Witness For the Prosecution review, London County Hall

The old council chamber at London County Hall is the perfect setting for a courtroom drama. Seated in the round on leather benches, the audience is placed at the heart of the action as the Crown prosecutes Leonard Vole for murder. Vole is a charmer - a bit of an aimless scrote, but pretty, well-intentioned, and clearly in need of mothering. Would he really murder the older woman who planned to leave him her fortune? And why is the main Witness for the Prosecution his beloved wife?

Having watched Death On the Nile and assorted Christmas specials, every episode of Poirot, and almost all iterations of Miss Marple, I was expecting this Agatha Christie script to be heavy on characterisation and a bit convoluted and creaky on plot. Witness for the Prosecution was a surprise  on all fronts. As Vole's story unfolds, in the offices of Sir Wilfred Robarts QC and in the court itself, it is complete in every particular. There are twists, of course, but they all make sense. No spoilers here, but it's a play that requires no post-show interrogation, clarification, or exclamation.

Lucy Bailey's elegant production heightens authenticity by following courtroom protocols. This includes the swearing in of a jury comprised of audience members. William Dudley's simple design is beautifully lit. The sound - from murmurings in the public gallery to the music during scene changes - is  highly evocative. I had fun sitting on the jury - premium price seats -with Nikki Bedi from BBC2's Front Row. Her report is on November 4, at 7.30. Also alongside was a very excited Agatha Christie fan with a Marple iPhone cover. He was so overcome by proceedings, he collapsed in the aisle after the interval.

In conclusion: Jack McMullen is brilliant as Vole, morphing by degrees from chipper youth to embattled defendant. A raft of excellent performances include David Yelland as Robarts, Catherine Steadman as Romaine Vole, Patrick Godfrey as Mr Justice Wainwright, Jules Melvin as Janet Mackenzie, Roger Ringrose as Mr Mayhew, and Philip Franks as Mr Myers QC.


Witness For the Prosecution, London County Hall, Belvedere Road, London SE1 7BP.    Run ends 11 March 2018