Pepsi Presents: And Then There Were None
Written By: Syed Ali Arshad
Ten strangers make it to an island, invited by a host they don’t know. Each of them has a secret that they are hiding and a crime for which they must pay.
Over dinner, a record begins to play, and the voice of the unknown and unseen host accuses each person of hiding their guilty secret. That evening, former reckless driver Tony Marston is found murdered by a deadly dose of cyanide. The tension escalates as the survivors come to a realization that the killer is not only among them but is preparing to strike again… and again…
It is hard – nay, impossible, not to be intrigued by the log line and the plot that you just finished reading. This describes the wildly popular and well-celebrated play by Agatha Christie, “And Then There Were None”, which is now being adapted for Pakistani audience at the Second Floor café (T2f). Produced by Drama Queen Productions, it is set for performance on several dates in August, i.e. on 16th-19th and 23rd – 25th of August.
The show has opened to a tremendous response, also proven by the fact that the producers had to extend the dates with more shows to accommodate the demand. Co-Directed by Arman Tejani and Ahmed Agloria, the show is living up to the Agathia magic of a guaranteed edge-of-the-seat experience.
Continue reading to find why Karachi is hooked to the play and get convinced that you absolutely cannot miss this play while it is still showing.
Just how popular is this play?
Based on the best selling mystery novel of all times, with over 100 million copies, “And then there were none” was named such in 1940s, after a lyric from a song. Soon after release, several editions were published and in different languages, breaking sale records in the genre and beyond.
In the same year, the novella was adopted as play and has since been performed hundreds of times around the world, and in various renditions: on Broadway in London, on big screens as films, for television as mini-series, in songs and even in comedic adaptations. It has had more adaptations than any other single work by Agatha Christie. To this day, it is so popular that it is still used and recognized as an important popular culture reference.
From South Asia, the Indian film Gumnaam (meaning anonymous) in 1965 added Bollywood touches to the play, including music and comedy, to the plot.
Similarly, a West-German adaptation, Zehn kleine Negerlein, was also made in 1969 and was directed by Hans Quest. In 1970, the story appeared on French TV. There was even a 1981 six-part adaptation made in Cuba. 1987 saw a Russian version titled Desyat’ negrityat; this was rare in its use of the novel’s original ending. Then in 1989 another US film, Ten Little Indians, directed by Alan Birkinshaw, hit blockbuster charts of that time.
Very recently, with its same original name, it has been remade as a mini-series in UK, also staring Charles Dance (of Game of Thrones fame) and boasts fans from around the world.
And now as a Karachi’ite, you’re getting an opportunity to experience its play first hand. Hence, we conform to Drama Queen Productions when they say that the play is a classic, and Agatha Christie’s equation just works – whether that is in Pakistan or somewhere else.
“My most difficult work” – and an inspiration for many modern horror and thriller films.
The writer Agatha deems it “the most difficult work that I have ever written”, pointing at the screenwriting that enabled suspense and mystery. The struggle was definitely a fruitful one thanks to the critical acclaim from one and all. Writing for The Times Literary Supplement, Maurice Percy Ashley states about the play, “there is an ingenious problem to solve in naming the murderer. It will be an extremely astute reader who guesses correctly.” So you will have to flex your brain muscles to work out the mystery of who is the culprit (knock-knock, Sherlock Holmes!)
With this play, Agatha came to be known for her plot twists and surprise endings. Hence, it wouldn’t come as a surprise that this play has actually been a blueprint for many murder-mystery stories that later come out. It is the isolated location where all the players on scene are murdered, never knowing whom their murderer is. It was Agatha Christie who was the first one to do it, and so flawlessly, that the story has become her most adapted piece.
So dear Karachiites, need I convince you more? A talented cast and crew has put together a critically acclaimed show with a Pakistani touch, has set it up in one of the most aesthetically pleasing community centers of the city, and is inviting you and your family to have an experience to remember. Go to Whatsapp, message friends, take family, order the tickets or purchase them from any Habitt store, and show up sharp at 7:15 (or before, for T2f is a wonderful place to hang out).
Who is the murderer? We are curious and we know you are too!
