The Times of 29 October 1953 was enthusiastic in its praise stating, "The author has two ends in view, and she attains them both. She takes us now into the
Old Bailey during an exciting trial for murder, now into chambers where the human reactions of the lawyers engaged in the case may be studied; and when the trial is over and there seems no more to be said, she swiftly ravels again the skein which the law has confidently unravelled and leaves herself with a denouement which is at once surprising and credible." The reviewer outlined the basics of the plot, commenting that
Patricia Jessel's performance in the witness box was "cold-blooded" and that she "makes a clear-cut image of hatred releasing itself suddenly from inhibitions which have become intolerable" and that
Derek Blomfield was "equally good". The greatest praise was reserved for the climax: "Mrs Christie has by this time got the audience in her pocket. A timely intervention of a woman of the streets offering new evidence seems precisely what the trial needs and when it is resumed the evidence brings it triumphantly to a satisfying conclusion. It is only then that the accomplished thriller writer shows her real hand."
Ivor Brown of
The Observer said in the issue of 1 November 1953 that the play had, "all the usual advantages of Counsel in conflict, agonised outbreak in the dock, and back-answers from the witness-box. To these are added a considerable and ingenious appendix; the jury's verdict is only the beginning of a story that has as many twists as a pigtail." He summed up with a comment on the performance of Patricia Jessel, who "takes the title-part with cool efficiency. Whether she is snake in the grass or butterfly on the wheel playgoers must find out for themselves. There will be plenty doing that."
Philip Hope-Wallace in
The Guardian's issue of 30 October 1953 said of the ending, "Justice has been done and has been seen to be done. We nod approvingly, at which moment Mrs Christie says in effect "Oh, so you thought that did you?" and with an unforeseen twist of the cards lets us see how wrong we were. This is satisfying, but it makes criticism almost impossible; first, one must not give away the clue and second, one must reconsider whether those witnesses who seemed the most plausible were not, in fact, less good players than those who seemed somehow not quite 'in character'." Nevertheless, Hope-Wallace did admit that the opening night was "a great success" and stated that the play presented a "well-made, humorous, exciting case".
Credits of London production •
Director: Wallace Douglas •
Cast: • Rosalie Westwater as Greta, typist to Sir Wilfrid • Walter Horsbrugh as Carter, Sir Wilfrid's Chief Clerk/Alderman •
Milton Rosmer as Mr Mayhew, a solicitor •
Derek Blomfield as Leonard Vole •
David Horne as Sir Wilfrid Robarts, QC •
David Raven as Inspector Hearne • Kenn Kennedy as Plain-Clothes Detective/Third Member of the Jury •
Patricia Jessel as Romaine • Philip Holles as Clerk of the Court •
Percy Marmont as Mr Justice Wainright •
D. A. Clarke-Smith as Mr Myers, QC • Nicolas Tannar as Court Usher • John Bryning as Court Stenographer • Denzil Ellis as Warder • Muir Little as The Judge's Clerk • George Dudley as First Barrister • Jack Bulloch as Second Barrister • Lionel Gadsen as Third Barrister • John Farries Moss as Fourth Barrister • Richard Coke as Fifth Barrister •
Agnes Fraser as Sixth Barrister •
Lauderdale Beckett as First Member of the Jury • Iris Fraser Foss as Second Member of the Jury • David Homewood as a Policeman • Graham Stuart as Dr. Wyatt, a Police Surgeon • Jean Stewart as Janet MacKenzie • Peter Franklin as Mr. Clegg, a laboratory assistant • Rosemary Wallace as The Other Woman The cast list, to preserve the surprise ending in the final scene, lists one character simply as "The Other Woman". Until that final scene audiences are meant to believe that "The Other Woman" refers to an appearance by Romaine in disguise. This is to hide the appearance of the "other" Other Woman in the closing moments. In 1995
Mystery Writers of America included the play in their list of
The Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time. ==Broadway production==