Murderous mayhem: Sewell Barn’s And Then There Were None

The unique setting of the Sewell Barn theatre, complete with gorgeous design choices, placed this adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic in strong ground before the lights even went down. Director Sabrina Poole has once again brought cohesion and creativity to the design of her shows, this time using temporal set and sound design to signify the ever closer death of each of the characters. Handled with particular care was the ‘ten toy soldiers’ rhyme that permeates the narrative; at risk of becoming farcical or clumsily unsubtle, the tasteful design of the soldiers by Adelaide Leeder ensures a more sophisticated feel to the overall vision. The design also supported the creation of liminal spaces, as the passing of time becomes lengthy and unclear the lighting and sound built tension in the atmosphere and rendered our characters helpless and confused.

The play truly shone through strong characterisation. Another risk of this particular Christie is losing our place in the narrative due to the sheer number of characters introduced in a short space of time. Credit must be given to the strong depiction of each character in their particular place, supported by a smooth use of proxemics that felt harmonious and grounded. A particular highlight, despite being the first character to go (spoiler – there truly were none left) was Tristan Pike, whose ridiculous portrayal of the admittedly one-dimensional Anthony Marston, coupled with brilliant comic timing, was an important light juxtaposition to the otherwise sinister Easter eggs littered throughout the script. Gill Tichborne’s command of the stage was impressive as Emily Brent, a highly religious and disapproving older woman, while Tom Capon’s Philip Lombard, a former army man, was nuanced and believable – almost immediately likeable and flirtatious, but quickly becoming a sinister figure through tasteless jokes – Capon’s multi-dimensional portrayal kept the audience on the edge of their seat.

This was also not a show for the faint-hearted. The creativity in which each of the deaths were achieved is commendable, although perhaps a blood bag would have added a further shock-factor. The final moments of the play were drawn out and uncomfortable; a sensation I enjoyed as I felt the audience shuffle in their seats waiting for the gruesome noises to conclude – a particular highlight of Florence Bates’ performance as Vera Claythorne. There is nothing better than believable, on-stage deaths in a play that murders ten people.

A fantastic and high-quality production with talented actors and incredible design, this was a welcome first addition of an Agatha Christie to the Sewell Barn’s programme.