The Hollow

Although this Agatha Christie play was adapted from one of her books, I personally wonder if it really was one of the best for stage adaptation. In the programme it states that Miss Christie removed the original detective, Poirot, from the play which was originally described as ‘ingenious entertainment’, but for me it really lacked the interest and identification provided by a   Poirot or Miss Marple.

Set in a country house ‘garden room’ the Portishead Players set team had really done their work well; it was a most attractive room with excellent dramatic access through doors, which when open, displayed a hint of the mansion beyond. I have made this comment before when reporting on other Portishead Players productions; I could have lived in that room! PP is blessed with a professional, imaginative, set team. Congratulations to them all.

Act 1. The introduction of the characters and setting of the story was rather slow and was due in part to the slow pick up of cues and the very wordy script. The actors did not immediately ‘inhabit’ their characters and it was often difficult to believe they were real. Yes they delivered their dialogue efficiently but the words lacked depth and emotion.   I wanted many of the cast to relax and forget they were on a stage in front of an audience. There were exceptions to this comment … Janet Astley playing ‘Lady Lucy Angkatell’ was outstanding from start to finish. An accomplished actor she never lost her ‘rather wild ‘character for one moment’.  Norman Allen portrayed a delightful ‘Gudgeon’ the butler … the ‘man of all work’ and demonstrated ‘how to steal the show’ in this cameo role!

 As the play reached Acts 2 and 3, particularly with the entrance of the detectives, after the ‘murder’ had occurred, the play became more interesting and there were unique twist and turns to be unraveled.

I had resisted investigating the play before I came to see it as I wanted the outcome to be a surprise and a surprise it was. Jean Williams playing Gerda Cristow gave an excellent interpretation of her ‘bizarre’ character, but I could not totally believe in her husband ‘John Cristow’. As a medical consultant and a desirable ladies man his command of the stage, dress and stance should have been much stronger and upstanding.

Inspector Colquhoun grew into his part after a nervous start and I enjoyed his performance, but found his side- kick, DS Penny, a bit implausible as he was so much older than his boss… but he did provide some amusing moments. There were good cameos and strong principal performances from other members of the cast.

I understand that this play had been shortened from the original which ran to three hours! It was still a bit cumbersome and unwieldy but the Director Colin Astley had done his very best with a complex murder mystery.  Cast positioning and exits and entrances were very good and the dialogue was clear with excellent diction. It was an enjoyable if over long evening and I could have done with a cushion on my seat.

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