CLACTON Amateur Dramatic Society will bring an Agatha Christie classic to the West Cliff Theatre stage next week.

And Then There Were None (right) tells the tale of ten guilty strangers who are trapped on an island.

One by one, they are accused of murder and, one by one, they start to die.

In this superlative mystery comedy, statuettes of little soldier boys on the mantel of a house on an island off the coast of Devon fall to the floor and break one by one as those in the house succumb to a diabolical avenger.

A nursery rhyme tells how each of the ten soldiers met his death until there were none.

Eight guests who have never met each other or their apparently absent host and hostess are lured to the island and, along with the two house servants, marooned.

A mysterious voice accuses each of having got away with murder and then one drops dead – poisoned.

Paul Welham, chairman of the society, said the show would be directed by veteran Clacton Amateur Dramatic Society (CADS) actor Robert Easom, who has also designed the Art Deco stage set.

“Robert is now trying his hand at directing and has a strong cast of 11 actors, some new to CADS, some familiar faces and some returning,” he added.

“It has been great fun to rehearse. There are the usual stock murder mystery characters, including the judge, the doctor, the detective, the colonel, the adventurer, the old spinster, the callow youth, the heroine, the dependable servants.

“But this one has so many twists and turns that the whodunit remains a mystery till the final lines.”

The play runs from Wednesday to next Saturday at 7.30pm at the West Cliff Theatre, in Tower Road, Clacton.

There will also be a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday.

Tickets are priced from £9 and are available on 01255 433344.