AND Then There Were None, in my opinion, is by far the very best of Agatha Christie’s Whodunnits. Not just because it has the most original plotline and a gasp-out-loud twist at the end, but because it delves into the notion of justice.

It’s the story of 10 strangers lured to a mansion on a remote Devonshire island by an unknown eccentric millionaire under a variety of pretexts. Unbeknown to them, they have been summoned to pay for their past sins – namely murder. The guests are charged with their respective “crimes” by a gramophone recording on the first night and informed they are going to face the ultimate justice – a sentence of death.

I’d never seen a stage version of this Christie’s novel before but I’d always wanted to. Opening night of the Bill Kenwright and Agatha Christie Theatre Company production at the Palace Theatre, in Westcliff, exceeded my expectations.

As the characters are bumped off one by one in typically gruesome fashion, they are haunted by an old nursery rhyme: “10 little soldier boys went out to dine, one choked his little self and then there were nine!” and so on it goes.

Director Joe Harmston ensures claustrophobia and paranoia are cranked up to almost tormenting tension as the marooned “victims”

realise they can no more escape from the murderer as they can their own conscience.

The production is superior in all aspects. The sets and costumes are reflected in the fact this is a true period production – set in the year the novel was actually written, 1939.

Just Good Friends star Paul Nicholas excels as Sir Lawrence Wargrave, the calm and acerbic judge – the antithesis of his cocky character Vince in the Eighties sitcom – and the entire cast ensemble is a cut above and lead the audience on a nailbiting final act.

As a fan of the book, I knewwho the culprit was, but I was curious to see if my companion could guess the identity of the murderer by the interval. She guessed everyone except the actual killer, so it seems the whodunnit queen nailed the suspense factor with this novel.

The gasps of genuine shock from the audience as the murderer finally revealed themselves in the final scene was proof of that.

  • And Then There Were None is showing at the Palace Theatre in Westcliff tonight and tomorrow. Call the box office on 01702 351135 or visit southendtheatres.org.uk