A Murder is Announced

A Murder is Announced
By Agatha Christie. Hobart Repertory Theatre Society. The Playhouse Theatre, Hobart. Director: Don Gay. May 1 – 16, 2015

Casting! Casting! Casting! Director Don Gay surfaces every year for the Hobart Repertory Theatre Society to direct an Agatha Christie murder. Audiences are pleased to support the tradition, Hobart Repertory boosts its coffers due to the attendance numbers, and actors get the chance to experience the stylised Christie structure and to work with one of Hobart’s best and most popular directors.

We know what to expect with a Christie play, and even if you’ve seen it over and over again, it’s fun to go with the flow, and pretend that you don’t know, or have forgotten, what happens. The audience knows being hush-hush about the ending is the secret to a whodunit.

Don Gay said that the secret to the success of this latest production was the wonderful casting. Sarah Phillips was everything we expect to see as Miss Marple - gentle, softly spoken and clever. The “sensibly-heeled sleuth” was effectively paired with Roger Chevalier (Inspector Craddock). The stage partnership of these classic British theatre roles was respectful, almost conspiratorial. Fransina Kennedy (matriarch Letitia Blacklock, the lady of Little Paddocks) was believably British middle-upper class, with superb timing.

Pip Tyrell, whose specialty is dotty old lady roles, was a delight as Letita’s old friend Dora “Bunny” Bunner. Her dying scene was priceless. Daughter Sophie Tyrell, also a competent actor, acquitted herself well as Julia Simmons, and looked good in the lovely outfits.  Astrid Tiefholz played the over-the-top foreign cook Mitzi well. Other red herrings in the plot – Jon Lenthall (Edmund Swettenham), James Colburn- Keogh (Patrick Simmons), and Samantha Lush (Phillipa Haymes) were well handled.

Ann Harvey, (Mrs Swettenham) maintained character throughout, as a bit of a busybody, but a typical protective mum. Andrew Cooper (Sergeant Mellors/Rudi Scherz) rounded out the stock-standard Christie characters.

With 11 actors, multiple comings and goings, and the usual plot convolutions of an Agatha Christie play, it is a good thing that concise diction was a feature of the director’s toolbox. There were no weak links in the cast, and the play “looked good.” Against a lovely traditional-looking set, built by Jon Bowling and Jake Sanger, the typical drawing room was all that was needed. Don Gay designed the set and the effective lighting. Original music by Mark Hulsman and soundscape by Scott Hunt added to our expectations of danger. Costumes were lovely. Hobart Repertory delivered a package of both comedy AND whodunit, and entertainment!

Merlene Abbott 

Photo by John King Smith

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