REVIEW: Agatha Christie – And Then There Were None at the Mayflower Theatre

Did you see whodunit? Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’ is the latest murder mystery on Mayflower Theatre’s stage and the whole night you really will be thinking, “who did it?” ‘And Then There Were None’, is the best selling crime novel of all time and is argued to be Christie’s darkest storyline – yet also most parodied. From book to play to screen, you can definitely tell that this is how Agatha Christie envisioned this particular piece of work to be consumed. Director, Lucy Bailey, has really captured a true sense of mystery but has also managed to cram so much information (well a whole novels worth) into about two and a half hours. Having not known the story, I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep up or retain all the information that was being fired out about characters individual backstories etc. However, I sit pleasantly surprised because I began retaining all of this information without even acknowledging that I was. 

The story follows 10 strangers who are all lured onto an island off the coast of Devon for what they think is a social gathering. However when a storm cuts them off from the mainland, they soon discover the real reason that they have all been placed together. To pull the curtain back a little bit, basically the story involves lots of death – based on an old nursery rhyme that takes a very dark, real twist. You will be trying to work out whodunit, and I guarantee that you’ll change your mind multiple times! (Yes I did manage to work it out half way through Act 2!) 

The way her character progresses is just brilliant to watch.

The cast for this play is only small, but they play their roles perfectly. The cast is 10 people who all bring the perfect level of comedy, fear, and actuality. In particular Nicola May-Taylor, who tonight played the role of ‘Vera Claythorne’ was fantastic. Again without giving too much away, the way her character progresses is just brilliant to watch. Joseph Beattie as ‘Philip Lombard’ also gave a brilliant performance. It’s extremely clever how you feel as if he could be the voice of reason at times, but also the murderer at others – really well played! A special mention needs to be given to Andrew Lancel playing the role of ‘William Blore’ because in a somewhat dark and long storyline – he always brought a laugh to the scene and that was a perfectly executed added extra. You could tell that the whole cast had a real connection with each other, and with a storyline such as this, that joint stage presence was needed. Not only did they work together as a unit but they could all individually hold a scene as well. Great work!  

I was actually very surprised by the set and design of this play. I mean it was largely set in a lounge or dining room but it was the overall set that felt big. The sand dunes at the back of the stage, the large doors painted to feel like the ocean and the sky, and the curtains showing what I can only describe as a break between realities. The lighting was also simple but I feel like I say it a lot, that’s all it needed to be. It again was largely just lighting a lounge/dining room. However in the second act there was much more going on and the lighting/set reflected this perfectly. The blackouts to the candlelit scenes – all very effective. I would like to add however that the ‘10 soldiers’ on the dining room table were lit nicely, but the effect was lost in the first act in particular because the curtain directly covered where they were situated. Only a little snag but seemed quite important when they’re the centre piece to the story. 

‘And Then There Were None’ is the definition of a classic whodunnit.

There was a little bit of added music for ambience here and there which again was a nice added extra that would usually go unnoticed. In the pre show, it was also nice to hear some period accurate music throughout the auditorium to help set the scene a little bit. As I mentioned previously, act 1 had A LOT of information in it, it was setting up the story as well as giving us our first couple of murders. The set up at times felt a bit long winded but it wrapped up just before it started to drag. Act 2 was much more action packed and exciting. There were jump scares, more murders, flashbacks (which were done very nicely), and it was just generally where the bulk of everything happened – oh and it was much, much darker. 

Overall, ‘And Then There Were None’ is the definition of a classic whodunnit. You know what to expect, and that’s exactly what you get. This was like watching a balance between a murder mystery and horror film together. It’s not a story that you need to have any background knowledge of, and I genuinely believe that it could be a show for everybody. There’s a particular scene right at the end of the show that should come with its own trigger warning, but that doesn’t take away from the show in itself. ‘And Then There Were None’ is at Mayflower Theatre until 13th April, and it’s made me really excited to see more of Agatha Christie’s work directed by Lucy Bailey. I wish all the cast and crew the best of luck with the rest of their run.