Review: Eikä yksikään pelastunut

Good old Agatha Christie! The Arena stage of the Helsinki City Theatre brings to the stage Christie’s true classic And None Was Saved, which was published as a book already in 1939. Its solution is probably the most difficult to guess of Christie’s mysteries, and even in the theater, the audience is rightly reminded to keep the ending a secret.

A group of guests arrive on a remote island where only two servants can be found. The party organizers are nowhere to be seen, and there is no other way out of the island than the water taxi that arrives in the morning. Very quickly it turns out that everyone on the island is united by the fact that they have caused someone’s death. In revenge for the crime of the past, their lives are now threatened. The hidden murderer begins to follow the elimination according to an old nursery rhyme, while each of the characters goes through remorse and introspection.

The author adapted her work into a manuscript (a natural Finnish translation by Aino Piirola), and it flows captivatingly from the peaceful beginning to the murder cavalcade at the end. Director Sakari Hokkanen spins this mystery of a closed space irrefutably.

As someone who read a bag full of Christie’s books as a child, I don’t remember them being humorous in any way, but you can also laugh in this play! Especially Mikko Virtanen’s Philip Lombard and Santeri Kinnunen’s character (there is a surprise associated with his identity, which I will not reveal here) are responsible for lightening the atmosphere. The cast that works together is a good combination of older trusted people and younger talents without discord, and as a whole, it’s like straight out of a British drama.

The music composed by Aleksi Saura brings a great addition, especially to the most dramatic moments of the play. Lighting designer Petteri Heiskanen uses twilight and darkness to bring additional excitement. Elina Kolehmainen’s costume design immediately makes the social class of each character clear and also gives a glimpse of their personality.

Personally, I would have liked the twists and turns of the rhyme followed by the murderer to have been explained more comprehensively under the acts. Now, they were often only reviewed afterwards. However, those with a keen eye will notice that the rhyme can be found framed outside the hall.

Christie’s works provide an antidote to today’s hectic everyday life, which is tinged with bad news. They have charm as well as British politeness and customs that do not waver even at the moment of murder. There is no gluttony of brutality and the brain buds get a job. At the same time, the play is a small study of humanity and people under pressure, in the dramatic final meters of their lives.

Review on the pages of Apu magazine.