A courtroom drama put on in an actual courtroom takes immersive theatre to new heights
Nottingham’s National Justice Museum was the perfect setting for the Agatha Christie play, Witness for the Prosecution, ably brought to us by local Theatre Company Your Chance Productions.
The wood panelled Victorian courtroom lent knowing nods to this tale of murder, sexual intrigue, greed, and decency. All of which was placed before the audience in the form of a tense court drama that relied on revelations gained in cross examination. Every time the court usher said ‘all stand’ I found myself rising from my seat, and the authenticity of the setting allowed those who were sat on the jury’s benches, to be sworn in and declare the final verdict.
Set in 1950’s London, Leonard Vole, a jobless car mechanic, finds himself accused of the brutal murder of Emily French, a wealthy older woman who has named Leonard as the benefactor to her fortune. His fate rests on the believability of his wife’s testimony, who is his only alibi. As the title of the play suggests, our first surprise is her introduction to the court as a witness for the prosecution.
Romaine, Leonard’s wife, played by brilliantly by Chantelle Ruston, is convincing as an intelligent yet underestimated woman who brings both laughter and dramatic effect to the play. Described as coming from ‘the Russian sector’ her nationality is unclear – German maybe – but the suspicion with which she is received as being ‘continental’ is familiar and used knowingly.
left you gasping with surprise at the final plot twists and turns
Leonard, brought to us by Darren Paul Taylor, was excellent as the accused man, for whom the seriousness of his position dawns on him inclemently as the play progresses. All of which he shows to us in his face, sitting silently in the court room, with occasional disbelieving outbursts.
Agatha Christie has well-trod Nottingham links. The Queen of Crime first staged this play at the height of her success in 1953, opening In Nottingham before going to the West End, where it was an immediate smash hit. A similar journey made by the still running West End hit The Mousetrap, which first opened at the Theatre Royal in 1952.
This amateur production, from Your Chance Productions, was a worthy successor to these earlier outings and was as well delivered as many professional plays I have seen. The costumes, accents and performances worked with the script to give depth to a whodunnit, raising questions of class, race, gender, and justice. The audience was assuredly drip fed with humour and intrigue which left you gasping with surprise at the final twists and turns. As my mate Rob said as we left – ‘it was too clever by half’.
Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution plays at the National Justice Museum from Thurs March 7th to Sat 9th March 2024.
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