And Then There Were None

A rarely performed play, not least because of the large cast of five men and five women, but nevertheless a classic from the stable of Agatha Christie. Without giving the plot denouement away, ten people are lured onto a deserted island off the coast of Devon with one commonality, they are each accused (by a prearranged vinyl record) of various crimes that they have managed to evade justice from.

As the ten gather we see the various characteristics of the assembled group, each with their foibles and idiosyncrasies. There is the housekeeper and her husband, Mr & Mrs Rogers, hired to look after the guests (Lorna Bell & Frank Ditchburn) – both nervous but willing to undertake the job for the inflated wages.
Vera Claythorne, (Annie Elizabeth Cairns) the very personable Secretary of the missing hosts, a young lady with a sketchy past choice in boyfriends having been employed remotely, never having met her employers like the housekeepers before her.
Philip Lombard (Declan Marshall) a rather unlikeable gentleman with scant regard for the people under his control in past hostilities; Antonia Marston (Erin Rochelle Atack) a rather amoral young lady who considers her needs far above the needs of anyone else.

Willam Blore (Bill Innes) a rather enigmatic gentleman who we find has been employed as an ex-policeman for his talents despite his somewhat shady police record. General Mackensie (Dan Ward) an old military man - we see his sincere regrets over past decisions. Emily Brent (Mary Stephinson), a somewhat puritanical old spinster who has no regrets in the consequences that have followed her decisions about a young girl.

Sir Lawrence Wargrave (David Cooke) a retired judge who lives by his principals and has no regrets over the men he has sent to the gallows. Finally, Dr Armstrong (Jeni Langley) a nerve doctor having been a surgeon in the past until she operated on a patient whilst drunk.

One by one the ten characters are killed off in a manner following the rhyme of the framed poster, on the wall of ‘Ten Little Soldiers’.

The set was well ‘dressed’ and highly effective with good lighting plot and good soundscape of the gale going on outside the room. This wordy play kept pace although benefitted by the dramatic pauses as certain important elements were left to be digested by an appreciative audience.

Directed by Peter Dawson all detail was well thought through and the audience that wasn’t aware of the Agatha Christie classic were certainly shocked by the conclusion that unfolded before their eyes.

All cast members played their parts well and contributed to a beautifully suspenseful play. Well done Westovians.

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