You are hereby summoned to the trial of the Century!

Step inside our courtroom and be prepared to question everything.

Leonard Vole is accused of the brutal murder of a wealthy widow and the case appears to be open and shut – the evidence is damning, a motive is clear yet his defence lawyer, Sir Wilfrid Robarts, seems to take on this hopeless case, ready to prove Vole’s innocence. Then the trial begins to unravel in a most unexpected way.

Witness testimony clashes. Loyalties shift. Truth becomes slippery.

And then we have Leonard’s mysterious wife, her chilling composure and startling revelations threaten to seal her husband’s fate – or maybe conceal something far more dangerous. Unlike Agatha Christie’s famous detective tales, this is a story where the courtroom itself becomes the battleground, and every word spoken could tip the scales of justice.

Did you know?

The story was first published in 1925 in America under the title Traitor’s Hands. It was later renamed for its 1933 UK book release.

Agatha Christie first wrote Witness For The Prosecution as a short story. Adapted into a smash-hit play in 1953, she wrote the stage script and intentionally altered the ending—she believed the theatre required something more visually dramatic and violent than the original twist.

The well-known 1957 film adaptation was directed by Billy Wilder and stared Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton, and was praised by Christie as the best cinematic translation of her writing.

So, are you ready to become involved? Come watch the trial unfold, look out for clues and see if you can work out the truth. And, as you are part of that jury, we ask only one thing of you – when the final verdict is revealed, keep the secret. Do not betray it to those who have yet to witness the truth!

Because in this courtroom…

nothing is quite what it seems.

About Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie, known as the Queen of Crime was one of the best-selling authors of all time, her works having sold over two billion copies worldwide. Christie created iconic characters such as Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, which have been staples of film and television for decades.

Agatha Christie, known as the Queen of Crime

She was extraordinarily prolific, writing 66 detective novels, 14 short-story collections and more than a dozen plays, as well as several romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott - all this despite being unable to type.

Christie was a genuinely fascinating person. Her knowledge of poisons was real, gained from her time as a pharmacy assistant during World War I. Her second husband, Max Mallowan, was an eminent archaeologist, and their extensive travels together appear most strongly in the Poirot stories.

In 1926 she disappeared for 11 days, and as many as 15,000 people were involved in the search for her, creating a media frenzy that remains a topic of speculation to this day. She was eventually located at a hotel in Harrogate, under an assumed name.

Perhaps the most unusual fact about Agatha Christie is that she was one of the first people in Britain to surf standing up.

The Cast

Interval Refreshments

There will be a bar selling glasses of prosecco (and equally nice non-alcoholic alternatives) before and during the interval of each performance.

Pre-Theatre Meal at The Assheton Arms

We are delighted that once again The Assheton Arms in Downham will be offering a pre-theatre meal exclusively for Stage Two Downham ticket holders.

They will provide a two course meal for just £20, and will also make sure your meal is complete in time for you to make short journey to Downham Village Hall. Once you have bought your theatre tickets, call The Assheton Arms on 01200 439699 to reserve your table.