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A slow march towards murder
Go Back For Murder New Alexandra Theatre *** IT IS true that Agatha Christie’s stories
are often described as timeless. As timeless as her stories are, the
same cannot be said for this production of Go Back for Murder from The
Official Agatha Christie Theatre Company. Based on Christie’s 1942
novel Five Little Pigs
the play tells the story of a young Canadian girl Carla Crale (Sophie
Ward) who arrives in England with a single letter from her late mother,
a host of questions and the mystery of who killed her father. Directed by Joe Harmston, the production looked
promising during the first few minutes of action, with a well-crafted
set and lighting design by Simon Scullion and Douglas Kuhrt, which
created everything from offices to houses and even travelled in time
between 1968 and 1948. Not much else can be said for the first Act
because, frankly, not much happened. There was potential for it to be so
much more; this is our first introduction to the complex and emotionally
charged characters and indeed our opportunity to understand the
background of the mystery to be solved. Instead, we were presented with what could be
described as a wordy recital with no feeling and boring delivery. One
audience member thought it a better use of their time to fall asleep in
the seat beside me. We go through a series of episodic scenes as Carla
interviews those she believes to be connected with her parents in the
past, trying to tie new information to the little knowledge of the past
she had gained from her mother’s letter.
There was however a flash of hope in Act One with
the entrance of the wonderfully talented Lysette Anthony, as Lady Elsa
Greer, the mistress of Carla’s late father, Amyas Crale. Anthony really
is the best part of the first act (and possibly the rest of the play) as
she dominates the stage, catching every eye, not only seducing Amyas,
but the whole audience with her brilliant costumes - and great legs. After the interval, things started to pick up with
act two a vast improvement on the lifeless first act as the tale of
moder past is played out before us. Carla’s solicitor, Justin Fogg, played by Ben
Nealon, becomes the narrator of the story in classic murder mystery
seriousness, complete with impressive spotlights for intensity purposes,
as he guides us through the events and happenings of 1949. Sophie Ward, Carla in the first Act, now becomes
her own mother, Caroline Crale, a clever device by Harmston. It is the
audience who are now Carla, watching past events and solving the mystery
for themselves. We are also introduced to Carla’s father Amyas
Crale, played by Gary Mavers who is a pleasure to watch as he instils
his complex character with an enthusiastic spark and great vigour. In the relationship between the women Anthony shows
us that her Lady Elsa Greer is not just the playful tease we seemed to
watch in the previous act, but a frighteningly dark woman with extremely
highly passions. All is not what it seems between Amyas, his wife and
the mistress as we see in a revealing and unexpected plot twist at the
end. Miss Williams, played by the extremely popular and
equally talented Liza Goddard is the friend to all and the catalyst that
started the excitable twist. Goddard injects well needed fun and comedy
to her scenes and makes the audience feel that she is the overseer of
the mysterious plot. Miss Williams is a motherly figure to all, both
present and past. Her sweet exterior is a mask to cover the knowledge
she holds. The second act is somewhat of a reward for the
droning first half of the play. The revealing elements mixed with
pleasurable performances from some of the cast make for enjoyable
viewing but it is still a hardship to wait out the first act until after
the sanctuary of the interval. To 30-11-13. Elizabeth Halpin Meanwhile,
making further inquiries
. . . ***
WHILE this Agatha Christie whodunit is littered with the usual suspects,
it never really lives up to its promise. That could be something to do
with the fact that story takes so long to develop after Carla Le
Merchant pops in to see the family solicitor 20 years after her artist
father died from poisoning. She is convinced that her late
mother, jailed for the crime, was innocent and manages to arrange for
all the people at their home that day to return to Alderbury House on
the south coast in the hope that the truth will come out. Sophie Ward, wearing a strange
designer dress of the time, is reasonably convincing as Carla, but the
most impressive performance comes from Ben Nealon, best known for his
role as Lt Forsythe in the TV drama series Soldier Soldier. He is full of energy and
enthusiasm in the role of Justin Fogg, the solicitor satisfied that the
original verdict was correct but prepared to help his client take a
closer look at what happened on the day Carla's womanising father Amyas
Crale (Gary Mavers) died. Inevitably there is a surprise outcome. Good performances too from
Lysette Anthony (Lady Elsa Greer) and Liza Goddard (Miss Williams), and
the sets are good for this latest touring production by the Agatha
Christie Theatre Company. To 30-11-13. Paul Marston
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