Review by Markus Hamence – Performance date: Sunday 03 August 2025, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide, South Australia
Her Majesty’s Theatre, 2-16 August 2025
Presented by John Frost for Crossroads Live
Step aside, Poirot – this one’s darker, grittier and gripping from curtain-up to curtain-call. The queen of crime fiction, Agatha Christie, would be raising her gin and tonic to this beautifully executed stage production of And Then There Were None that’s landed in Adelaide with an ominous bang.
Following a successful tour across Australia and wrapping up in Adelaide, this classic whodunnit brings a wave of suspense to Her Majesty’s Theatre, drawing audiences into a meticulously crafted tale of secrets, guilt, and retribution. It’s theatre with teeth – and in this 2025 adaptation, the bite is ferociously fresh.
“What makes this play sing is not just Christie’s razor-sharp narrative (still as thrilling today as it was when first penned in 1939) but the calibre of direction and performance…” – Markus Hamence
The Plot Thickens… and Then Unravels
For the uninitiated, the story follows ten strangers invited to a mysterious island under different pretences. Trapped by a storm and an unseen host, they soon find themselves being picked off one by one – each death matching a chilling nursery rhyme framed on the wall. There’s no escape. No help coming. And everyone’s a suspect.
What makes this play sing is not just Christie’s razor-sharp narrative (still as thrilling today as it was when first penned in 1939), but the calibre of direction and performance breathing new life into every twist, turn and red herring.
“It’s an ensemble that gels beautifully – taut when needed, tender in moments, but always walking that edge of suspicion…” – Markus
A Killer Ensemble Cast
Directed with eerie precision by the incomparable Robyn Nevin, the cast of ten is pure fire. Each character is defined, distinctive and deliciously suspicious. The slow reveals of their dark pasts are served like a decadent degustation of dread.
- Anthony Phelan is magnetic as Judge Wargrave – cool, calculating and quietly terrifying.
- Jack Bannister as Anthony Marston has a sharp delivery and chilling indifference, his brief but striking appearance effectively sets the tone for the chaos and moral reckoning that follows
- Mia Morrissey brings steely nuance to Vera Claythorne, navigating her layered role with emotional authenticity and flickers of fear just under the surface. Star quality! I need to see her in much, much more please.
- Eden Falk as Dr. Armstrong has his morphing physicality and jittery expressions effectively amplify tension, transforming Armstrong from source of calm expertise to visually gripping embodiment of the play’s mounting dread.
- Tom Stokes’ Philip Lombard is swagger personified, hiding secrets behind every smirk.
- Peter O’Brien as William Blore offers a welcome touch of levity – his South African accent bringing a unique flavour to the role. A far cry from his Shane Ramsay character from the 80’s of Neighbours. Brilliant.
- Jennifer Flowers as Emily Brent is a scene-stealer, stern and severe with old-school righteousness that makes your skin crawl.
- Christen O’Leary plays Mr’s Rogers to perfection. Her understated yet subtly sharp portrayal – especially her dry remarks about the younger guests—adds both edge and muted humour to a role.
- Chris Parker takes on Fred Narracott. His grounded portrayal grounds the mounting dread, making audiences believe every passenger could be the next to vanish.
- Grant Piro‘s character Rogers is described as ‘suitably frenetic as the panicked servant’ and brings a tension‑tinged energy to a role grounded in unwavering, yet uneasy, servitude
- And Nicholas Hammond, the ever-reflective General MacKenzie, captures the quiet tragedy of a man haunted by wartime choices. The OG Friedrich from Sound of Music is a gentleman and an industry legend, a privilege to witness him on stage.
It’s an ensemble that gels beautifully – taut when needed, tender in moments, but always walking that edge of suspicion. The characters are diverse and well written and then brought to life with precision by the uber talents of the well selected cast. You’ll find yourself eyeing everyone.
“Nevin’s directorial hand is subtle yet powerful. She lets the story breathe in moments of quiet, then slams the tension back with theatrical flair…”
– Markus
Design & Direction – A Sensory Feast
The visual staging is a knockout. Dale Ferguson’s set design delivers a modernist clifftop mansion dripping in wealth, isolation and decay. The backlit ocean views through towering glass windows provide a serene backdrop that only amplifies the growing menace inside. It’s luxe-meets-claustrophobic, and it works.
Lighting shifts like moods – sharp whiteouts, shadow play, flickering menace. Lighting Designer Trudy Dalgleish and Sound Designer Paul Charlier team up to create an audio-visual experience that heightens the tension tenfold. The sudden blackouts and spine-tingling soundscapes are surgical in their precision.
Nevin’s directorial hand is subtle yet powerful. She lets the story breathe in moments of quiet, then slams the tension back with theatrical flair. Her choice to lean into the psychological torment over flashy gimmicks grounds the production in realism – and makes the final moments all the more shattering.
Tone, Pacing & Themes
At its heart, this is a story of justice, morality and the shadowy line between guilt and punishment. This version leans into the bleakness with cinematic finesse. Don’t expect cosy tea-and-scone murder mystery vibes – this is hard-boiled, ominous, and beautifully unsentimental.
While Act I lays the groundwork with deliberate pacing (a touch slow for those wanting immediate thrills), it pays off massively as Act II spirals into chaos and claustrophobia. The final moments are pitch-black perfection – audibly stunning in their delivery and visually unforgettable.
“Suspense theatre doesn’t get tighter than this. If you’ve never seen a Christie story on stage, start here…” – Markus
Final Thoughts – A Christie Classic Reborn
And Then There Were None in Adelaide is a thrilling masterclass in modern stagecraft. It’s respectful of the source material, yet confidently bold in its interpretation. Suspense theatre doesn’t get tighter than this. If you’ve never seen a Christie story on stage, start here.
It’s haunting, high-quality theatre that pulls no punches. Murder has never looked so stylish.
On Your Markus stars
If you’re craving a night out that’ll leave your mind racing, your pulse pounding and your inner detective dusting off the trench coat, then And Then There Were None should be top of your 2025 theatre list.
Tickets information
And Then There Were None
2-16 August 2025
Her Majesty’s Theatre
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