Review: WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION at COUNTY HALL, LONDON
Walking through the grand doors and into the enormous lobby is exciting, and the space immediately sets the tone. With all deep, warm wood on the walls and plush carpeting on the wide staircase directly ahead of you, County Hall is clearly not a theatre in the traditional sense of the word. And that’s all part of the charm of going to see Witness for the Prosecution. It’s a play, yes – a very successful play written by none other than the queen of crime, Agatha Christie – but it’s more than that. Immersive theatre has been gaining popularity for a while now, and Witness for the Prosecution fits neatly into that trend, although for those who simply want to watch a good play with plenty of twists and turns, it ticks those boxes as well. It’s a gateway to immersive theatre, and that suits me just fine.
The Story
Everyone who goes to see Witness for the Prosecution is sworn to secrecy about the ending of the play, and it wouldn’t be fair to give anything away – you need to see it for yourself. Suffice it to say, there isn’t just one twist, but two, and they work perfectly with the way the tension builds throughout the court case, then recedes just a little before ramping right back up again to finish. My shoulders were just about up around my ears by the time I was able to breathe again and applaud the performances.
The story revolves around the murder of Emily Jane French, a wealthy older woman who was killed in her own home one October evening. A young man, Leonard Vole, knowing he will be suspected of her murder because he has spent a lot of time with Emily and because he was there that evening (and because it later turns out she left £85,000 to him in her will), goes to the police to give a statement. He says he didn’t do it, and he has an alibi to prove it. Yet that alibi is shaky, and in the absence of any other suspect, Leonard is arrested.
The play tells the story of his court case. Will he be found guilty or not guilty? What will the jury think? And just who is the witness for the prosecution who can send this young man to the gallows? You’ll have to go to County Hall to watch the play to find out – I’m not going to tell you.
The Set
What makes Witness for the Prosecution special is the setting of County Hall. In terms of the story, I enjoyed it, and I liked the twist ending, but what really elevated the entire experience was sitting in the courtroom. This is why, even if you don’t enjoy Agatha Christie or you’re not that into plays, you should still see Witness for the Prosecution. It’s a different kind of experience and one that shouldn’t be missed.
Rather than a traditional theatre setting with a front-facing stage and seats in an auditorium, the main floor is set out like a courtroom. You have the judge’s bench, the jury box, and the witness stand, and the seats – plush, leather ones in deep red with ornate wooden frames – are arranged in a horseshoe shape around this. The main stage area is traverse (there are seats on three sides of it, and it ‘sticks out’ into the audience), and it all looks exceptionally grand and authentic.
You can also buy special jury box tickets. Be aware, however, that if you do this, you will be part of the performance – the jury is made up of audience members. However, these VIP tickets will also get you free drinks, so you might feel it's worth it.
There are also gallery seats, which is where I was sitting. These are the press benches, and they are, indeed, benches. If you’re not keen on sitting too close to strangers, you might be better off picking courtroom seats, but I have to say, my view was a good one, even being so high up. The only thing I could not see was the witness box, which was a shame, but I could hear everything perfectly, so although it wasn’t ideal, it didn’t ruin the play in the least. In fact, it gave it a rather spooky air as the voices rose up out of the corner of the stage, and there were a couple of times I jumped in my seat as I wasn't expecting something to happen.
The set itself is minimal. After all, the courtroom setting is the most important, and that is a permanent fixture. However, there are three scenes that take place outside of the courtroom – one in Sir Wilfred’s office, one in his chambers, and one in a darkened alleyway in Limehouse – and they are each effective. I loved the way the various bits of furniture (chairs, a small table, a rug, and so on) were brought on and taken away. The cast wore brown jackets and flat caps like old-fashioned removal men, and they worked in a choreographed way that made even scene changes look interesting. I was fascinated by the person rolling up the rug and carrying it off!
The Performances
Being a courtroom drama, the acting in Witness for the Prosecution ranged from naturalistic (in the offices, for example) and melodramatic (in the courtroom itself). This worked well for me. It showed how the professionals can play their part in court, making a performance and an art out of their challenging job. I would think this is how it works if real life, and it was great to see the change in the actors when they entered the courtroom and were able to really have some fun with their roles.
My favourite scenes, however, were the ones with Sir Wilfred Robarts QC (played by Dugald Bruce-Lockhart) and Mr Mayhew (Jonathan Coote), playing the Vole’s barrister and solicitor. The two men played off one another wonderfully, and there were some truly comedic moments that lightened the atmosphere of what could otherwise have become a heavy story to watch.
Harry Reid, perhaps best known for playing Ben Mitchell in EastEnders, was also impressive as the accused Leonard Vole. He gave the character an air of vulnerability and innocence that contrasted delightfully with the character’s dubious and scheming wife, Romaine (played with deliciously evil intent by Naomi Sheldon).
I also want to mention Lorraine Amako. She played the court stenographer, and although she had no lines, she was in character the entire time, patiently tapping away on her stenograph. From my lofty position in the gallery, I could see her pausing when people weren’t speaking, starting to type again when they were, and even straining to hear when characters were talking over each other. It was a delightful performance that could easily go unnoticed, but shouldn't.
Final Thoughts
I had a lot of fun at Witness for the Prosecution. I enjoy Agatha Christie stories (Miss Marple is a particular favourite of mine), and this was just as entertaining as anything else she ever wrote. Did I like it as much as The Mousetrap? Honestly, no. However, the atmosphere and fun of being in County Hall meant that the entire experience was one to be remembered for a long time to come. I gave it four stars for being a thoroughly good story told convincingly in a setting I would never normally get to see or experience.
If you want to be called for jury service, you can
get your tickets here: https://witnesscountyhall.com/
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