Murder on the Nile
Spotlight Theatre: 8/18 – 9/22
Spotlight Theatre’s “Murder on the Nile” is a pleasant evening of –if
not armchair travel, at least travel of the theatre seat variety. Imagine
sitting back in one’s easy chair while reading a good mystery and presto
change-o! finding himself in a theatre seat as a good cast of that book’s
interesting characters appear upon the stage.
It was just the ticket for this reviewer on this particular night. The
play is fascinating in much the way all Agatha Christie plays are. It’s full of
snooty socialites, disgruntled servants, ex-lovers and clergymen! One does miss
the presence of such iconic detectives as Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, but
the mystery unravels all the same after the requisite murder takes place. One
can’t help but wonder why Monsieur Poirot was not featured in the play since
the novel is described as an Hercule Poirot mystery. Excuse moi!
The producer warns the audience before the show begins that if anyone
should divulge even a hint of the murderous character in question to
prospective ticket buyers untold horrors will occur. Fortunately for us we can
feel safe since the John Hand Theatre is not large enough to have a huge
chandelier dangling precariously over our heads.
A jilted fiancée, who is
stalking her ex-lover and his fabulous new wife, is at the core of this venture
into the wonderful world of Agatha Christie.
It’s an eye-pleasing production thanks to Bernie Cardell’s superbly laid
out and well appointed set. Cardell, who also directs, gives us a Christie
mystery that flows along at a nice steady pace similar one supposes to that of
its titular river’s current. It
has quite a few eddies and damned few rapids. Since the show has a rather large
cast and a rather modest budget director Cardell has done a rather ingenious
thing with regard to casting the show.
He has given us a core of superb local actors all well known for their
skill in acting and injected a group of new, mostly young talent into the
supporting roles. The result is heartening.
The core group I describe is composed of Haley Johnson, Deborah Curtis,
Christian Mast and Todd Black. The newbies include Phillip Bettison, Jenny Weiss, Kaity Talmage-Bowers
and Chrissy Basham. All four of these young artists show promise and one hopes
to see them again soon upon the Denver stage.
Haley Johnson is the standout in the role of Jacqueline De Severac.
Deborah Curtis shines in the role of Miss ffoliot-ffoukes (It’s a lot of “f”s
but that’s what they have in the program!) Christian Mast has been cast in the
role of the Lothario of this show, Simon Mostyn. Todd Black’s Canon Pennefather
is superbly and intentionally stoic.
The lighting by Brian Miller is appropriately sunny.
Luke Alan Terry’s
sound design transports us brilliantly to the exact right time and place.
Mum’s the word.
Go figure!
August 18 -
September 22
Fri/Sat at 7:30 p.m.
/Sun at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets are $20
Adult/ $18 for Students/Seniors
Group rates
available.
720-880-8727 or online at www.thisisspotlight.org
The John Hand
Theater, 7653 E. 1st Place, Denver
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