This isn’t a sponsored post.
BrumHour saw And Then There Were None at the invite of The Alexandra.
For Brum Radio’s Interval Theatre, Bob Barrett (Doctor Armstrong) and Sophie Walter (Vera Claythorne) talked about touring the UK with And Then There Were None. Listen below:
Review by Charlie Farmer
Review: And Then There Were None at The Alexandra
⭐⭐⭐⭐”For all whodunit fans”
Directed by Lucy Bailey, Book by Agatha Christie
A Mister U.N. Owen invites ten people who are complete strangers to one another: a blustering General, an unpleasant ex-soldier, an all-too-carefree brat, a South African ‘Gentleman’, a guilt-wracked governess, a timid Doctor, a nearly fanatically religious old woman, a dignified butler, and a judge infamous for sentencing an innocent man to death. They all meet one another, and have a party. It all goes well. Until the Butler puts on a gramophone that plays a disturbing recording. It accuses them all of murder, finishing with “Prisoners at the bar, do you have anything to say in your defence?”
The costumes fit so well into a 1939 setting, and some of them are so wonderfully colourful too! Perfect for a ‘party’! The play is almost completely accurate to the book, and the (small) changes add to it rather than hinder it. The set is well picked – the simple yet intricate background of sky and sea, the beach upon which they await their doom, and the ten little soldier boys glowing on the table, slowly disappearing one by one. The music was unsettling, the recordings played are clear enough to be understood easily, and the sound effects were just right.
Jeffery Kissoon played the most varied role. Within the space of a single act, he turned from a blustering, proud General to a sad, defeated old man, and then… Well, I’d better not spoil it. You see for yourselves.
Katy Stephens played self-righteous, cruel, and hypocritical Emily Brent very well indeed! She plays the holier-than-thou old woman with no idea of what she’s talking about until she looks within herself.
Oliver Clayton practically transformed into an idiotic brat with no conscience at all, feeling no remorse for his actions and not taking anything, not even potential threats seriously – until someone dies.
I read the original book a few years ago now, so I knew the twists. I very much enjoyed this stage adaptation, which can only be described as a twist-ridden descent into madness, all woven into a nursery rhyme. The practical effects were wonderful, the way everyone’s secrets are revealed are well done, the way the actors leave the stage after their characters are murdered is a lovely touch and the spotlights appear in the right place at the right time. I’d recommend it for all whodunit fans, far and wide.
And Then There Were None is at The Alexandra until 9th March 2024. Discover what is coming up at The Alexandra here: atgtickets.com/venues/alexandra-theatre-birmingham. And Then There Were None is on tour until 13th April 2024. Details here: andthentherewerenoneplay.com.
