Appointment with Death

Asked if I thought this script outdated and wordy, I immediately refuted the idea. There is something very satisfying and compelling about Appointment with Death, as with all Agatha Christie mysteries. The characters, or their type, are what we have come to expect and the fun is anticipating how the action will play out.

The set (Rogan Josh and Scott Hunt) is clever, considering the difficulty of depicting desert ruins. 

All actors are well cast. Mark Morgan as Alderman “Iggs”, Roger Chevalier as the French Doctor and Kathy Spencer as Lady Westholme typify the genre. Ebba Austen capably carries the load of the love interest. Of note is Stephen Jones’ characterisation of the Dragoman. What could have been an offensive stereotype is turned on its head. Jones does not play the obsequious servant but instead takes the upper hand in poking fun at British sensibilities. Pip Tyrrell is a delight as Mrs Boynton. Accustomed to playing doddering old ladies, the evil Mrs Boynton gives Tyrrell scope to explore a very different character.

Appointment with Death guarantees an enjoyable evening.

Anne Blythe-Cooper