Review: 'Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None' by Warner Stage Company

Pictured: The cast of 'And Then There Were None' Photo Credit: Mandi Martini©2017 The Warner Theatre

"It had come about ex­act­ly in the way things hap­pened in books." Agatha Christie

Torrington, CT - ‘And Then There Were None’ is a mystery play based upon a work of Agatha Christie, in fact the author’s best-selling novel and considered by many her masterpiece. Because the ending of the book was difficult to stage and in response to the mood of WWII when the play opened in London, the author wrote a new final scene with a more positive ending. An alternative conclusion that more closely matched the novel’s ending was then commissioned by her grandson and authorized for use in 2015 that allows producers the option to choose which ending to present to their audience. Executive in Charge of Production Sharon A. Wilcox declined to tell the audience which ending the Warner Stage Company had chosen for the opening production of the 2017-2018 season during her curtain speech.

The premise is intriguing, and my first clue should have been that there was a noose in the show’s graphic title. A group of English people are lured under different pretexts into coming to the deserted “Soldier Island” in 1939 by an unknown host. While they do know each other, it is revealed that all of them have been involved in the deaths of others but somehow escaped justice. The two recently hired servants and the houseguest are charged with their crimes by a gramophone recording the first night and informed that they have been brought to the island to pay for their actions. The gradual deaths of all ten parallel the deaths in a grisly nursery rhyme about ten soldiers and “then there were none.”

Between the varying levels of English accents and large number of victims, one needs to pay very close attention. The graphic of ten soldiers above the beautifully lit set turned into a scoreboard of sorts that I watched more closely as the murderous action unfolded. It was during the second brief pause when the assistant director, who had taken the empty seat next to me, asked quietly if I had an idea “whodunnit.” (I honestly had no knowledge of this work and I had purposely avoided reading anything about it prior to the performance so as not to spoil it for myself.) With only five characters remaining, I admitted that I had my suspicions about one character that was based upon the slimmest of clues from the first act. Since I rarely correctly guess the ending of a mystery tale, the fact that I turned out to be correct was quite surprising.

At the intermission one hour into the performance, only one soldier was gone, so things pick up in the second and third acts. I wouldn’t say that the action is gory and there were actually plenty of laughs, but I definitely jumped at a few points. Creepy music added to the gloom and the presence of the noose is something I find chilling in any context. The fading of each soldier was met with a definite buzz in the audience that faded for the final four; the attentive audience was clearly playing along.
Kudos to director Lynn Paulella Beard and her assistant Mr. Ozerhoski on their attention to detail and the outstanding blocking of their performers. Every scene was visually striking. The cast of actors in this piece worked hard to bring their respective characters to life before their passing.

In order of appearance, so as not to give anything away, was Roger Grace (Wilbur in Landmark’s ‘Hairspray’) as the dignified butler Thomas Rogers. His wife Ethel who serves as the cook/maid was played well by Lana Peck.

Anthony Stachowitz, in his Warner Stage debut, played Fred Narrracot. It was a pleasure to see that Maytae Harge was able to show off her acting abilities in her Warner Stage debut in the role of Vera Claythorne, a former governess. Southington HS English teacher Eric Lindblom made his mark as the dashing and confident Philip Lombard.

Nicholas Bourne (who was recently in ‘Mary Poppins’ on the Warner mainstage) played the rich, young Anthony Marston and Scott Murphy (‘Green Day’s American Idiot) was the former police inspector William Henry Blore. Payton Turpin played the aging General John Gordon Mackenzie. Thursday Savage had the proper English accent for the role of the righteous Emily Brent and in fact coached her fellow cast members in their dialogue.

Mike Zizka, a semi-retired lawyer, appeared as Sir Lawrence Wargrave, a recently retired judge, while retired middle school teacher Tony Enright entered the stage last in his Warner Stage debut as Dr. Edward George Armstrong. The role of Isaac Morris was uncredited.

Click here to listen to the podcast of Mr. Ozerhoski's interview with the director and Mike Zizka on 'Backstage with Johnny O.'

The set designed by Stephen C. Houk was a stunner and the period costumes by Matthew Dettmer could not have been more period-perfect. That fabulously spooky lighting was designed by Jameson H. Willey and Chris LaPlante was in charge of the crystal clear sound as always.

Mystery lovers will delight in this seamless production and the rest of us can appreciate the pinpoint timing as we strive to follow along. ‘Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None’ directed by Lynn Paulella Beard assisted by John Ozerhoski runs through Oct. 1 in the Warner Theatre’s Nancy Marine Studio Theatre where seating can be limited. Call ahead for tickets.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues and she posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theater Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417