germany. Her evidence is vital . . . but for which side. It is a lovely performance from Laura Hinton as the loving wife . . . or is she. Romaine is perhaps Christie's most complex character making us question the concepts of truth and justice while throwing a spanner in the more prevalent 1950's view that women were secondary characters in what was a man's world, especially the patriarchal hallowed ground of the courtroom. From her first appearance she is, should we say, shifty, truth being a variable, something she is able to make it seem whatever you want it to be. And as an East German she panders to another familiar trope, then and now, that foreigners, especially with accents, are somehow not to be trusted - not realising that our nationalistic prejudice is blinding us to what is really happening. As with all trials there are revelations, witnesses caught out, events that had an innocence before a killing that become telling evidence once murder is committed and what about that strange old crone who popped up mid-trial with damning evidence, or the other woman, the strawberry blonde . . .
Sir Wilfrid with solicitor Mr Mayhew in drizzle and fog to meet a mysterious informant The case is decided by twelve audience members in the best seats, or at least closest to the action, sitting on stage as . . . the jury, giving their verdict at the end. What will happen if they ever give the wrong verdict would be interesting, but luckily they take the easy option, give the obvious verdict and that's the end of the matter . . . or is it? This is Christie so the odd red herrings, dead ends and misdirections along the way are par for the course, just a warm up for a dramatic finale with enough twists and turns to make a decent ride at Alton Towers. The set from director Dexter Whitehead, Colin Edge and Mark Nattrass, provides a courtroom with a couple of benches to give us Mr Mayhew's solictor's office converting to the dock in a solomn courtroom with the stage flowing over into the front row of seats. A mention here for Connor Taylor as the pompous solicitor's clerk Carter and a lovely performance from Keyleigh Alison as the bubbly secretary and typist Greta, who brings delightful cheerfulness to proceedings, oblivious to the gravity of what is happening. She brings moments of light relief to the grinding wheels of justice. It is a different direction for Christie fans to travel, still a whodunit, but with just one suspect to deal with and it's a play which will appeal to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or courtroom drama with the added jeopardy of a man's life at stake. As for the verdict . . . now that would be telling, it's all part of the appeal (which isn't a clue, by the way). The court will be in session to 20-09-25. Roger Clarke 11-09-25 Sutton Arts |
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