As a kid, I devoured Agatha Christie mysteries - and others such as Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes. I believe this set the stage for a lifelong appreciation of the various mystery genres, British and American alike.
For whatever reason, plays tend to go in cycles. Sometimes, this is because a particular play or musical becomes newly available for small theaters, but others, I think it is just something in the air, so to speak.
In any case, two different local theaters have put on Agatha Christie adaptations in the last few months. First was And Then There Were None, the first Christie I ever read, at The Playhouse. And now, A Murder is Announced at Bakersfield Community Theater.
I honestly cannot remember if I read the book for this one back in the day, but it seems likely. I went back and looked up the book plot, and there are a few changes, including the elimination of a few red herrings and a few minor characters. This makes sense - you have to fit the story into two hours of stage time. The main idea remains very much intact, and I suspect much of the dialogue was preserved.
Oddly, the Leslie Darbon adaptation isn’t listed on the Wikipedia page for the book. The Agatha Christie Wiki, however, does mention it - she apparently did one other Christie adaptation, for Cards on the Table. This one dates to 1977.
In addition to the fact that I like Christie, a significant reason I made sure to go see this one was that a number of friends were in it. It is always a pleasure to see them on stage, doing what they do.
We were warned to not give away spoilers, and even though this run is done, I will still keep my silence. If you really must know…go read the book.
The premise, though, is worth explaining. A small ad in the local paper announces that a murder will occur at a boarding house in the little village at precisely 6:30 that evening. It sets the village astir, and when it turns out that said murder does in fact occur,Inspector Craddock and Miss Marple must solve the crime.
One of the things that struck me about this story is that it is the first appearance of Inspector Craddock. I knew the name was familiar, and, sure enough, he is a recurring character in the Miss Marple novels. The play lacks time to really develop the backstory, but this is the book in which Craddock comes to meet Miss Marple, and eventually overcomes his skepticism to partner with her in solving the mystery - and others to come.
Since these central parts were performed by friends, I was curious to see what they did with the characters. You can’t really just imitate one of the other versions, whether on stage or screen. And everyone who reads the books likely has a mental picture of both characters which may or may not match anyone else’s. So, you have to just do it your own way.
Sofia Reyes took on the role of Craddock, and brought a down-to-earth yet no-nonsense vibe to the role. With a side order of officiousness at times, which, well, that’s definitely the character.
Vickie Stricklind was Miss Marple, knitting and all. Her portrayal was definitely different from the screen versions. Just a little bit more prickle and sass in a small package.
I enjoyed both, and thought they also had good chemistry with each other.
The rest of the characters are a pretty typical Christie package: everyone is hiding something, and everyone is in some way “guilty,” if not specifically of murder. And the motivation, as is often the case, is money. It is no spoiler to say that a big pile of wealth combined with a bunch of people who feel they deserve it will lead to drama. Hey, I do Probates, so I know how this happens!
The always-excellent Julie Gaines was the boarding house landlord, Letitia Blacklock, played with a good nervous energy. Lanie Bree was Julia Simmons, Daniel Lizarraga Ramos (late of Godot) was Patrick Simmons, and they formed the bickering brother and sister.
Jan Hefner was the increasingly dotty Dora Bunner, and thoroughly captured that early-stage dementia where tremendous effort enables functionality even as it starts to slip. Beth Clark fumed and fussed as the maid, Mitzi.
The rest of the cast was rounded out with Mandi Root, Cori McGinty, Cody White, Charlan Pabalate, and Mara Arevalo taking the remaining roles.
It was a good time all around. The story unfolded at the usual leisurely pace, with clues dropped for those who notice them, a few red herrings, a decent bit of prevarication, and interpersonal drama.
I’ll also mention that BCT is the perfect venue for this sort of a play, as they seem to have an absolutely endless and delightful quantity of furniture, props, and decorations from the middle 20th Century. The sets are always fascinating, and remind me so much of my older relatives’ homes back when I was a kid.
This is also the sort of play that BCT particularly excels at. Each local theater has its own vibe and its own strengths. BCT has a lot of veteran actors who play well at psychological drama and handle formal language with a high level of comfort. Hence, I have particularly loved the classics that they have brought to life: The Lion in Winter, Blithe Spirit, The Crucible, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and more. (Many more - check out the index…)
Unfortunately, this play has run its course - I saw it on closing weekend - so you can’t go see yourself.
HOWEVER! Next up is A Streetcar Named Desire, which has been on my bucket list for live theater for years. I am super excited about this one, and so I encourage local theater lovers to come out next month and support it.
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I almost forgot: the bit at the beginning where you hear about turning cell phones off, etcetera, was given in character by Miss Marple. That's an outstanding artistic choice, and highly effective.
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