REVIEW: AND THEN THERE WERE NONE: Survival of the Fittest

If Survivor had existed in the 1930's, Agatha Christie would have likely been its creator. 1938 is when her classic whodunit And Then There Were None (aka 10 Little Indians) takes place on a remote island off the coast of England/>/>. Here the cast of 10 "survivors" are exiled to out wit, out play, and most importantly out last the others. Like the reality show, these are ten complete strangers and come from all walks of life. Indeed, all the types are here: a bumbling detective, a rakish former soldier, and old school general, a nervous doctor, a careless playboy, a moralistic spinster, a retired judge, a sophisticated personal secretary, an easily spooked cook and, of course, a butler. But what brings them together is no game – it is a fight to the death – them against an unseen adversary, whose creepy voice, heard over an old gramophone, accuses each guest of murder, and beings picking them off one by one in payment for their crimes. 

Any good mystery writer, and Christie is one of the best, creates a framework; here the characters are killed off according to a nursery rhyme (nicely printed for us in the program). She also throws in enough plot twists and red herrings to keep tensions high and strategists guessing. This scripted version of her classic novel mostly succeeds, though occasionally we are told of significant clues and plot developments, rather than shown them (a disappearing/reappearing revolver among them). And those of you looking for gore, look elsewhere – wisely, the gruesome murders are left mostly to our imagination, for what we picture could never be really convincingly done live on stage.

This stylish, tense and often funny thriller has been guided by the deft touch of director Randy Dalmas, making his Spotlighters debut. That newness never shows. Dalmas has assembled a mostly excellent cast, and shows that he knows exactly how to handle a large ensemble piece in a tiny, in-the-round space. His direction is so tight and effortless, one never feels like one can't see everything, and always knows right where to look, and even more astonishingly, where NOT to look, so that the surprises are plenty. I sat no more than five feet from one of the corpses and never knew it until a character across the room saw it – we were shocked together! Mr. Dalmas has also wisely chosen not to update or Americanize the production. Keeping the action in Britain in the 30's lends a sort of charming distance, such that a classic double face slap in a time of crisis, or a feverish oral reading of the Bible, or even a chuckle over the smoothness of brandy never seems trite, silly or dated, but instead rather believable. This director also knows that the terror of abandonment and loneliness is timelessly scary – cell phones and laptops would have just dulled or confused the issue. 

Sherrionne Brown has provided a stunningly attractive and interestingly environmental setting. We are immediately drawn into the manor house world of the play from the moment we enter the theatre space. It is simply amazing how the set is literally all over the theatre and in full view at all times. Sitting in rows facing all sides of the central stage square, the audience in a sense becomes one of those paintings where the eyes move as you are watched unseen from behind the wall.

Casting here is near flawless. Each actor understands his place in this complex puzzle, and delivers a performance that is truly an ensemble effort – the give and take as the focus (and accusations) flip-flop from character to character is not only appropriate, but very nice to see. Often, one or two actors in situations like this tend to over play and grand stand. Not here and that really makes the difference. Only occasionally are there problems. Steve Avelleyra as William Blore the detective is nearly unintelligible as he attempts an accent of unknown geography. While I am sure his speedy delivery is in keeping with the overall pace of the piece, he needs to slow down a bit. In a mystery where every clue is crucial, rushing is not a good thing. Fortunately, his physical acting and timing help to fill in the blanks that his speech leaves. Also, Peter Fox as Doctor Edward Armstrong starts off extremely stiffly, and almost boringly, but, eventually, he warms up and rises to the level of the rest of the ensemble.

In a clever way of opening the show, Pat McPartlin as the butler, Thomas Rogers, gives the pre-show announcements a style and flair that sets the scene nicely and lets us know from the start that we are in for a real treat. Throughout the show, McPartlin creates a butler that is at once a comfortably familiar stereotype and a completely fresh take on the role. CJ Crowe as the morals spewing, venomous Emily Brent is superb. Her ice cold delivery and razor sharp timing create a both comic and largely chilling performance. In what could have easily been a bland, one-note performance, Karina Ferry as Vera Claythorne, secretary to the host gives a beguiling performance as a sophisticated femme fatale. Her performance, like the play, builds, ebbing and flowing between sheer terror and wicked suspicion. (Note: Ms. Ferry played her final performance on Sunday. Beginning February 24^th, Christina Enoch takes over the role for the remainder of the run.)

The real find in this accomplished cast is John Kelso as the rakish Philip Lombard. He throws himself into the role with a devilish twinkle in his eye and a swagger in his step. He is clearly having the time of his life, and it is hard to imagine a better actor in the part. His every gesture, expression and word conveys an egotistical yet utterly charming young rogue. And Kelso's chemistry with Ms. Ferry has a palpably smoldering sexuality and dangerous undertone. As played by Mr. Kelso, he is the man every woman wants and every other man wishes he was.

In a classic, oft-performed play, where the outcome may not surprise some, this production expertly builds such tension (hearty laughter gives way to nervous titters) and fear (one young lady in the audience screamed Friday night), that when the murderer is revealed, it is still a complete shock. Any one of the players could have done it, and when the killer gleefully reveals the how and why, it is still terrifying. This Spotlighters production is everything a good mystery should be – never obvious, clever and most importantly entertaining. Don't miss it!

(Photo of John Kelso and Karina Ferry by Amy Jones)

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