''Witness for the Prosecution'' is a play adapted by

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...

from her 1925 short story "Traitor's Hands". The play opened in London on 28 October 1953 at the

Winter Garden Theatre The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 1634 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It opened in 1911 under designs by architect William Albert Swasey. The Winter Garden's current design dates to 1922, when ...

(although the first performance had been in

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

on 28 September). It was produced by Sir Peter Saunders.

Reception of London production

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' of 29 October 1953 was enthusiastic in its praise stating, "The author has two ends in view, and she attains them both. She takes us now into the

Old Bailey The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey after the street on which it stands, is a criminal court building in central London, one of several that house the Crown Court of England and Wales. The s ...

during an exciting trial for murder, now into chambers where the human reactions of the lawyers engaged in the case may be studied; and when the trial is over and there seems no more to be said, she swiftly ravels again the skein which the law has confidently unravelled and leaves herself with a denouement which is at once surprising and credible." The reviewer outlined the basics of the plot, commenting that

Patricia Jessel Patricia Helen Mary Jessel (15 October 1920 – 8 June 1968) was an English actress of stage, film and television. Biography Jessel was born in the then British Crown Colony of Hong Kong, daughter of Clement Edward Jessel and Ursula Theodor ...

's performance in the dock was "cold-blooded" and that she "makes a clear-cut image of hatred releasing itself suddenly from inhibitions which have become intolerable" and that

Derek Blomfield Derek Blomfield (31 August 1920 – 23 July 1964) was a British actor who appeared in a number of stage, film and television productions between 1935 and his death in 1964. Career He trained at LAMDA and made his first stage appearance a ...

was "equally good". The greatest praise was reserved for the climax: "Mrs Christie has by this time got the audience in her pocket. A timely intervention of a woman of the streets offering new evidence seems precisely what the trial needs and when it is resumed the evidence brings it triumphantly to a satisfying conclusion. It is only then that the accomplished thriller writer shows her real hand."

Ivor Brown Ivor John Carnegie Brown CBE (25 April 1891 – 22 April 1974) was a British journalist and man of letters. Biography Born in Penang, Malaya, Brown was the younger of two sons of Dr. William Carnegie Brown, a specialist in tropical diseases ...

of ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...

'' said in the issue of 1 November 1953 that the play had, "all the usual advantages of Counsel in conflict, agonised outbreak in the dock, and back-answers from the witness-box. To these are added a considerable and ingenious appendix; the jury's verdict is only the beginning of a story that has as many twists as a pigtail." He summed up with a comment on the performance of Patricia Jessel, who "takes the title-part with cool efficiency. Whether she is snake in the grass or butterfly on the wheel playgoers must find out for themselves. There will be plenty doing that."

Philip Hope-Wallace Philip Adrian Hope-Wallace CBE (6 November 1911 – 3 September 1979) was an English music and theatre critic, whose career was mostly with ''The Manchester Guardian'' (later known as ''The Guardian''). From university he went into journalism afte ...

in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

s issue of 30 October 1953 said of the ending, "Justice has been done and has been seen to be done. We nod approvingly, at which moment Mrs Christie says in effect "Oh, so you thought that did you?" and with an unforeseen twist of the cards lets us see how wrong we were. This is satisfying, but it makes criticism almost impossible; first, one must not give away the clue and second, one must reconsider whether those witnesses who seemed the most plausible were not, in fact, less good players than those who seemed somehow not quite 'in character'". Nevertheless, Hope-Wallace did admit that the opening night was "a great success" and stated that the play presented a "well-made, humorous, exciting case".

Credits of London production

* Director:

Wallace Douglas Wallace Stuart Finlayson (15 August 1911 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – 8 August 1990 Coldwaltham, West Sussex, England), known as Wallace Douglas, was a Canadian producer, director and actor. The son of Robert Barnett Finlayson and Emiline ...

