Norm Caddick knows his way around the repertory theatre scene and it’s abundantly clear in his direction of this Agatha Christie murder mystery. He and the cast smoothly and swiftly navigated their way through the sometimes wordy expository scenes of Act 1, nicely setting up our expectations for the recollections and crime-scene reconstruction in the second Act.
Nick Spottiswoode’s set functioned well enough, divided into three internal scenes in the first Act and opening up into a large room effectively cut away to the patio in Act 2.
Most of the actors succeeded in playing their characters both in contemporary time and sixteen years earlier. In that, Heather Riley as Miss Williams showed strength of will and character, Ron Densley was suitably understated as Philip Blake, and Graham Lamonby was amiably pleasant as Meredith. Lani Gerbi showed life and youthful willfulness as Angela, and Zanny Edhouse was sparklingly arch as Elsa, while Stephen Bills had the right balance as the flawed Amyas.
Simon Lancione as Justin Fogg, having played the critical role of the smart and determined young lawyer in Act 1, was equally important and convincing as both participant and narrator in Act 2.
Holding the plot together, and providing the impulse for most of it was Chanelle Le Roux as both Carla and her late mother. That took remarkable skill and style, and she played the roles splendidly, differentiating them sensibly and subtly. Hers was a most convincing dual performance. This was a rock-solid, life-like interpretation of the play, well worth seeing.
