The mystery plays have been a long-standing tradition at the Shaw Festival and this season we have two fairly enjoyable offerings. It’s awfully hard to fail with an Agatha Christie and a Sherlock Holmes.
Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie, directed by Alistair Newton, Royal George Theatre, closes Oct. 13.
Anyone who has seen the Witness for the Prosecution movie, or is familiar with the Agatha Christie story, knows the ending, but it is still fun to hear the gasps of those who are caught by surprise when alI is revealed. Nonetheless, for those who know the plot twist, it is still an interesting exercise to see how the complicated story plays out on stage, and it did indeed prove to be quite entertaining.
Happily, the Shaw Festival ensemble has, for the most part, the chops to fill out the Christie characters.
Patrick Galligan does an excellent job as the no nonsense, determined defence attorney Sir Wilfred Robarts, as does Kristopher Bowman as the sympathetic barrister, Mr. Mayhew, who brings Sir Wilfred the case of the beleaguered Leonard Vole. Graeme Somerville as Mr. Meyers makes a particularly aggressive and irritating prosecutor, while Shawn Wright is the evenhanded Mr. Justice Wainwright. Particularly effective is Monica Parkes as Mrs. Janet Mackenzie, the bitter and wronged maid to the murdered woman.
Rounding out the cast are Shaw stalwarts who mostly play a plethora of secondary characters – Fiona Byrne, Martin Happer, Lawrence Libor, Cheryl Mullings, Ryann Myers, and Lynn Laywine.
Central to the plot, of course, are the accused and his wife – Leonard Vole played by Andrew Lawrie and Romaine Vole played by Marla McLean, and here we have a problem. It’s not that Lawrie is a poor actor, it’s just that he is woefully miscast because beside Mclean, he appears like a callow youth. In fact he looks like Mclean could eat him for lunch because she has such a powerful presence on stage.
The three main protagonists, Galligan, Somerville and McLean, form a tight trio of conflict and sparks do fly with McLean winning by a nose. Also interesting is McLean’s indeterminant European accent, which does add a sense of mystery but one with a sly underpinning of humour, as if her character is always laughing at everyone on the inside. And then there is poor miserable Leonard who disappears into the woodwork. I wonder if Lawrie was miscast on purpose?
Director Alastair Newton swings between melodrama and parofy which makes the production at times seem like it has a split personality. For example, McLean’s sexy walk,as seen from behind, is accompanied by humorous bump and grind music,which certainly brings out laughter from the audience. On the other hand, we are encased in the very real tension of a man fighting for his life.
From the production point of view, the audience was absolutely intrigued by Karyn McCallum’s set augmented by her projection design in which Sir Wilfred’s chambers are cunningly transformed into the criminal court of the Old Bailey. Lyon Smith has created a terrific original cinematic melodramatic music score so typical of the genre. Judith Bowden’s inspired costumes has everyone in muted colours except for McLean, whose red satin 1950-ish suit just punches off the stage.
All in all, Witness for the Prosecution is a pleasant way to spend time in the theatre.
Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Human Heart by Reginald Candy, based on the characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, directed by Craig Hall, Festival Theater, closes October 13.
This is the third Sherlock Holmes production that the Shaw Festival has presented, but it’s an unusual one because it happens to be an original story by Australian writer Reginald Candy. He even has another newbie titled, would you believe, Sherlock Holmes and the Great Australian Bite. Now it has been suggested in certain quarters that that bizarre title should be our clue, apparently, that the name Reginald Candy is a pseudonym. If it is, then it’s a bonus mystery to the mystery play.
What is impressive about Candy’s take on Sherlock Holmes is that all the Conan Doyle tropes are there – the well known characters and their eccentricities, their relationships with each other, the way the trail of clues has to be followed, the complicated twists and turns of the plot, and of course, the impossibility of the audience ever guessing the ending.
But here’s another little titbit. My spies tell me that much of the play is based on a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle short story, The Final Problem, so just how original is the play? But then. who cares? The two do share the major plot line that human hearts are being left all over London, hence the title of the play. There is also a second meaning. In disgust, Dr. Watson accuses Sherlock Holmes of lacking empathy, of having no heart, and it causes a serious rupture in their friendship.
The same three actors have played the central characters in all three of the productions.
Damien Atkins has only grown in the role of Sherlock Holmes. You can see the wheels turning in his fevered brain. You can see him fighting the demons that torment him. You can feel the nervous energy that runs through his drug-addicted body. He’s a coiled wire ready to spring, totally lacking in social graces or having any care for his fellow humans. it is a dazzling performance.
Ric Reid as Dr. Watson is not the bluff gruff India hand we have come to know. Rather, he could break your heart as he worries over his troubled friend. Reid’s performance really touches the soul. He is kindness personified and at times, he can literally bring you to tears.
Claire Juliian usually plays the crisp, no nonsense Mrs. Hudson but she was indisposed and Sochi Fried took over and did a wonderful job with the role. I’ve noticed that at the Shaw Festival, the understudies tend to be on an equal footing with the leads and so you get performances of equal value. Fried is a very important actor with the company and was to the manner born.
Sanjay Talwar was along as the plodding, unimaginative but useful Inspector Lestrade, a necessary foil for Sherlock Holmes. Where would a Sherlock Holmes story be without Inspector Lestrade?
Of course, Candy being a modern man has jacked up the place of women in the story. There is, for example, Mrs. Allstrud, a take charge woman coroner, played by Nehassaiu deGannes. Inspector Lestrade has been given an enterprising sister, Amelia, who researches people’s identities, played by Rais Clarke-Mendes. Even the villain has been given a hench person, Miss Vespertine Hunter in the form of actor Sophia Walker, while Mrs. Hudson takes on a warrior role near the end. All these female actors bring a rich energy to the production.
Speaking of villains, Jonathan Sousa is the slippery slimy Mr. Hall Pycroft who of course turns out to be Sherlock Holmes’arch nemesis Moriarty. Sousa has delicious fun overplaying the role.
Director Craig Hall keeps up a speedy pace over the long three acts. Ken MacKenzie has designed amazingly realistic sets for both London and Switzerland. Hanne Loosen has faithfully re-created 1891 costumes. Bonnie Beecher has provided the ambient lighting, Cameron Davis the vista backdrop projections, and John Gzowski the dreary if appropriate music. In other words, the production values are first rate.
Sherlock Holmes’ lovers will delight in this production as will feminists and mystery lovers in general. Everyone else will have a really good time.