Last Updated on June 11, 2026
Champagne and Murder at County Hall
3.8 out of 5.0 stars
Agatha Christie’s play Witness for the Prosecution is now in its 9th year at the atmospheric octagonal Edwardian Baroque ex-council chamber of County Hall, the iconic behemoth of a building on Westminster Bridge that used to house both the London County Council and its successor, the Greater London Council. County Hall is within walking distance of Waterloo, Embankment, Charing Cross and Westminster stations.
The play is a period piece, a courtroom murder trial that feels very at home in its setting. Originally published as a short story in 1925, Witness for the Prosecution was first adapted as a stage play, premiering in 1953 at London’s Winter Garden Theatre. There was also a starry 1957 Billy Wilder-directed movie starring Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton.
The story is centred on the character of Leonard Vole, a naïve young man struggling to find regular work and married to Romaine, a worldly foreign emigré. Vole has made friends with a wealthy older woman, who was found murdered by her Scottish housekeeper on an evening that Vole had paid her a visit. Vole is accused of the murder, still a capital offence, and most of the play takes place in the courtroom with some classic Agatha Christie twists keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.
The star of the show is the council chamber masquerading as the courtroom. You feel as if you could be at the Old Bailey, watching real criminal proceedings unfold, giving the production an immersive quality. It’s the perfect location for a courtroom drama. The room has a natural reverberation that adds atmosphere, but small speakers positioned among the seats ensure you can hear every word.
There is a strong ensemble cast that has a lot of fun with the twists and turns of Christie’s melodramatic plot. Owen Warner convincingly plays Leonard Vole as a besotted and well-meaning innocent trapped in a terrifying web of false accusation. Eleanor Sutton, in a red wig and a fetching black beatnik outfit, hams it up as the wife, Romaine Vole. With an amusingly indeterminate accent, she is every inch the femme fatale.
The defence team of solicitor Mr Mayhew, played by Matthew White and Simon Cotton as Sir Wilfrid Robarts Q.C., play it straight with an old-fashioned lack of cynicism and a faith in British justice which is stylishly upheld by David Whitworth’s Mr Justice Wainwright. Michael Mears gives it his all for the prosecution as barrister Mr Myers, aided by Paul Westwood as the lugubrious Inspector Hearne, who slinks across the stage like a provincial tango dancer. Tamsin Heatley’s Scots housekeeper Janet Mackenzie is suitably over the top for a show that keeps its tongue firmly in its cheek. Director Lucy Bailey keeps things very pacey, and there is some well-choreographed business going on with the set changes and dramatic use of audio.
As part of the Gala event, we were invited to a Champagne Traditional Afternoon Tea at the London County Hall Marriott Hotel’s The Library. Lined with oak bookcases, it’s a fabulous space for an afternoon tea with unrivalled views of the river, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and the London Eye. The hotel is the perfect place to stay if you want to see the show, want a location right in the middle of town, or are just looking for a great spot for a meal or a drink.
The Afternoon Tea was a real treat. Served on elegant William Edwards china, after a welcome glass of fizz, we feasted on delicious savouries; pickled cucumber, tea cured salmon and coronation chicken sandwiches, a moreish truffled egg mayonnaise brioche bun and a tasty little caramelised onion goats cheese tartlet. There were scones with lashings of clotted cream, strawberry jam and lemon curd, and a lovely selection of pastries, including a chocolate Victoria sponge take on the Elizabeth Tower that houses Big Ben. There’s a wide selection of posh teas and plenty of other drink options.
If you’re a fan of whodunnits and want a fun night out, then Witness for the Prosecution is a good bet. It’s perfect for families (not for very young children) and will keep your attention.
The Afternoon Tea in London County Hall Marriott Hotel’s The Library
Witness for the Prosecution
London County Hall,
Belvedere Road,
SE1 7PB
Booking through until April 25th 2027
For more South Bank and Bankside theatre, check our previews
Leave a Reply