The latest from Factory Space, at its performing residence, Star of The Sea Theatre, Manly, is a double-bill of murder mysteries, from the unrivalled doyen of that genre, Agatha Christie; plus an 'interlude', penned by the very much alive, Ronn Morris.Artistic director, Roz Riley, is, clearly, very comfortable in this, rather traditional, territory. Traditional shouldn't be construed as in any way pejorative: a straight play can be thoroughly enjoyable and, more than that, edifying; in the same degree that try-hard attempts at metaphor and allusion, in the pathetic struggle to be 'modern', an all-too-common affliction, can be tedious.
Christie's writing is always pithy, with a delicious sense of the comic, amidst the tragic; with her characters, it seems, always buffoonish, in just the right measure. Morris, while teetering on showy self-indulgence, has done a wonderful job of matching the undersung, naughty, sometimes haughty, wit of Christie; (one of Aunt Aggie's characters description of a cat, as 'malice, in fur', being an apt case-in-point. However, the key scene, while relating to a motif present in the first play, proved a little laboured and was, in the washup, superfluous.
The Rats is, essentially, a study in human self-interest, if not malignant narcissism. It points to larger, political themes, such as how expedient even human lives can be, if their despatch should assist certain parties in weaving a protective web of lies: clearly, not something lacking topicality. It employs Christie's fascination with antiquities, especially those from Egypt (the sinister, all-seeing centrepiece, on stage, is a likeness of Bastet, the cat-goddess), her apparent favouring of a form of karmic justice and propensity to bury a clue in a quote. As with her novels, one's full attention is rewarded.
Marisa Newnes has made good on suitably refined, upper-crust English costumery; Hecate evoking just enough mood with stage design. More drama might've been possible, from lighting designer, Jon Tidswell, but was achieved by Simeon Barlow's sound design. Technical production was notably slick: thanks to Sophie Whincop's stage management, assisted by lighting operators, Hannah Murphy & Gemmma Ranson.
Aaron Ward, who played a handsome Devil in a previous Factory Space production, makes a robust debut (I take it) as Benjamin Whitfield, an opportunistic philanderer; aspirant of wealth, position and status. He is, perhaps, the sauciest Egyptologist the field has ever known. His apparent nerves settled down and didn't affect the uniformity of his performance.
By contrast, Amy Longhurst, whose disembodied voice was that of the overplayed Bastet, in Morris' subsequent interlude, Something Wicked, was, to be blunt, miscast, her delivery being too broadly Australian, lacking mystique, drama, or command.
Felicia Kontoulas, as Jennifer Ross, wealthy heiress and hapless victim of attempted murder, was by no means over taxed, being mostly bound, not only to a wheelchair but, more-or-less head-to-toe, in bandages, with a single word of dialogue. She was more prop than actor, on this occasion.
The alleged Ian Nicholson, if he isn't a cop, ought to be, as he has the stature, carriage and flat demeanour down pat, as manifest in his amusing portrayal of the wily Inspector Cray. His only real flaw was an uncertain accent.
Isla Borrell, who tends towards very mannered speech & physical performance, has found a fitting home in the sisterly character of Emmeline Ross, jilted former lover of Benjamin.
Jane E. Seymour, similarly, has found the right shoe, in the form of Sandra Gray, widow of Michael, who she threw over, Gordon Wood-style, for second hubby, John, who she cheated on, with Benjamin. It is, if you will, a sordid kind of 'The House That Jack Built'; an exaggerated comic device which, I think, typifies the playful mischief Ms Christie so relished. With the exception of one scene (in which she confesses to helping a landslide nudge Michael over a Cornish cliff), which could've and should've been played much larger, her performance is a veritable study in plays and acting of this vintage.
Jenna Martin, as nurse and treacherous confidant, Cecily Bond, is convincing and, practically, flawless.
Louise Harding is a little too young to carry her role as Brenda Jackson, Benjamin's, ah, secretary, but does a pretty fair job of it, regardless.
Pete Buck-Dettmann (whose name is ripe to be appropriated directly into this ilk) was, for mine, 'man-of-the-match', as the conflicted, bitter, dysfunctional, high-camp Hugo, brother to Emmeline & Jennifer. He imbued his character with the requisite tension: a tug-o'-war between believability and double-smoked ham. The result is, to paraphrase the play, a delectably tragicomic.
I'm sorry to say Rickard Roach, as William Ross, the parasitic brother, is, by contrast, spam, falling in-and-out of accent and looking very uncomfortable indeed. Unfortunately, his slipshop output tended to draw attention to various other nods to amateurism, which might, otherwise, have vanished into the ether or been easier to overlook.
Ros Bilbe's qualities make for a persuasive portrayal of sleuthish Doctor Ginsberg.
After a stumble or two, Riley & Factory Space are back, delivering high-quality, trad theatre (in a good way), to smallish audiences which, if there were the kind of karmic justice which Agatha seems to favour, at least as a dramatic device, would be large and much more zealous.
Factory Space Theatre Company
Present Murder
Two short plays by Agatha Christie
With an interlude by Ronn Morris
Venue: Star of the Sea Theatre, Corner of Collingwood Street and Iluka Avenue, Manly
Dates/Times: 7:30pm – Sat 22th, Thurs 27th, Fri 28th, Sat 29th of November and Thurs 4th, Fri 5th & Sat 6th December
Matinee: 3:00pm Sun 23rd
Tickets: $30 / $25. Group discounts and School parties by arrangement
Bookings: 02 9439 1906
