THIS is Witness For The Prosecution, the re-trial.

York company Theatre Mill are reactivating their site-specific premiere of Agatha Christie's 1953 courtroom drama with many of the ingredients still in place – location, director, designer and plenty of last April's cast – and a trio of new principal players, York actor Gordon Kane, repertory regular Niall Costigan and the veteran Chris Wilkinson.

"I see you haven't learned your lesson, sir," said Simon Arm-Riding's stern Policeman, greeting your reviewer gravely in the Guildhall, pointing in the direction of the chambers, a dark, wood-panelled amphitheatre ripe for drama, whether political or judicial.

The atmosphere of a courtroom pervades all the building, thanks to Samuel Wood's supporting cast. Once seated, everyone in the "jury seats" or the "public gallery" is addressed/dressed down by the censorious Clerk of the Court (Paul Toy), who instructs we should all stand on the entry of the Judge, Mr Justice Wainwright (Wilkinson).

Costigan's Leonard Vole, gentlemanly but jumpy, jobless and previously impecunious, stands accused of murdering the nice "old" woman he had befriended to his ultimate financial benefit. Crucially, where was he at 9.30pm on the night of her murder? At home, he protests, with his mysterious, haughty German wife Romaine (Rachel Logan, even better than last year and just as intriguing). Or was he at the house of the victim, as austere Scottish housekeeper Scot Janet Mackenzie (Pam Hilton) insists?

York Press:

Chris Wilkinson as Mr Justice Wainwright. Picture by Tom Jackson

 

She is but one of several amusing cameos, Tom Jackson provides a couple more, and Lowenna Melrose's office girl Greta is as dotty as her polka print dress as she keeps defence lawyer Sir Wilfrid Robarts QC in tea. Kane's urbane, incisive Sir Wilfrid must construct a defence for the sly Vole in tandem with lawyer Mr Mayhew (Adam Elms, dapper and humorous in his fastidious, frustrated pipe-smoking).

Conducted with the protagonists in the middle of the audience (each of us a witness to the ongoing prosecution), the trial is a battle ground where Kane's Sir Wilfrid pits his pithy wit and astute mind against Clive Moore's smug, weasly prosecution QC, Mr Myers. Christie stays one step ahead of us all, lawyers, judge, defendant, audience, keeping the surprises and false leads coming.

Such is the grip of Wood's enterprising production, aided by Christie's dark, smart humour and savvy awareness of courtroom etiquette and matters of law, that you will relish the case as much as Wilkinson's brisk, ever engaged and questing Mr Justice Wainwright.

Last year, The Press advised you should kill for a ticket, such was the intense demand; maybe there will be no need for such drastic measures this time, with the York run being complemented by a month-long transfer to Leeds Civic Hall, where the seating capacity is three times bigger. On second thoughts, kill again, just in case.

Witness For The Prosecution, Theatre Mill, York Guildhall Council Chamber, until July 12; Leeds Civic Hall, July 28 to August 30. Box office: York, 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk; Leeds, 08448 482 700 or leedsgrandtheatre.com