* Cast: *Rosalie Westwater as Greta, typist to Sir Wilfrid *Walter Horsbrugh as Carter, Sir Wilfrid's Chief Clerk/Alderman *

Milton Rosmer Milton Rosmer (4 November 1881 – 7 December 1971) was a British actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern ...

as Mr Mayhew, a solicitor *

as Leonard Vole * David Horne as Sir Wilfrid Robarts, QC * David Raven as Inspector Hearne *Kenn Kennedy as Plain-Clothes Detective/Third Member of the Jury *

as Romaine *Philip Holles as Clerk of the Court *

Percy Marmont Percy Marmont (25 November 1883 – 3 March 1977) was an English film actor. Biography Marmont appeared in more than 80 films between 1916 and 1968. A veteran film actor by 1923, he scored a big hit that year in ''If Winter Comes'', later rem ...

as Mr Justice Wainright * D. A. Clarke-Smith as Mr Myers, QC *Nicolas Tannar as Court Usher *John Bryning as Court Stenographer *Denzil Ellis as Warder *Muir Little as The Judge's Clerk *George Dudley as First Barrister *Jack Bulloch as Second Barrister *Lionel Gadsen as Third Barrister *John Farries Moss as Fourth Barrister *Richard Coke as Fifth Barrister *

Agnes Fraser Agnes Fraser Elder Fraser-Smith (8 November 1876 – 22 July 1968) was a Scottish actress and soprano, known as Agnes Fraser, who appeared in the later Savoy Operas and in Edwardian musical comedy. She married the Gilbert and Sullivan perfor ...

as Sixth Barrister * Lauderdale Beckett as First Member of the Jury *Iris Fraser Foss as Second Member of the Jury *David Homewood as a Policeman *Graham Stuart as Dr. Wyatt, a Police Surgeon# *Jean Stewart as Janet MacKenzie *Peter Franklin as Mr. Clegg, a laboratory assistant *Rosemary Wallace as The Other Woman The cast list, to preserve the surprise ending in the final scene, lists one character simply as "The Other Woman". Until that final scene audiences are meant to believe that "The Other Woman" refers to an appearance by Romaine in disguise. This is to hide the appearance of the "other" Other Woman in the closing moments. In 1995

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the Edgar Award ...

included the play In their list of The Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time.

Broadway production

The play opened in America at

Henry Miller's Theatre The Stephen Sondheim Theatre, formerly Henry Miller's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 124 West 43rd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Owned by the Durst Organization and managed by the Roundabout Theatre ...

, New York City on 16 December 1954. It was produced by Gilbert Miller and Peter Saunders.

was the only member of the cast to transfer from the London production.''

'' reported on the success of the production in its issue of 23 December 1954 when they quoted a review in the ''

New York Herald Tribune The ''New York Herald Tribune'' was a newspaper published between 1924 and 1966. It was created in 1924 when Ogden Mills Reid of the ''New-York Tribune'' acquired the ''New York Herald''. It was regarded as a "writer's newspaper" and competed ...

'' which said that the play should be, "A walloping success. The finish is done with such dedicated conviction, such patent plausibility, such respect for the medium as a thing of beauty that you are apt to find yourself gasping out loud." Jessel and

Francis L. Sullivan Francis Loftus Sullivan (6 January 1903 – 19 November 1956) was an English film and stage actor. Early life Francis Loftus Sullivan attended Stonyhurst, the Jesuit public school in Lancashire, England, whose alumni include Charles Laughton ...

both won

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

s for their roles, and Christie won an

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...

from the

for Best Mystery Play. The play ran for 645 performances, closing on 30 June 1956.

