Review: THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD at Westport Country Playhouse

The Westport Country Playhouse last show of the season is Mark Shanahan’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and it is a cliffhanger for the next season.

Since Mark Shanahan became the artistic director of the Westport Country Playhouse, every production has been infused with tremendous energy. Put aside your past experiences with plays adapted from Agatha Christie’s mysteries. Yes, they were fun to see, but the Playhouse’s production of Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is in a different stratosphere. There’s laughter and light sprinkled between serious dialog. Adapted for the stage and directed by Shanahan, the play also works as a cliffhanger for the exciting upcoming season.

The Queen of Crime considered The Murder of Roger Ackroyd her masterpiece. It has many of the elements of Christie’s other mysteries – a manor house in the country, murder (often in the beginning), about a dozen characters, some aristocratic and some from the working class, most of whom are mostly bored and almost all could be the murderer, secret loves, a gazillion details and clues (so pay close attention), a mediocre policeman, and one or two brilliant sleuths (Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, or Tommy and Tuppence). What sets this story apart, both in the book, and on stage, is the twist ending. Christie’s books have universal appeal among everyone, including teenagers, professionals, ordinary workers, and retirees.

The play begins as the narrator, Dr. James Sheppard (played by John Rapson), certifies the death of widow Mrs. Ferrars (never seen). Sheppard’s unmarried sister Caroline (Erin Noel Grennan) lives with him and is interested in all the goings on in the quiet bucolic village of King’s Abbot. Caroline believes that Mrs. Ferrars poisoned her husband and committed suicide out of remorse. Roger Ackroyd (Mark Silence), owner of the manor house Fernly Park, wants to speak privately to Dr. Sheppard and invites him to his dinner party. The others at the dinner include his sister-in-law Gertrude (Karen Ziemba) and her daughter Flora (Shereen Ahmed), Major Hector Blunt (Richard R. Henry), and his personal assistant Helen Russell (Nicole Shalhoub). Maid Ursula Bourne (Katy Tang) is working at the dinner party. Flora tells Dr. Sheppard that she and Roger’s stepson, Ralph (Joe Delafield) are engaged, but that it’s not yet public knowledge.

After the dinner, Roger tells Dr. Sheppard that he and Mrs. Ferrars have been engaged for a year. She admitted that she poisoned her husband and that she was being blackmailed. She promised to reveal the name of the blackmailer. Ackroyd's butler, Parker (Tom Hewitt), delivers a letter to Roger, which he reads in his study after Dr. Sheppard leaves.

Then comes the part you've been waiting for. Parker calls Dr. Sheppard to tell him that Roger was found dead. When Dr. Sheppard and Parker force open the door to the study, they find that Roger was stabbed by his own antique dagger. Local Inspector Raglan (Allen Gilmore) comes to Fernly Hall to start the investigation. Ralph has disappeared, making him the prime suspect. Coincidently, the legendary detective Hercule Poirot (Anthony Cochrane) just retired to King’s Abbot to garden. Of course, he comes to Fernly Park and will find out who murdered Roger.

The casting and acting couldn’t be better. Cochrane portrayed Poirot as someone who planned to have a quiet life. Not once did he overplay the role, which could have resulted in a parody of one of the most famous detectives in the arts. Rapson was believable as the respectful and deferential village doctor, and the balance between these actors was steady throughout their many scenes together. Gilmore was both amusing and earnest and never slid into a caricature as the detective who pales next to Poirot. Henry provided verve as the boisterous and brash Blunt and worked well with Ahmed. Grennan was a delight as the detective’s sister who could get anyone to confide in her. Shalhoub was credible as Roger’s loyal and respectful personal assistant. Hewitt gave the role of the butler depth. Delafield gave Ralph honesty and integrity rather than a sense of entitlement as Roger’s son. Silence was exactly as one could imagine Roger to be: commanding and solid, yet sympathetic. Tang gave Ursula the dignity she deserved as a former noblewoman who was forced into servitude for financial survival. But it was Ziemba who was a scene stealer as the eccentric, flamboyant, boozy, and resentful Gertrude. Ziemba’s timing and deadpan delivery of some of the concealed insults was priceless.

Remember the directive to pay close attention to the details? Poirot uses his “little grey cells” (brain) to notice everything. He uses “order and method,” psychology to analyze motives, and ordinary conversation to get suspects to reveal their secrets. You need to see the play to learn them and to find out the name of the murderer.

You expect Shanahan’s direction to be perfect, and it certainly was. But here’s the surprise. He puts so much energy in directing it that any other Agatha Christie novel or play will seem docile. He also adapted The Murder of Roger Ackroyd for the stage, and his skill as a writer seamlessly matches Christie’s style. His added humor is a bonus.

Assistant Director Bruce Warren flawlessly managed the parts of the show we didn’t see or hear. There is clearly a lot to handle for a production of this size. Kudos also to Production Stage Manager Kevin Jinghong Zhu and Assistant Stage Manager Matthew Rohan for keeping all the balls in the air backstage. Seth Andrew Bridges is back at the Playhouse as the fight choreographer. There was only one scene in which there was a fight, but it was staged with credible tension.

The Westport Country Playhouse never disappoints us with appropriate yet impressive set designs, but Charlie Corcoran’s set is jaw-dropping. The walls were done with specialty painting techniques. The arches in the doorways and windows are striking. The furniture is era appropriate yet timeless. The study is enviable. As grand as Fernly Park is, it’s also warm and inviting. You’ll want to beg Corcoran to redo every room in your house. Julie Duro’s lighting enhances Corcoran’s design, especially when you look at the gorgeous windows. The greenery behind them looked realistic as well as beautiful because of the expert distinct lighting. John Gromada got the sound absolutely perfect, as if there was an audience in every rehearsal, rather than an empty theater with acoustics that get lost in corners or bounce off hard spots and just don’t sound pleasant. Sound designers should take a master class with Gromada.

Because The Murder of Roger Ackroyd takes place in the 1920s, you know that the women’s costumes are going to be exquisite. Costume Designer Jeni Schaefer chose clothes that were beautiful and appropriate for the characters and seemed comfortable for the actors.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd runs through August 1st. Opening night was packed, so you will want to get your tickets now. Visit www.westportplayhouse.org or call (203) 227-4177. The Playhouse is located at 25 Powers Court in Westport.

Photo credit: T. Charles Erickson

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