Agatha Christie is arguably the most well-known murder mystery writer and the plays that derive from her works often make terrific viewing. After a fantastic Australian season of The Mousetrap, the Theatre Royal plays host to another Christie classic, And Then There Were None, which tells the story of 10 people who become stranded on an island and have to find a way to get off without being killed. 

The Theatre Royal is a great venue for big-budget plays and this is no exception, with a cleverly constructed set by Dale Ferguson which balances the spaciousness of the island with the claustrophobia of the house as victims of the unknown murder slowly drop one by one. All the intangibles are done well by this production, Trudy Dalgleish’s lighting adding not only to the ambiance but also to the conveying of the plot, with sudden blackouts in pivotal moments. 

The story is tightly constructed, with suspense maintained effectively throughout the production. This is also helped by some superb acting throughout the production, with Anthony Phelan a particular standout as retired judge, Sir Lawrence Wargrave. However, the entire ensemble is fantastic with no weak spots among the cast of 10 (Jennifer Flowers, Peter O’Brien, Eden Falk, Emily Brent, Tom Stokes, Christen O’Leary, Grant Piro, Mia Morrisey and Nicholas Hammond). O’Leary and Piro are also fantastic as the staff of the house while O’Brien’s fake South African accent provides a necessary humorous element to the first act of the play. 

The twists and turns in the production are very well handled, with the shock of the ending being a particular highlight, with audible gasps in the room. There are plenty of red herrings and side plots to keep the audience engaged on and on their toes as the action heats up after the intermission. It would be easy for the production to come across as contrived, but it does not, by virtue of the cleverness of the storyline and the quality of the acting, leading to a rousing reception by the audience at the end of the production. 

Overall, this is an incredibly strong production which conveys the magic of theatre to the fullest extent. The acting is fantastic throughout and all the stagecraft is very well-handled so the whole production feels very slick and considered. This is a play that perhaps should feel dated but does not and still works very well on a modern-day stage. A must see for all fans of the whodunnit genre in Sydney. 

Rating: ★★★★★

And Then There Were None plays at the Theatre Royal until 1^st June. For more information, click here.

All photo credits: Jeff Busby