Credits of Broadway production

* Director: Robert Lewis * Cast: *Gordon Nelson as Carter *

Mary Barclay Mary Barclay (20 July 1916 – 19 February 2008) was an English film, television and theatre actress. She was best known for playing Stella Dane in the ''Crossroads'' television series, as well as her role in the 1973 film, '' A Touch of Class''. ...

as Greta *

as Sir Wilfred Robarts, Q.C. *Robin Craven as Mr Mayhew, a solicitor *

Gene Lyons Gene Lyons is an American political columnist who has defended former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Writing He and Joe Conason co-authored '' The Hunting of the President: The 10 Year Campaign to Destroy Bill and Hillary Clinton'', a documentary ...

as Leonard Vole *Claude Horton as Inspector Hearne *Ralph Leonard as Plain-Clothes Detective *

as Romaine *Dolores Rashid as Third Juror *Andrew George as Second Juror *Jack Bittner as Foreman of the Jury *Arthur Oshlag as Court Usher *Ronald Dawson as Clerk of the Court *

Ernest Clark Ernest Clark (12 February 1912 – 11 November 1994) was a British actor of stage, television and film. Early life Clark was the son of a master builder in Maida Vale, and was educated nearby at St Marylebone Grammar School. After leaving sc ...

as Mr Myers, QC *Horace Braham as Mr Justice Wainwright *R. Cobden-Smith as Alderman *Harold Webster as Judge's Clerk *W. H. Thomas as Court Stenographer *Ralph Roberts as Warder *Henry Craig Nelson as Barrister *Brace Conning as Barrister *Ruth Greene as Barrister *Albert Richards as Barrister *Franklyn Monroe as Barrister *Sam Kramer as Barrister *Bryan Herbert as Policeman *Guy Spaull as Dr Wyatt * Una O'Connor as Janet MacKenzie *Michael McAloney as Mr Clegg *Dawn Steinkamp (pseudonym) as The Other Woman

Publication and further adaptations

The play was first published in the UK in ''Famous Plays of 1954'' by

Victor Gollancz Ltd Victor Gollancz Ltd () was a major British book publishing house of the twentieth century and continues to publish science fiction and fantasy titles as an imprint of Orion Publishing Group. Gollancz was founded in 1927 by Victor Gollancz, an ...

in 1954. The first printing in the US was in the same year in a paperback edition by

Samuel French Ltd Samuel French, Inc. is an American company, founded by Samuel French and Thomas Hailes Lacy, who formed a partnership to combine their existing interests in London and New York City. It publishes plays, represents authors, and sells scripts fr ...

. French also published the play in the UK in 1957 as French's Acting Edition No 648 priced at five

shillings The shilling is a historical coin, and the name of a unit of modern currencies formerly used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, other British Commonwealth countries and Ireland, where they were generally equivalent to 12 pence or ...

. It was reprinted in hardback for the US market in ''

The Mousetrap and Other Plays ''The Mousetrap and Other Plays'' is a collection of plays by English crime novelist Agatha Christie, published by G. P. Putnam's Sons on 25 November 1978. The eight plays had been previously published individually between 1944 and 1960, and al ...

'' by

G. P. Putnam's Sons G. P. Putnam's Sons is an American book publisher based in New York City, New York. Since 1996, it has been an imprint of the Penguin Group. History The company began as Wiley & Putnam with the 1838 partnership between George Palmer Putnam and J ...

in 1978 () and in the UK by

Harper Collins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Corp ...

in 1993 (). The very first performance of the story, just pre-dating the debut of Christie's play, was in the form of a live telecast which aired on CBS Television's ''

Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...

'' on 17 September 1953 and which starred Edward G. Robinson (making his television debut),

Andrea King Andrea King (born Georgette André Barry; February 1, 1919 – April 22, 2003) was an American stage, film, and television actress, sometimes billed as Georgette McKee. Early life Andrea King was born Georgette André Barry on February 1, 1919, ...

, and

Tom Drake Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in '' Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

. The

film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...

, based on Christie's play, was released on 6 February 1958 and directed by

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Hol ...

. Charles Laughton played Sir Wilfred,

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

played Romaine (renamed Christine) and

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James'', ' ...

played Leonard Vole in his second to last role. A character not in the play, Sir Wilfred's nurse, Miss Plimsoll, was created for the film and played by Laughton's wife,

Elsa Lanchester Elsa Sullivan Lanchester (28 October 1902 – 26 December 1986) was a British-American actress with a long career in theatre, film and television.Obituary '' Variety'', 31 December 1986. Lanchester studied dance as a child and after the F ...

