Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None has finally landed in Sydney and is a chilling production with a final twist sharp enough to follow you out of the theatre. It comes hot off the heels of its successful Melbourne run.
In true Agatha Christie fashion, I’ll be keeping the plot twists tightly under wraps. But when it comes to Thursday’s opening night performance, I’m free to reveal every last opinion.
This classic whodunnit brings together ten strangers to a mysterious mansion on a remote island, each one lured there under false pretences. As the weekend unfolds, dark secrets are revealed. One by one, guests begin to die. With no way to escape and no clear killer, suspicion quickly spreads.
The characters, a judge (Anthony Phelan), a general (Nicholas Hammond), a secretary (Mia Morrissey), a police inspector (Peter O’Brien), a doctor (Eden Falk), a religious zealot (Jennifer Flowers), a Captain (Tom Stokes), a playboy (Jack Bannister) and a housekeeper couple (Grant Piro and Christen O’Leary), all bring something equally special and haunting to the table.
All of the performances shone. Each actor breathes life into a character archetype we think we know and then gradually peels back layers to show us someone else entirely. It is a testament to both the ensemble and Robyn Nevin’s masterful direction that these characters feel recognisable but never stale.
The production design is outstanding. The set, skilfully designed by Dale Ferguson, is a character of its own. A spacious living area with period décor that screams wealth and huge windows that open up onto an expansive outdoor patio with a view of the sea. The entire set is so giant and expansive that it looms over the actors, dwarfing them, devouring them. Genuinely unsettling stuff.
The lighting by Trudy Dalgleish and sound design by Paul Charlier work in stunning harmony with the set. Light and shadow are manipulated to disorient, and the soundscape is laced with subtle dread.
Act One takes its time, carefully setting the scene and introducing the ten characters and their tangled backstories. But once the groundwork is laid, the payoff is more than worth the wait. By the second act, the show kicks into high gear and doesn’t let up.
The opening night audience sat on the edge of their seats, rushing to whisper predictions and piece together clues in hushed voices every time the curtain dropped.
Christie is always one step ahead. And Then There Were None is a masterclass in misdirection. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the floor is ripped from beneath you and a whole new trail of red herrings and thrill is uncovered.
And Then There Were None is a show that’s as fun as it is intelligent. It’s a perfectly engineered puzzle box that delights in wrong footing its audience. It offers the satisfaction of classic storytelling with the polish of modern stagecraft, delivering jump-scares, wry laughs and genuine gasps in equal measure.
As a piece of theatre, And Then There Were None doesn’t just entertain. It invites the audience into the mystery, daring them to solve it before time runs out. If you’re after a sharp, stylish thriller with a side of psychological intrigue, this is the Sydney night out for you.
And Then There Were None runs until 1 June at Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King Street.
It then tours Perth from 8 June, and Adelaide from 2 August.
Tickets: https://andthentherewerenone.com.au/tickets/sydney/
Website: https://andthentherewerenone.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/andthentherewerenoneau/
Photo credits: Jeff Busby
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