Wimborne Drama Productions 
Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne
KD Johnson 
14 May 2026
To read the synopsis in advance of watching the performance or not? That is the question. Some people are well acquainted with this story by the erstwhile “Queen of Crime”, Agatha Christie, but I am not. I have decided against knowing what is going to happen and so I start the evening mostly in the dark. I know that I am in the safe hands of the usually excellent Wimborne Drama Productions and let them bring it on.
As the curtains open there is scarcely a spare seat to be had in the auditorium – which is good news both for the Tivoli and for the company. The curtains open to reveal a more-or-less standard 1930s drawing room set – French window at the back, doors left and right and an exit to other rooms upstage left. The French window opens onto a balcony beyond which is a clifftop cove – distant gulls calling. There are 4 chairs and a sofa and the ubiquitous cocktail cabinet. I like the period fireplace with its decorated tiles. Above the fireplace, on the mantelpiece, are a row of 10 model soldiers. Hmmm!
The cast come in and we get to know them as they introduce themselves to each other. Some of their characters are instantly dislikeable – James Turrall plays Anthony Marsden, who drives his car at a furious speed and has almost driven Dr. Armstrong, played by Richard Scotson, into a ditch on his way here. Captain Lombard (Andy Gill) is arrogant and smarmy, and I am unconvinced by the South African accent initially used by Tony Feltham – although this is excusable in light of what we subsequently discover about his character. Innocuous and surely quite harmless (or are they?) are Colin Pile and Michelle Barter as Mr and Mrs Rogers. We can’t wait for the pious and dislikeable Emily Brent (Judy Garrett) to come to a sticky end but Justice Sir Lawrence Wargrave, played by the always excellent Stuart Glossop, and Vera Claythorne (Sali Pike) seem quite reasonable. That makes nine – there must be one missing – oh yes, Michael Mackey makes a suitably silly old duffer as General Mackenzie (although he is almost inaudible at times). The casting is excellent; the characters are there, now Dame Agatha’s Country House Mystery Cookbook just says “add ingredients and stir” – and that is what she does.
That’s about as far as I can go without revealing the plot. There are mysterious, recorded accusations from off-stage (rather disappointingly played through the front-of-house speakers). There are some rather better sound effects of a storm, which come from backstage speakers. There are some real gunshots [Warning] – complete with “smellovision” – it is surprising how that carries. The candles, used in the night-time scenes, are really effective (I would like to know where they sourced those from). There are some excellent dialogues between Vera and the Captain, Lombard and Blore, Vera and Emily; great character acting from all involved.
Technically, there are some issues with the lighting of the chairs at downstage left and right, which I understand can be difficult – but Dr. Armstrong’s agitated outbursts are delivered from semi-darkness.
I am peeved, as ever, by the creeping Americanisation of British scripts – I doubt that an English doctor of the 1930s would use the word “autopsy” rather than “post mortem”, nor do I think that anyone would say that the absent Mrs. Owen “wrote me” – these have all been introduced to pamper to an American audience who, apparently, don’t understand proper English (or Latin).
Anyway, to climb down from my platform of pedantry, this is an excellent show by an enthusiastic and talented ensemble. Congratulations are due to Director, Chris Durham, his team, and to the cast. I recommend that you go and see it.
At the time of writing there are still tickets available for Friday 15th May at 19:30 and twice on Saturday 16th at 14:30 and 19:30.
