King’s Theatre, Edinburgh – until Saturday 7th May
Reviewed by Ellen Searle
5*****
When you buy a ticket to see an Agatha Christie on stage, you know what you want. You want clipped English accents, perfectly crafted early to mid century costumes and stage design, and enough twists and turns to keeps you guessing, but delivered at a pace in keeping with a time of gramophones, antimacassars, and tweed skirts. This Middle Ground Theatre production, adapted for the stage by Leslie Darbon, and designed and directed by Michael Lunney, stars a host of familiar faces of the stage and screen, and it does not disappoint.
In the local newspaper of the charmingly named Chipping Cleghorn, someone has placed a small ad to announce that at 6.30pm that evening, a murder will be committed at Little Paddocks, the home of the warm, refined Letitia Blacklock (Barbara Wilshere). With an extended household of distant family and old friends living in and visiting Little Paddocks, there is a host of potential victims and perpetrators. But as we know, the most cunning of criminals will be no match for the mighty Miss Marple (Sarah Thomas), who happens upon the action while staying with her nephew at the village Vicarage. And so the scene is set for a most pleasing evening of entertainment.
While classic Agatha Christies may be the theatrical equivalent of the culinary world’s Sunday roast, the plots retain the power to absorb their audience. Here, we are expertly misdirected so that the big reveal when it comes surprises as much as delights its audience. The excellent costume and set design is matched by the apparently effortlessly expert acting by the entire cast, and from the very first moment we know we are in the safest of hands.
The writing is just right. It keeps us on track without patronising us, and provides enough humorous moments to avoid becoming too camp, a trap lesser Agatha Christie productions have fallen into. The nods to contemporary issues elevate the script, such as single mother Phillipa Haymes (Emma Fernell) lamenting that despite the progress made for women’s rights, there is still so much to be done. And indeed, on the issue of feminism, it is great to see a production with so many strong and often older female characters.
In an ever faster paced modern world, where we can feel bombarded with images and information through omnipresent screens, to enter the world of this bygone era is to be provided with the most charming of respite. All in all, this super whodunnit from the undisputed 20th century queen of crime fiction is brought brilliantly to life and oozes with charm, with simple but highly effective staging, superb costumes and stage design, great writing, and the very highest standards of acting throughout. This is an absolute gem of a production.