Apparently, I have a thing for Agatha Christie’s plays. After The Mousetrap, I ventured further into her repertoire and saw Witness for the Prosecution. While it’s undeniably gripping, I’d say this one has aged less gracefully—especially the overly melodramatic ending. Christie’s sharpness is still there, but the twists feel more suited to an old radio drama than a modern stage.
That said, the setting more than makes up for it. The play is performed in the pre-war council chamber of London County Hall, which used to host actual government debates. Audience members with pricier tickets sit where councillors once shaped policies while the rest of us occupy the galleries for visitors and the press. The atmosphere is incredible—watching a courtroom drama in what feels like a real courtroom adds an authenticity no stage design could replicate.
It also made me think about how spaces shape narratives. Perhaps one day, the Russian parliament—currently a factory for rubber-stamping war and repression—could be repurposed into something more useful, like a theatre. Imagine a play about the Nuremberg Trials staged where laws enabling them were passed. Now, that’s a history lesson worth watching.
👍👎
Witness for the Prosecution
London County Hall, London
Written by Agatha Christie
Directed by Lucy Bailey
Cast: Harry Giubileo as Leonard Vole, Madeleine Walker as Romaine Vole, Nick Sampson as Mr. Myers QC, Terence Wilton as Mr. Justice Wainwright, Jo Stone-Fewings as Sir Wilfrid Robarts QC, Crispin Redman as Mr. Mayhew
Elia Kabanov is a science writer covering the past, present and future of technology (@metkere).
Illustration by Elia Kabanov feat. Midjourney.
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