And Then There were None

Ashton Hayes

And Then There Were None

10/10/24

Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" is a triumph of mystery and suspense, gripping audiences from start to finish. Set on the secluded Solider Island, the play weaves a tale of ten strangers, each with a dark secret, each receiving an invitation from a Mr or Mrs U.N. Owen who mysteriously are nowhere to be seen. All the guests are from very different backgrounds, all are intrigued by the children’s nursey rhyme about ten little solders displayed on the drawing room wall, noticing the ten soilder figurines on the bookcase.  As the tension escalates and the body count rises, Christie’s masterful storytelling takes centre stage, pulling the audience into an immersive guessing game of "whodunit."

As the guests settle in, and as instructed by their Host, the Butler, Mr Rogers (Jac Wardle) plays a phonograph recording that accuses each one of them of past crimes that have gone unpunished.  Mr Rogers informs them he and Mrs Rogers (Clare Bolton) have only been on the island themselves two weeks never meeting their host the Owens's. They are informed that Fred Narracott (Pete Russell) the Boatman, he will not be returning to the Island as a storm is imminent.   Soon after, the first guest, Anthony Marston (Dan Aynsley) dies suddenly after choking on his drink, matching the first verse of the nursery rhyme. More deaths follow, each eerily mimics the verses of the nursery rhyme as the figurines continue to disappear. Tension mounts as they realise the killer is one of them.

Director Yvette Owen knew this play well, as she mentions in her introduction, and yes Yvette this is ‘what audiences want today’. The monochromatic set design beautifully captured the claustrophobic isolation of the island, and the eerie atmosphere was enhanced by clever lighting (Mathew Parry) and sound design (Andy Walker). Loved the paintings on the walls identifying each character, the costumes (Peter Russell) were splendid and again continued the monochrome theme, very clever well done to all concerned. A diverse cast of characters and their hidden motives create an engaging and intriguing puzzle, each bringing moments of guilt and paranoia. One perhaps ‘picky’ observation pace. A plot with such twists and turns needs to maintain ‘pace’ always the case with an Agatha Christie play, you cannot afford to let it drop.

The cast gave believable credible performances in this production, slowly building the tension making the audience feel as though they, too, were trapped in this deadly game. Captain Lombard (Nuri Ucuncu) Vera Claymore (Pamela Hewitt) Alexander Davies (William Blore) Justice Wargarve (Stuart McNeil) Dr Edward Armstrong (Andy Wilson) Emily Brent (Caroline Young) and General Mackenzie (Gary Jones) you were all splendid. With such a stellar cast it is impossible to single people out, however, I just have to mention William Blore (Alexander Davies) thoroughly believable as the fallen from grace policeman, who loves biscuits, great performance. Vera (Pamela Hewitt) and Lombard (Nuri Ucuncu) who despite the dramatic chaos managed to form a romantic liaison, fine performances. When they are the only two left alive,and we know Lombard has a gun each suspects the other as being the murderer, but as this is Agatha Christie, one never knows.

 "Then There Were None" is a perfect example of why Agatha Christie remains the queen of mystery. With its clever plot twists, richly developed characters, and an ending that will leave you speechless. It’s a gripping experience that stays with you long after the final curtain call. When I researched “And Then There Were None” I was impressed to learn that it was voted the World’s Favourite Christie in 2015 marking her 125th anniversary.

Thank you, Ashton Hayes for a wonderful thrilling evening’s entertainment, my lips are sealed as to the murderer… Looking forward to December, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.

 

Joanne Rymer

NODA

District 4

 

 

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