On Thursday, I went to see Agatha Christie's play, Verdict, at the Yvonne Arnaud theatre in Guildford (@yvonnearnaud, if you want to follow them on twitter). Whilst a huge fan of Christie's fiction and one of her other, very well-known plays, The Mousetrap, I was unsure whether Verdict would live up to my expectations, especially in light of the fact that it was less of a "whodunnit" mystery, than an unravelling of events that occur following the murder itself. Without giving too much away, we are actually made aware of the murderer before the end of the first Act; we not only witness the deed being committed, but hear a bold confession afterwards, which leaves us in no doubt. For me, the acting, the setting and the dialogue was superb - indeed, if there's one thing Agatha Christie knows how to do, it's write good dialogue, and keep her audience in suspense! She certainly succeeded in both points. I have to say, even at the end, my boyfriend and I were discussing the different ways we interpreted the play, and I'm still unsure what to make of it! (For me, this is a good thing, as I like a play to make me think!!)
The stellar cast really helped bring this play to life, and I have to say, I was just a little bit excited that Matthew Lewis (aka Neville Longbottom in the HP films) was playing the role of Lester Cole. Elizabeth Power should also be commended for her fantastic portrayal of Mrs Roper, the tea-stealing housekeeper, who created light relief in such an intense play.
I would definitely recommend the play if you get chance to see it - for me, there really was no weak point in the production.
Totally agree with your review.
ReplyDeleteI think you have really hit the nail on the head. It is quite difficult to know what to make of it. The play is thematically detached from Agatha Christie's wide, although somewhat mono-generic, corpus. I liked it- and I liked the air of uncertainty, and the shift in focus towards the end of the second act. Best £5 ever spent