4 STARS
Coming so soon after the BBC’s popular production of this Agatha Christie classic, I had high expectations for The Nottingham New Theatre’s interpretation of ‘And Then There Were None’; it certainly did not disappoint.
Set on a secluded island off of the Devonshire coast during the 1930s, ten individuals gather in the home of the mysterious Mr. and Mrs. U. N. Owen. The dubious circumstances under which they were invited soon become clear once Mr. and Mrs. Owen fail to arrive on the island. The group soon discover that they are trapped as the island has no boat of its own and the tension begins to build. Once Rogers (James Roscow), the butler, follows the orders of the unidentified person behind this confusion and places a record on the gramophone, the ten ‘little Indians’ discover that this is more than just a mix-up. As the voice from the gramophone announces that each of the ten are guilty of murder, the plot, aided by the use of ominous red lighting, quickly becomes sinister. Once the first of the ten collapses and dies, it moves into the realm of the whodunnit and they are killed off consecutively in manners designated by the poem ‘Ten Little Indians’, which is seen hanging on the wall.
With realistic clothing typical of the era and brilliant staging choices which include a balcony, the sea in the distance and four majestic armchairs around which the action unfolds, all offset against candlelight, the cast’s impeccable acting was able to flourish under the eerie stage atmosphere. Whilst each of the characters were brilliant in their own way, I found Doctor Armstrong (Gary Berezin) particularly fascinating to watch. His sly movements and disturbed demeanour, due to his weakened nerves, certainly added to the creepy atmosphere. In contrast, Omid Faramarzi’s character provided some much needed comic relief as we see William Blore munching away on biscuits in the midst of the chaos, something which caused much laughter in the audience. Harry Pavlou’s performance as Phillip Lombard should also be given credit. His powerful acting and use of extremely realistic stage violence towards Vera Claythorne (Niamh Caines) made many members of the audience flinch, myself included, and question whether or not he really did hit Caines, it was so realistic that he could have done!
With occasional jump scares, remarkable acting and staging and an unexpected conclusion which I cannot reveal to you for obvious reasons, James Fox’s production of ‘And Then There Were None’ will intrigue, startle and satisfy all of the cravings that a good murder-mystery can. I would highly recommend that you see this show before it closes.
‘And Then There Were None’ runs at The Nottingham New Theatre until June 11th
For tickets visit their website:
http://newtheatre.org.uk/whats-on/
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