Written By
Agatha Christie
Where and When
4th – 6th June 2009 @ The Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne
The Plot
Leonard Vole stands accused of murdering a rich widow. The stakes are high with shocking witness testimony, impassioned outbursts from the dock and a young man’s fight to escape the hangman’s noose. Generally regarded as one of Christie’s most accomplished plays, this suspenseful thriller keeps audiences guessing until the very end.
Cast
- Sir Wilfred Robarts – Jeremy Austin
- Carter – Barry Baynton
- Mr Justice Wainwright – John Bruton
- Juror – Caroline Butcher
- Barrister – Keeley Campbell
- Mr Clegg – Andy Cragg
- Plain Clothes Detective – Andy Cragg
- Leonard Vole – Paul Dodman
- Warder – Mark Ellen
- Inspector Hearne – Graham Hawkins
- Barrister – Carolyn Hewitt
- Clerk of the Court – Bob Hucklesby
- Janet Mackenzie – Chrissie Neal
- Mr Mayhew – Richard Neal
- Romaine – Penny Pearson
- Dr Wyatt – Colin Pile
- Juror – Jane Robbins
- The Other Woman – Michaela Slatford
- Greta – Michaela Slatford
- Mr Myers QC – Michael Smith
- Juror – Jan Stevenson
- Foreman of Jury – Steve Symonds
Creative Team
- Director – David Pile
- Set Designer – Colin Pile
Gallery
Reviews
Linda Kirkman – Scene One
The combination of a hot night, a capacity house, an incredibly long first half of an hour & 40 minutes and a fairly static play could have been a recipe for disaster in the form of a very sleepy audience. That we were all bright eyed and bushy tailed for the entire evening says everything about the extremely high standard of this excellent production, which is one of the best I have seen from this group.
Agatha Christie’s courtroom drama is brilliantly constructed, with a denouement that is a real stroke of genius, and the company, under the direction of David Pile, brought it to vibrant life with beautifully paced performances.
The plot centres round Leonard Vole (Paul Dodman), who has been arrested for murder. Sir Wilfred Robarts (Jeremy Austin) hopes to prove his innocence but Vole’s actress wife Romaine (Penny Pearson) changes her story as the case gets underway…
These three central characters are superbly played, as are the major supporting roles of John Mayhew (Richard Neal) and Mr Myers QC (Michael Smith), and Chrissie Neal also makes a great impression in the cameo role of Janet MacKenzie.
There’s a cleverly designed set too.
Marilyn Barber – Stour and Avon Magazine
AGATHA Christie’s drama is one of those plays where you think you’ve worked out the ending – but have a shock in the final scene.
With a large cast and the need for a stage set to accommodate both a solicitor’s office and a courtroom, it was a challenge for director David Pile, who more than rose to the occasion, although a shorter first half – it stretched to 105 minutes – would have been welcome.
Paul Dodman was very believable as Leonard Vole, who stood accused of murdering an elderly rich woman he had befriended. Penny Pearson was steely as his less-than-loving wife, Romaine and Chrissie Neal provoked mirth as Janet MacKenzie the victim’s embittered housekeeper. Michaela Slatford had the chance to embrace two differing personas as the neat little secretary and the tarty other women.
However, the winning combination was Richard Neal as Vole’s solicitor John Mayhew and Jeremy Austin as defending barrister Sir Wilfred Robarts. Both men are stalwarts of Wimborne Drama, although Richard has made few appearances of late. You felt you were watching two professional lawyers, rather than two actors playing the parts. Jeremy, with his lugubrious expression and laid back delivery is frequently cast as an upholder of the law – and a jolly good job he makes of it too.
A well-rehearsed production that was a credit to actors and backstage support.