Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 18th June 2022
Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau
5*****
A Murder Is Announced is masterfully adapted from Agatha Christie’s 50th novel (of the same name), first published in 1950, starring our favourite elderly spinster and amateur detective Miss Marple.
The story begins with an announcement printed in the local paper that a murder will take place at a house in Chipping Cleghorn where a disperate group of people are living and others arrive, intrigued by the announcement. Of course, just like Jessica “Murder She Wrote” Fletcher, where’er there’s a fresh corpse Miss Marple is not far away. Sure enough, at the aforementioned hour the murder happens and we are set on a course of events that will intrigue, baffle and delight.
All the cast, without exception, were wonderful and I only fail to mention them all individually as I don’t want to give away spoilers when recounting their fine acting at pivotal moments… So I’ll mention just a few.
With such a well known and oft played character it’s not easy to put your stamp on Miss Marple but Sarah Thomas pulls this off with aplomb. There’s a touch of the McEwan and Hickson TV iterations and, fittingly, a touch of her Majesty too. I really enjoyed the wit (a knowing nod to her busy body reputation) and the denouement was a masterpiece of timing and drama which brought audible gasps from the audience. A superlative portrayal.
Inspector Craddock, played with gravitas by Tom Butcher, gave us one of the best entrances I’ve seen on the stage. Most ingenious, making us immediately question what we had witnessed previously – a superb way to draw us into the interrogation phase of the play.
The star turn was arguably the Hungarian maid, Mitzi – a wickedly paranoid creation brought intoxicatingly to life by Lydia Piechowiak. She had many hilarious lines as her character’s moods flew around like a balloon in a gale! Fabulous – she should have her own one woman spinoff. I present my case, thank you, you’re welcome! That will have you roaring on the night, believe me.
I loved the music (by Lynette Webster) drawing us into the action – like a 50s film score – and as a clever way to move time along. With that gorgeous set, the wonderful clothes and those plumby tones this was an impressive production that totally satisfied on every level.
The price of admission was well and truly justified by the final 10mins alone – a stunning finale that took this seasoned Christie watcher by surprise (most pleasantly)!. But there is much, much more to the evening than that – in short this is a triumph which is thoroughly engrossing from start to finish. A well deserved top marks to all concerned. Even if you know the story well (and whodunnit) this show will still thrill you by the sheer quality of the production and especially the amazing cast. I heartily recommend you grab a ticket before a sell out is announced!