THE HOLLOW.

Tour

THE HOLLOW
by Agatha Christie

The Agatha Christie Company Tour to 1 July 2006
Runs 2hrs 35 minutes: One interval

Review Mark Courtice: Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth; 27 March 2006

Cockeyed Set Can't Save Christie Codswallop.
In the old days a Christie was the stand-by for all sorts of touring companies. The standard was equally variable. Recently the rights became unavailable while the owners searched for a company to give her plays new, higher quality, productions.

Bill Kenwright is a splendid producer with a distinguished record, and Joe Harmston is a talented director; so the new team operating under the name of The Agatha Christie Theatre Company should be an auspicious start for the new way of doing things.

Lots of money has been spent on a massive set, with the panelled walls set trendily at a mad angle and branches that gradually fill the dramatic back-lit third wall space at the back. There are 3 wardrobe people on tour and a catwalk of classy outfits (for the women) and a heath of tweed (for the chaps) for them to look after.

However putting the country house on the slant isn't enough and the same old problems remain. Trendy tricks can’t do anything about the lumpen dialogue, thin characters and creaky plotting that characterise the old girl’s output. It’s really hard to stick with even the most beautifully dressed actors when everything comes to a halt as they explain the plot and red herrings in tedious detail. The same thing can happen to reviews, so no plot here, just a warning that this is murder among the stately-home owning classes.

The old ways included casting that was driven more by soap fame than being right, and although Tony Britton can do old baronets in his sleep (and at times it seemed he was doing just that), Kate O'Mara just is too sharp for mad old bat status. Gary Mavers as Inspector Colquhoun coped with a part entirely devoid of character by adopting some of the oddest intonations as he rambled through theories of guilt and innocence.

In fact the new ways seem horribly like the old ways. Perhaps Agatha Christie just was not a good enough playwright. Modern makeovers of good stuff come up brighter and shinier, here the cracks just show in sharper relief.

Henrietta Angkatell Tracey Childs
Sir Henry Angkatell Tony Britton
Lady Angkatell Kate O’Mara
Midge Harvey Chloe Newsome
Gudgeon John Harwood
Edward Angkatell Simon Linnell
Doris Ann Wenn
Gerda Cristow Louise Faulkner
John Cristow Ben Nealon
Veronica Craye Fiona Dolman
Inspector Colquhoun Gary Mavers
Detective Sergeant Penny Anthony Houghton

Director: Joe Harmston
Designer: Simon Scullion
Lighting: Matt Drury
Costume: Brigid Guy

2006-04-02 11:04:16