Join the jury for Agatha Christie thriller

On the 10th consecutive year of mid-winter mysteries at the PumpHouse, some audience members will be getting a different view.

Shoreside Theatre’s staging of Agatha Christie’s courtroom drama Witness for the Prosecution opened yesterday, and will run until 30 July.

The production includes a ‘jury box’ on the raised stage, which 12 members of the audience can book to sit in and watch the play while immersed in the action.

One lucky jury member will be selected to give the final verdict, although they have to follow the script.

Theatre manager James Bell said the jury box was a great opportunity to watch a play a different way.

The idea arose when the set was being built and seats shifted. The crew realised they had removed enough seats to relocate them on stage for a jury.

The play follows protagonist Leonard Vole, who is accused of the murder of a wealthy widow.

He fights to escape the hangman’s noose, while shocking revelations keep the audience guessing as to whether he or someone else did it.

Panels tell tale of Matariki

Panels displaying the story of Matariki are on display at Lake House Arts centre until 27 July. They were made by pupils from primary schools across the Devonport peninsula, following carved designs and painting them. The centre also hosted lantern-making and a twilight market for the Matariki public holiday.

Witness For The Prosecution

by Agatha Christie

20-30 JULY

Celebrating 10 years of mid-winter mystery!

Rangitoto College

3-5 AUGUST or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic

PH: 489 8360

PUMPHOUSE.CO.NZ

Bell said the combination of Christie’s signature whodunnit style and a courtroom drama made the play stand out among the acclaimed writer’s works. “It’s Agatha Christie providing her twists, turns and unusual characters to the courtroom drama.”

The story the play is based on was first published in 1925 in a magazine. A film ver- sion, starring Marlene Dietrich and Tyrone Power, was made in 1957 and a television mini-series as recently as 2016.

For the period costumes, the company has hired authentic robes to foster the “suspension of disbelief”, Bell said.

• Witness for the Prosecution , until 30 July, tickets, $22-$40, through pumphouse.co.nz