It’s been a tradition since 2017 for my brother and I to attend a show by Agatha Christie at Theatre in the Round on Black Friday. After last year’s hiatus we were extra excited to be back in the theatre for A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED. This murder mystery follows the classic twists and turns of a Christie puzzle with mixed motives, concealed identities, and kept us on the edge of our seats until the very last moments of the production.
In this adaptation by Leslie Darcon; an announcement in the local gazette states the date and time in which a murder will take place in Miss Blacklock’s home. The occupants, employees, and guests staying at the home, along with some nosey neighbors, gather together at the time listed to see what will happen. The end of act one reveals who is murdered, but leads to more questions than answers. Presented in 3 acts, we spent both intermissions discussing our theories of who the murderer was and what their true motive could be. It is always so satisfying when our crazy theories turn out to be true! I don’t want any spoilers here so you will just have to see what happens for yourself.
This strong ensemble includes the always fabulous Meri Golden as Miss Lititia Blacklock keeping us guessing about why a murder would be taking place in her home, Sarah Furniss as the polite yet suspicious Julia Simmons, Barbara Franklin as the forgetful Dora Bunner who had me laughing out loud multiple times, Eric Riner as overly charming Patrick Simmons, Shara Marquez as the sharp and sarcastic Mitzi, Jane Hammill as Miss Marple who finds lots of joy popping up unannounced to give her two cents on the investigation, Zach Christensen as the mysterious Rudi Scherz, and the witty duo of Erik Steen as Inspector Craddock and Christopher J. DeVaan as Sergeant Mellors. The rest of the cast includes Simone Reno as Phillips Haymes, Katie Wodele as Mrs.Swettenham, and Corey Boe as Edmund Swettenham, Directed by Brian Joyce.
A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED runs until December 19, 2021. For more information and tickets: https://www.theatreintheround.org/new-homepage/on-stage/a-murder-is-announced/
Lettered in Theatre 