REVIEW: KATS left us on the edge of our seats with And Then There Were None

KATS did it again: creating a tense, entertaining and truly impressive production of a dark classic. 

We delayed this review to make sure we gave NOTHING away for this psychological thriller - it kept us at the edge of our seats all night. 

And Then There Were None is an Agatha Christie whodunit, originally published in 1939 and is still the world's best-selling mystery, and with over 100 million copies sold is one of the best-selling books of all time. 

The KATS cast of And Then There Were None - credit Andy Chapman 

Despite this, neither myself nor my husband who came with me to see it, had ever read or seen an adaptation, meaning we were the perfect audience - we were whispering our theories throughout the scene changes and I’m proud to say that I called it before he did! 

And Then There Were None sees 10 strangers brought to a large house on an island under various pretences, where they all discover that they have been brought together for a sinister reason. 

A disembodied voice on a gramophone accuses each of them of being responsible for the death of another person or people, and then, one by one, they start being found dead. A poem on the wall, Ten Little Soldiers, and corresponding figurines on the mantelpiece seems to be describing each death as it happens, adding to the tension in the group. 

As the cast gets reduced one by one, you’re left wondering which of the ten people you met at the beginning is going to be the murderer, and why? 

The cast, as always, were fantastic. Sarah Bird played both the effervescent Toni Marston and the boat captain who brings them all to the island, Freda Narracott. She played both roles so well it was only when I checked the programme I realised they were played by the same actor! 

Dina White was excellent as the housekeeper Mrs Ethel Rogers, complete with nerves on edge and an annoyance at her bosses, while Joe Simmonds matched her performance perfectly, playing her husband Thomas Rogers, the put-upon butler. 

Nate Fox was back to his usual heights as William Blore, the 'South African' millionaire with a rather suspect accent who isn’t all he seems, and it was nice to see him play something more dramatic as his recent roles in KATS have provided lots of the comic relief. 

Christine Bonner, a mainstay of KATS, was fantastic as always, bringing the purist and judgemental Emily Brent to life; while Mike Davies, always the consummate professional, breathed himself into First World War General Mackenzie. 

Dame Laura Wargrave, the judge with a passion for justice and retribution, was played by the always brilliant Jules McColl, while Sarah Robens brought the anxiety (and possibly guilt)-ridden Dr Edwina Armstrong to the stage in full colour. 

For me though, the stand-out performances for this production were Sarah Montague as Vera Claythorne and Jordan Davis as Captain Philip Lombard. A return to KATS for Sarah saw her toe the line between the paranoia, terror and guilt in Vera and a truly believable performance all-round. Jordan was a new member of KATS this year and was excellent as the dry and sarcastic Captain, pretty sure he made most of the audience fall a little bit in love with him but also hate ourselves for it. 

As always the set design was on point, led by scenic artist Karen Sandy-Higham, and although not overtly set on Burgh Island, Agatha Christie wrote the book there and Soldier Island was giving very strong Burgh Island vibes. The ability of the team to make the back of the stage into an utterly convincing balcony with sea views was almost unbelievable. 

The whole production could not have been the success it was without the creative steering of the Director, Jill Brock, who also designed the sets that her husband Chris and his team built. Their talents are obviously genetic because their daughter Ellie wrote the music and soundscapes, setting the scene for a truly exciting and unnerving experience. 

As always, the whole KATS cast and crew put on a spectacle much more suited to a high profile stage, rather than a rural village hall, but I can only continue to be blown away that we can see such a calibre of talent and artist flair in our very own Malborough. 

I cannot wait for the next one, and with sold out performances this season, make sure you’re first on the list for the next one - you’ll never be disappointed.