Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – until Saturday 4th February 2023
Reviewed by Steph Lott
5*****
The Mirror Crack’d is one of my favourite Agatha Christie stories, and Rachel Wagstaff’s new adaptation, starring Susie Blake as Miss Marple, did not disappoint. I think it’s one of Agatha Christie’s most ingenious plots, a story of revenge and old dark secrets, and this performance, imbued with both comedy and sadness, is a true delight for the audience.
The sleepy village of St Mary Mead has a new housing estate and a rich American film star, Marina Gregg, (played by Sophie Ward) has made their home in the manor house. A terrible murder takes place, and it seems that it’s up to the redoubtable Miss Jane Marple, confined to a chair after an accident, to solve the crime. Her somewhat bumbling nephew Chief Inspector Craddock (Oliver Boot) has been brought in to solve the case but of course needs his aunt Miss Marple to help him.
Susie Blake’s Miss Marple is outstanding. She is warm, wise, clever and engaging and it would be so easy to tell her your secrets! The cast that supports her is excellent too. Sophie Ward brings a narcissistic air to her portrayal of glamorous selfish Marina Gregg. There are great performances too from Jules Melvin as the killer’s first victim, the film fan Heather Leigh, and David Partridge as Heather’s husband Cyril Leigh. Their story is highlighted in a way I hadn’t seen before in other productions.
The clever set by designer Adrian Linford really stood out for me too. Its cunning design facilitated the portrayal of “flashbacks” and location changes as the witnesses tell Inspector Craddock and Miss Marple the story and what they saw. The choreography and direction of the show, created by Philip Franks, deserves applause in itself. The slick use of freeze frame, clever blocking and lighting means that the story moves easily back and forth through time shifts and across locations. It’s a clever and sophisticated production indeed.
Original Theatre’s production of The Mirror Crack’d is an entertaining whodunnit at its best.