Serving Time on the Jury: Judging Aggie

Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie

Directed by Bob Dolan

Set Design, Anthony Phelps; Costume Design, Nicole Watson; Lighting Design, Bob Dolan; Sound Design, Jason Helias; Properties Manager, Linda Dolan; Stage Manager, Stephen R. Espach; Assistant Stage Manager, Lisa Wondolowski

CAST (in order of appearance): Jessica Webb, Dick Decareau, Edwin McDonough, Jason Marr, Walter Mantini, Brooke Evans, William Taylor, Hannah J. Barth, Ralph Stokes, Chip Phillips, Andrew Giordano, Edward Thurber, Ellen Colton, Evan Fuller, Georgina Spelvin, Lori Garrabrant 

Performances through May 6 at Foothills Theatre Company 

Box Office 508-754-4018   www.foothillstheatre.com

The time is May, 1955; the place is the Central Criminal Court, London.  Leonard Vole stands accused of murdering Miss Emily French and it will take all of the wit and wiles of Sir Wilfred Robarts, Queen's Counsel, to prove his innocence.  With the testimony of Vole's wife Romaine providing an alibi, they just might succeed.

Accompanied by his solicitor Mr. Mayhew (Edwin McDonough), Vole meets Barrister Robarts in his chambers to tell his tale of woe.  The case against him is mostly circumstantial and he frequently sputters in disbelief.  The renowned defense counsel knows that he has his work cut out for him, but is confident in his ability to get an acquittal.  Robarts and Mayhew put their heads together and plan a strategy.

Based on Agatha Christie's own short story, Witness for the Prosecution unfolds over a six-week period and it is regrettable that Act One seems about as long.  Owing to the fact that it is a character-driven courtroom drama, by definition there is little action.  Director Bob Dolan does a serviceable job of getting the actors to move about the stage, using broad gestures when appropriate, but there is just - so - much - talking to lay out the storyline.  Exposition overload!

Act Two increases the tension as the defense tries to recover from the startling and unexpected statements from the chief witness for the prosecution, Romaine Heilger (who declares that Vole is not her husband).  Help arrives in the form of a Cockney woman who is willing to sell letters damaging to the latter's character.  Robarts and Mayhew are only too willing to buy the evidence to discredit her and rescue Vole. 

The audience sits in place of the jury resulting in many of the speeches being directed to the fourth wall.  This conceit engages the viewers' mental participation as if the verdict will actually come from us.  It becomes our challenge to figure out who is lying and who is telling the truth.  Kudos to the poker faces of the major players making the task more difficult, allowing the surprises to really surprise.  

Jason Marr as Vole and Walter Mantini as Robarts are solid in their roles and a pleasure to watch as their cat and mouse game evolves.  Brooke Evans is both cool and cold as she peels back the layers of Romaine to thicken the plot.  Not wanting to spoil any of the surprises for you, let me just say that she is a key component of the play's obligatory red herring.  

Ellen Colton seems to be channeling Thelma Ritter as the late Miss French's housekeeper Janet MacKenzie.  She is at once wry and defensive as the realization that she is no longer the heir to her mistress's fortune hits her.  Sir Wilfred's worthy opposing counsel Barrister Myers is well played by Chip Phillips and William Taylor provides much needed comic relief from the bench as Justice Wainwright.  The remainder of the ensemble capably supports the featured actors.

The set designed by Anthony Phelps cleverly morphs from the Barrister's chambers into the courtroom by shifting around the walls and desks.  Nicole Watson's costumes appropriately illustrate the headgear and attire of the British officers of the court.  Lighting is used to good dramatic effect on a couple of occasions, particularly at the conclusion of the first act. 

Taken as a whole, the Foothills Theatre Company production of Witness for the Prosecution is competent and features many fine performances.  Artistic Director Russell Garrett writes in the program that this was the number one play choice on last year's audience survey and many of those in attendance at the opening performance appeared to be more rapt than this reviewer.  While Agatha Christie is arguably the mistress of the mystery genre, her signature twists and turns and surprise ending were not sufficient to sustain my interest until the denouement.

To post a comment, you must register and login.