BWW Reviews: Oyster Mill's THE HOLLOW Is A Real Killer

Agatha Christie fans know her 1946 novel "The Hollow" as one of her finer country house murders, and for the presence of her famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. David Suchet played Poirot in the television adaptation of the novel in the "Agatha Christie's Poirot" series back in 2004. And Christie herself did the adaptation of her novel into a play in 1951. So for Christie lovers... the single greatest mystery in her stage play, THE HOLLOW, is, where's Hercule Poirot? Where are the little grey cells and the luxurious, prized moustache?

The answer is that she wrote him out. Christie was never satisfied with his sudden appearance in the novel when she was writing it - she hadn't planned it, but the character took over, so when she adapted it, she pushed him out the door. It seems that Christie didn't love Poirot as much as her readers did and do. But that doesn't make THE HOLLOW ineffective; rather, it makes its Scotland Yard detectives that much more competent. And for those who'd like a nice, juicy Christie murder on stage for entertainment, Oyster Mill Playhouse is delivering THE HOLLOW to us, directed by Tom Moore and starring the ever-enjoyable Lois Heagy as Lucy, Lady Angkatell, the apparently scatterbrained but sharp-as-a-tack mistress of The Hollow, a country home just aching for foul play to occur.

For those familiar with Christie plays but not with this one, THE HOLLOW, thanks not only to Lady Angkatell but others, is, without being a comedy, certainly more humorous in a dark way than is either WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION or THE MOUSETRAP. Improbably characters abound, such as Lucy's famous younger cousin, Henrietta Angkatell, a noted sculptor (played with the necessary firmness by Lisa Gildea), whose attitude can be as hard as her sculptures; Lucy's unknown younger cousin, Midge (played quite ably and charmingly by Annie Sorge), a dress-shop clerk who seems mousy but who's as resolute as Henrietta in her own way - and in her desire to make her own way in the world.

And then there are the unrelated weekend guests - Dr. John Cristow, full-time research genius in obscure diseases and part-time ladies' man (Andy Isaacs, last seen as the detective in FUNNY MONEY) and his wife Gerda, who's all but disliked by the other women for her apparent stupidity. Gerda, played by Aliza Bardfield, gives Heagy a run for her money at being the most convincing actor in what should be a wildly improbable part; she makes Gerda seem as real, and as unextraordinary, in her foolishness as Heagy makes Lucy Angkatell seem not only probable but a hostess you'd want to know.

It's in the first act that the family and guest dynamics become clear - that Lucy Angkatell's greatest goal in life is the preservation of the Angkatell family's ancestral home (where she doesn't even live), and so she's determined that her cousin Edward, the heir to the estate (neatly played by Samuel Eisenhuth), who tries living down to his self-image as an ineffectual bumbler, really must marry distant cousin Henrietta... who'd rather be married to John Cristow, who's tiring of Gerda's devotion to him. Midge Harvey loves Edward from afar, and silently. And Gerda's taken up leathercrafting, which should strike fear in anyone likely to receive a Christmas present from her.

What does it mean that fabled film actress Veronica Craye (Debbie Coffee) has moved in the cottage down the lane? And why are we not surprised that John Cristow is a former lover of hers?

The mystery isn't that John Cristow dies. It becomes obvious that he's in the way of an ex-lover, of the would-be lover of his current mistress, of the mistress of the home he's visiting, and of oh, so many other people. But he's not the only one who's in someone's way. Edward Angkatell's bothering Henrietta, and Gerda's a bother to everyone, and Veronica Craye is a bother to Gerda, who feels compelled to unburden her misery to the person to whom she feels closest - Henrietta, who could be expected to want Gerda out of her way. The mystery is which of the crowd actually did kill Cristow - and yes, it's even possible in this story that the butler did do it - and whether anyone else may die while Scotland Yard is investigating.

Matthew Lindsay Payne and Duffy Batzer are Inspector Colquhoun and Detective Sergeant Penny, two intrepid and intelligent members of the Metropolitan police force, who solve the mystery without the need to resort to super-sleuth private detectives of any stripe thanks to solid investigation, Colquhoun's deductive ability, and Penny's ability to worm gossip from servants. Small as it is, Batzer's part is quite delightful. Mike Stubbs as Sir Henry Angkatell plays a former diplomat who's solved international crises but fears the notions of his wife, Lucy. And William O'Donnell is Gudgeon, the butler of doom... who seems to be seen going about the house with a pistol or two when no one is looking. Just what is the butler doing?

This is one of the types of play that's well-suited to Oyster Mill, and it comes off well for the most part. The major complaint may be that not everyone's able to sustain their accents consistently, which may be slightly disconcerting to some in the audience. But everyone's certainly game, and Lois Heagy and Aliza Bardfield are really exceptional, the pacing's fine, and there are enough red herrings to keep all but the most devoted mystery fans (or those who know the book well) guessing until the last act.

At Oyster Mill through October 6. Call 717-737-6768 or visit www.oystermill.com for tickets.

Photo credit: Stephen Jahn

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