Grab your gowns and your gavels, folks; you’ve been summoned to court. Step inside London‘s iconic County Hall and prepare to have your jaw well-and-truly dropped by this criminally captivating courtroom drama.
Witness for the Prosecution is the 1953 play by the queen of whodunit’s, Agatha Christie. Adapted from her 1925 short story ‘Traitor’s Hands’; the production has been running at the County Hall since 2017. And it’s still blowing the minds of Londoners and beyond over 2000 performances and 640,000 audience members later. Not bad, hey?
The setting
The historic County Hall opened back in 1922, and served as the headquarters for the local London government for 64 years. The action takes place in the building’s impressive main chamber, located right at the centre of County Hall; an aptly dramatic setting for a murder mystery, don’t you think?
The fact you’re sat inside an actual courtroom really adds to the experience. The red leather seats, the abundance of dark wood, the towering marble columns; it’s all just very theatrical. You even have the option of bagging yourself a seat on the jury – but more on that later.
The storyline
The charming leading man, Leonard Vole, has been accused of murdering a recently-befriended, wealthy widow. The story follows his high-stake murder trial, the outcome of which relies heavily on the testimony of his stony-faced wife, Romaine – and ultimately, the jury’s verdict. We obviously can’t say too much but what we can say is that it’s an utterly gasp-inducing tale that will have you on the edge of your courtroom bench from start to finish.
Jury seats
A limited number of VIP jury seats are available for each performance. If you manage to nab one of these highly sought-after seats; you’ll get to decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty of murder. The jury seats do cost extra but include two drinks from the bar, a souvenir programme, a notebook for all your important juror notes, and – of course – the unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in the story.
Once you’re sworn in as a member of the journey; you take your seats, watch the events unfold, and base your decision solely on what you see in court. It’s pretty darn exciting to be right in the thick of the action and be so immersed in the plot. If you have the opportunity to grab a jury ticket, we’d highly recommend that you do so.
Our final verdict? A brilliant cast, the perfect setting, and an ending that left me (a perpetual chatterbox) utterly speechless. Witness for the Prosecution is certainly doing something right, that’s for sure.
See you in court, Londoners.
Find out more and plan your visit here.