Witness for the Prosecution (York Guildhall Council Chambers)

Theatre Mill’s latest site-specific production has two huge factors in its favour even before a word is uttered.

Firstly, the source material, Agatha Christie‘s 1953 courtroom drama, Witness For the Prosecution. It is no fluke that Christie’s works have been outsold worldwide only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her writing is beloved for its wit, humour and devilish plot twists, and Witness for the Prosecution delivers all these in abundance.

This production’s real trump card, however, is the use of The Guildhall Council Chambers in York. The historic room is a perfect fit for the text and adds an immersive level of authenticity to proceedings.

With story and setting so perfectly married from the start, it would be virtually impossible for director Samuel Wood to mess it up from here, and he and the cast deliver a tight, polished and highly enjoyable production.

The basic plot involves Leonard Vole (Andrew Dowbiggin), a charming but somewhat feckless young man who, in the face of almost incontrovertible evidence, is accused of murdering a rich old lady he has recently befriended, and the dogged efforts of his legal team to get him off. However, with this being Christie, things are never quite what they seem.

The cast work well in an awkward, confined space – indeed their proximity to the audience/jury serves only to immerse us more deeply in to the story. Particular mention goes to David Bowen as Sir Wilfrid Robarts, Q.C.; in his defence of Vole, his modulated delivery and manner fittingly evokes the memory of Alastair Sim.

Andrew Pilliner‘s lighting is subtle but evocative, doubtless keeping in mind that the splendour of the Guildhall should be visible as much as possible, and Natalie Roe‘s costume and set design further augment the post-war authenticity.

The final result is a lovingly presented and well thought out piece, engaging and beguiling from the beginning to the surprise (to me at least) ending.

Witness for the Prosecution continues at the York Guildhall Council Chambers until 20 April 2014.