. Una O'Connor who had played Janet MacKenzie, the housekeeper of the murder victim, on the New York stage, reprised her role in the film. Laughton and Lanchester were nominated for

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. A 1982 adaptation was made for television with Sir Ralph Richardson, Deborah Kerr,

Beau Bridges Lloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III (born December 9, 1941) is an American actor and director. He is a three-time Emmy, two-time Golden Globe and one-time Grammy Award winner, as well as a two-time Screen Actors Guild Award nominee. Bridges was a ...

Donald Pleasence Donald Henry Pleasence (; 5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995) was an English actor. He began his career on stage in the West End before transitioning into a screen career, where he played numerous supporting and character roles including RAF ...

, Dame

Wendy Hiller Dame Wendy Margaret Hiller, (15 August 1912 – 14 May 2003) was an English film and stage actress who enjoyed a varied acting career that spanned nearly 60 years. Writer Joel Hirschorn, in his 1984 compilation ''Rating the Movie Stars'', desc ...

and

Diana Rigg Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg (20 July 193810 September 2020) was an English actress of stage and screen. Her roles include Emma Peel in the TV series '' The Avengers'' (1965–1968); Countess Teresa di Vicenzo, wife of James Bond, in ''On H ...

. It was adapted by Lawrence B. Marcus and John Gay from the original screenplay and directed by

Alan Gibson Norman Alan Stewart Gibson (28 May 1923 – 10 April 1997) was an English journalist, writer and radio broadcaster, best known for his work in connection with cricket, though he also sometimes covered football and rugby union. At various times ...

Theatre Mill - 2014 production

In April 2014, the first ever site-specific production of the play opened at

York Guildhall York Guildhall is a municipal building located behind York's Mansion House. It is a Grade I listed building. History The building was constructed as a meeting place for the City's guilds between 1449 and 1459. King Richard III was enter ...

from York-based company, Theatre Mill, and was fully supported by Agatha Christie Ltd. To celebrate the world premiere, there was a Q&A with the director and cast following the opening night performance. According to reports, it was always Christie's wish to see the play in a site-specific location. The production was staged in the city's council chambers (using most of the building and played in-the-round) and was directed by Samuel Wood. The cast included: David Bowen, Rachel Logan, Andrew Dowbiggin, Adam Elms, and Clive Moore. It received very positive reviews.

2015 revival

Theatre Mill's production was revived at the

from June 2015 before transferring to

Leeds Civic Hall Leeds Civic Hall is a municipal building located in the civic quarter of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It replaced Leeds Town Hall as the administrative centre in 1933. The Civic Hall houses Leeds City Council offices, council chamber and a b ...

, again garnering extremely positive reviews. Logan, Elms, and Moore reprised their roles and were joined by Gordon Kane and Niall Costigan.

London County Hall production - 2017 to present

In October 2017, a unique courtroom staging of the play opened at

London County Hall County Hall (sometimes called London County Hall) is a building in the district of Lambeth, London that was the headquarters of London County Council (LCC) and later the Greater London Council (GLC). The building is on the South Bank of the ...

to critical acclaim. Performances were suspended in March 2020 due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the United Kingdom, it has resulted in confir ...

, and resumed in September 2021. The show is set to run until April 2023. Produced by Eleanor Lloyd Productions and Rebecca Stafford Productions this site-specific production is set in the magnificent surroundings of the chamber inside the historic

Credits of Original County Hall, London production

* Director:

Lucy Bailey Lucy is an English feminine given name derived from the Latin masculine given name Lucius with the meaning ''as of light'' (''born at dawn or daylight'', maybe also ''shiny'', or ''of light complexion''). Alternative spellings are Luci, Luce, Luc ...

*Designer: William Dudley *Lighting Designer: Chris Davey *Sound Designer: Mic Pool *Casting Director: Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG

References

{{Agatha Christie 1953 plays British plays adapted into films Plays by Agatha Christie