One of my favourite things to watch is a murder mystery story. Having heard great things about Agatha Christie’s ‘Witness for the Prosecution’, I was excited to see if it lived up to the hype. It absolutely did!
The play takes part in an actual courtroom inside the famous County Hall. The audience becomes a part of the trial (and jury), as we watch a famous murder trial be presented to the judge.
I particularly loved the acting – every actor was outstanding and full of energy. From the lawyers to the witnesses, I entirely believed every character and at times almost forgot that they were acting.
‘Witness for the Prosecution’ tells the story of a young man called Leonard (Harry Reid) who is on trial for the murder of a wealthy widower. Leonard pleads not guilty and desperately seeks to prove his innocence, however without an alibi, his case slowly starts to look bad. As each witness takes the stand, his lawyers do everything they can to prove his innocence. The play begins to take an unexpected twist when Leonard’s wife Romaine (Naomi Sheldon) tells a different story when she is on the witness stand. She becomes the ultimate villain as she throws Leonard’s defence into question.
I absolutely loved this play. From the moment I entered the court, I felt fully immersed. Set almost in the round with hardly any props, the stage is an actual courtroom. With the judge seated on his red throne and the jury on the left, I felt like I had walked into a real court hearing.
Director Lucy Bailey did an outstanding job of bringing this script alive. Every second of the play felt as though I was watching a blockbuster movie and I was fully engaged with the performance. Lighting director Chris Davey created a mysterious and moody scene with lights, whilst designer William Dudley ensured that the stage design was perfect for the location.
Every second of the play felt as though I was watching a blockbuster movie and I was fully engaged with the performance.
I particularly loved the acting – every actor was outstanding and full of energy. From the lawyers to the witnesses, I entirely believed every character and at times almost forgot that they were acting. Each actor blew me away with their performances as individuals and as a collective as they worked seamlessly together to ensure every scene change went smoothly.
The storyline was fantastic and had a twist at the end that left me in shock. It was the best murder mystery I had seen performed on stage and I would happily watch the play again. I completely understand why Agatha Christie said it was her favourite play, and why it has been running for five years. It truly was an enjoyable play to watch and had me captivated from the moment it started to the very end.
‘Witness for the Prosecution’ is a stellar play that will leave you entertained, shocked, and wanting more. I would highly recommend watching this play and can guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.
