REVIEW: And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None
Wadham Moser Theatre, 30 May - 3 June
Means and motivation — murder resulting. Ten individuals are lured to Soldier Island off the coast of Devon, where the host plans to punish each of them for their supposed sins using the children’s nursery rhyme Ten Little Soldiers as a guide for justice. Agatha Christie’s whodunnit play has been admirably portrayed in this production.
The plot is enthralling enough to cause audiences to escape all outside thoughts in their pursuit of decoding the clues, and we inevitably will be captivated to learn who the murderer is. With lots of twists and interesting characters, the play itself certainly does not disappoint. It is Agatha Christie at her best. This production can be forgiven for a few minimal flaws. While parts of the set are convincing, other aspects of it betray the fact that this is a student production.
A few lines may be inaudible, for example, while the opening voiceover is meant to sound like children saying a nursery rhyme, it sounds more like adults who have swallowed helium. At times, a few of the actors speak with their backs to the audience causing some words to be lost. However, the sound effects, which add a great deal to the mood of the play, are well executed, and it has been staged appealingly. The acting is generally strong.
Even Ed Rees (as General McKenzie) and Morwenna Coniam (as Ethel Rogers), who have comparatively small roles, give enjoyable performances. However, the standout performances are that of James Robertson (playing Sir Lawrence Worgrave), Ben Martin (as Mr Blore), and David Poraj- Wilczynski (as Philip Lombard). These three actors seem to bring their characters to life with good body language, line delivery, and audience interaction.
Poraj-Wilczynski, in particular, seems to never lose character, rendering Lombard an intriguing and entertaining character that holds audience attention and amusement. And Then There Were None, with its classic format coupled with psychological turns, can suit both traditional and modern theatre tastes alike. Christie’s original story has been adapted to stage and screen many times, with character names and even the title of the rhyme sometimes being altered.
However, the plot remains fascinating, and this production of the mystery is well worth investigating.
1st Jun 2006