See you in court

The case against Leonard Vole (Daniel Solbe) is full of holes. Accused of murdering an older well-endowed rich woman, those who testify against him are a rum bunch. Their ‘evidence’ is at best circumstantial. Hard facts with witnesses are thin on the ground. Surely Vole is innocent. Agatha Christie fans rejoice. After a year when TV and film versions of her work met with mixed reviews Witness for the Prosecution (London County Hall, Waterloo) is one for Christie purists, and others too, a site-specific courtroom drama that will have you riveted even if Judges’ Judy and Rinder have warped your critical faculties. Ironically, she did not write it as a courtroom drama and yet this, her stage adaptation of her original book Traitor Hands, is Old Bailey meat and drink.

The last time I was in County Hall, one-time home of the GLA (Greater London Council) and ILEA (Inner London Education Authority) I was a guinea pig for racism awareness training. It is an opulent setting, marble pillars, red leather seating, a council chamber that Margaret Thatcher despised and Ken Livingstone loved. Oh the irony. She closed it down. He produced a huge banner citing the unemployment figure and hung it in full view of Parliament. The decision to produce the play here results in a unique, authentic and thrilling experience. It is a slow burn initially in setting the scene but the trial is a dramatic humdinger.

Prowling the stage like an uncaged tiger Sir Wilfrid Roberts QC (enigmatic Jasper Britton is terrific) dismantles the prosecution case despite the faux protestations of camp femme fatale Romaine Vole (a fiery and vampish Emma Rigby), wife of the accused, doing her utmost to condemn her husband to the gallows. Why? Would you reveal all from The Mousetrap? Exactly, mum’s the word. Joanna Brookes is also excellent as feisty housekeeper Janet Mackenzie. The ending is classic Christie, though in my view with one unbelievable twist too many. That said Lucy Bailey’s direction is well-drilled drawing out the most significant facts crisply, giving the witnesses enough rope to hang themselves with their apocryphal tales. A couple of other nice touches are the use of mini surround-sound speakers and using 12 members of the audience to be the jury. Gripping and superbly executed.

Meanwhile Vivat Stactou admires purity…

Eighteenth century decadent Paris, no place for apparently innocent Manon (London Coliseum). Beautiful and impulsive she falls in love with young student

Des Grieux and they elope. But when the wealthy Monsieur G.M. asks her to be his mistress she is torn between a life with Des Grieux and one of luxury. The English National Ballet’s production was a revelation, gorgeous, spellbinding and clever. Kenneth MacMillan’s choreography is difficult and complex but was executed with remarkable precision.

Both Joseph Caley (Des Grieux) and Alina Cojocaru (Manon) were outstanding. The first pas de deux is technical and challenging yet they carried it off effortlessly. Making something like that look easy is a huge testament to their abilities. During Act 2 when he becomes intoxicated his interpretation was again technically superb and also very humorous. The final pas de deux was phenomenal. His strength, her grace, beautiful lines and lifts, extraordinary jumps and extensions, together they became one.

Massenet’s music is exquisite, the lighting subtle and evocative and the costumes captured the period without upstaging or hampering their movement. A balletic gem.

Finally Priscilla Pernod wants more…

Cirque du Soleil are back in London with Totem (Royal Albert Hall) displaying all their swagger and invention in a show on the theme of evolution, dominated by the impressive design of an enormous acrobatic playpen and incredibly metamorphosing bridge. Add in a rock band and high-tech audio visuals and you have what has become the ‘Soleil trademark, spectacle upon spectacle.

The opening shot of a silvery being, glittering in the light, descending from the heavens sets the tone for an evening full of sensory delights. It evolves into an awe-inspiring show of set pieces that had me dumbfounded wondering what they could possibly do next to trump that which had come before. Daring acrobatics, balletic dance, those incredible visuals and smatterings of comedy it is stunning entertainment.

Creator Robert Lepage is a man driven by ambition and creativity and in a recent Radio 4 programme which went behind the scenes you got the feeling that the spontaneity and apparent lack of completion in getting it right all contributes to the final product that is as much about what you see and feel as being a finished product. All this in the presence of Harry and Meghan too. Magnifique, more please.

Witness for the Prosecution – 0844 815 7141

Manon – run complete

Totem – 020 7589 8212

Barnaby Efthimiou