"Witness For The Prosecution" by Your Chance Productions.

National Gallery Of Justice, Nottingham.

I have never seen the film or know the story, which is a great way to see any murder mystery play, as you don't know what happens and, best of all, you don't know the outcome.

Leonard Vole stands accused of murdering a rich widow, Emily French. The stakes are high with shocking witness testimony, impassioned outbursts from the dock and a young man’s fight to escape the hangman’s noose.  When Vole's wife, Romaine, agrees to testify, she does so not in Leonard's defence but as a witness for the prosecution. This Agatha Christie courtroom classic is regarded as one of her most accomplished plays, and keeps you guessing until the very end as to its' outcome.

The play was originally produced as a short story in a weekly magazine under the title of "Traitor's Hands" in 1925. Christie though was dissatisfied with her original outcome and changed it later on, but will we see the original outcome, or her revised version? I won't be providing any spoilers as to happens!

You could not get a better setting to perform a drama in court than in a real life court room, all of which adds to the atmosphere and intensity of this play.

Darren Taylor plays Leonard Vole, the man whose life could be snuffed out by the hangman's noose. At first, Vole doesn't seem to take the events too seriously, but is this because he knows that he is innocent or that he has his wife to provide evidence that will categorically show that he was not at the scene of the crime when the murder happened. Or is he just being over confident?

Chantelle Ruston is Romaine Vole, his new wife who he married to bring into the UK. There is a mention that Romaine is an actor, but is she acting when she first meets her husband's legal advisor and his Barrister, or could she be acting when she takes the stand. The information she provides varies greatly, but why, if she is as devoted to Leonard as much as Leonard professes?

Connor Thomas plays Sir Wilfred Robarts, the Defence Barrister, and it's Sir Wilfred's job to prove that Leonard Vole is innocent and get him acquitted. This is Connor's debut for Your Chance Productions but it's quite obvious that this is not his first acting rodeo. He is at ease with this forceful character, but does he manage to convince the jury of Vole's innocence, especially when there is so much weighted evidence not in Vole's favour?

Charles Andrews is Mr Myers who is leading the prosecution, determined to prove Leonard Vole is guilty and will use any tricks he can to win the case.

Martin Weston plays Mr Mayhew, a solicitor and Leonard Vole's legal adviser. Mayhew is responsible for bringing Leonard's case to Sir Wilfred. Convinced that he's been wrongly accused and determined to prove his innocence to all.

Elle Bates is Janet McKenzie in her Your Chance debut. Janet is the housekeeper to Emily French and the one who reported the murder. She insists that the murderer must be Vole, but can her evidence really be trusted when she's clearly bias against him? Robarts thinks that he has her on the ropes as he dissects everything she attests to, but she has the final answer that could close the case!

Andrew Barlow doubles as the Chief Inspector Hearne, the Arresting Officer, and a Court Usher.

William Morgan plays Dr Wyatt, who has the job of examining the victim's body as well as a Court Usher. He provides a substantial clue to French's murderer, and just when you think you have taken that clue and detected who the murder, or murderess, may be through a deliberate slip with one of the witnesses, the Christie twist machine starts!

Samantha Badman doubles up as Greta and the Court Official. Greta is a wonderful, fun character whose typing skills leave something to be desired, and the bane of her quite bossy boss's life. The Court Official role is a complete opposite to Greta's character.

Phillippa Buchanan also doubles her roles, playing Ms Carter and Miss Clegg; again, two very different roles for Phillippa.

Jeff Tullin plays the right honourable Justice Wainwright. This is also Jeff's first production with Your Chance Productions and he's playing the Judge overseeing the murder trial. The aura that Jeff provides straight away brings that air of superiority, which is what is needed for the Judge's role.

Madeleine Levy plays the Police Officer assigned to guard Leonard in court.

Izzy Smith plays the strawberry blonde girl who pops up in the evidence. And while this character only appears at the end of the play, she is a vital lynchpin to the whole story.

Directed by Jess McLean, she has created one of those productions that keeps you guessing all the way to the end. And when you discover who did do it, and you haven't seen the play, or film before, it does come as quite a surprise, but any Agatha Christie thriller isn't complete with just one or two more twists.........

By the way, the Set Design is incredibly good and very realistic.

"Witness For The Prosecution" will be holding court at the National Justice Museum in Nottingham until Saturday 9 March.