3 days Ago
100 years on from the release of Agatha Christie’s story Witness for the Prosecution – originally titled Traitor Hands – the Echo was invited to see the most immersive play in the West End in its full glory on Thursday night. Celebrating its eighth year at London County Hall – formerly the headquarters of London County Council – the historic chamber has been turned into an unlikely yet absorbing arena for the adaptation of one of Christie’s finest ‘whodunnits.’ The play sees unemployed charmer, Leonard Vole, accused of murdering a widow to inherit her wealth in a post-war London, as the county hall transforms into a court room, with audience members quite literally sat on the jury and tasked with reaching either a guilty or not guilty verdict.
The unique setting adds to the compelling drama, with director Lucy Bailey stating the former council chamber was a “gift of a space,” that she first saw when it was covered in dust. READ MORE: Matilda to return to Mayflower Theatre Southampton in 2026 Jonathan Firth in Witness for the Prosecution (Image: Pamela Raith) She said: “As soon as I saw this amazing secret chamber, I knew it was perfect for staging Christie’s courtroom drama. “Christie spent her life writing about truth and lies, and she was fascinated about the way courts and the justice system operated.
“She researched extensively to get the details right. One of the questions that the plays asks is whether the court of law really does reveal the truth and deliver justice.” With jaw dropping twists and turns – much like in Christie’s other notable works And Then There Were None , and Murder on the Orient Express – Witness for the Prosecution is a must-see event, that starts from the moment you walk onto the historic venue’s marble floors.
The production features magnificent performances from Harry Chandler (Leonard Vole), Charlotte Beaumont (Romaine Vole), and Jonathan Firth (Sir Wilfrid Robarts Q.C.), that must be seen to be believed.
With a runtime of two hours and 15 minutes, Witness for the Prosecution is running until 2026 at London County Hall, within touching distance of the London Eye along the South Bank..
