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TagsBY STUART DUNCAN
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
N.J. THEATER REVIEW
The Somerset Valley Playhouse in the Neshanic section of Hillsborough was built as "a little red schoolhouse" just a little over a century ago (1907.) It has been decades since schoolchildren have occupied the space, but a hearty band of theater buffs have held sway. Last summer, the group cancelled the July-August production and refurbished the building. New, comfortable seats and wider seating arrangements, the downstairs lounge and intermission spaces completely remodeled. The latest production in an ambitious 8-show season is an old chestnut — Agatha Christie's venerable "And Then There Were None." Of course, old chestnuts make mighty fine eating when properly roasted — and this one certainly is.
Director Michael Muller has assembled a strong cast (of eleven) most of whom, as the title suggests, will end up stacked in the library off stage and thoroughly dead. You may recall there are several different versions of the original Christie novel — one named "Ten Little Indians," this one which actually uses a nursery rhyme referring to ten soldier boys, even a musical version. This one takes place in the living room of a house on Soldier Island, off the Devon coast of England. No phone, no boat and a storm brewing — you recognize the familiar ingredients.
The individual characters have all been invited to attend a weekend part by a mysterious U.N. Owen (get it? Unknown) and all apparently are hiding secrets of ill doing that seem to be enough to condemn them to be judged guilty. Over three acts (five scenes) we learn just how guilty each one may or may not be and watch as one by one they are eliminated as, indeed, the nursery rhyme dictates. Good fun, puzzling enough for most of the audience.
You will probably find your own favorites among the talented cast In the process you undoubtedly will forgive a few rather pallid British accents I enjoyed Sarah Caldwell who is charming as the secretary just hired, but who has never seen her employer. David Clarke is suitably pompous as Blore who insists on using an assumed name. Larky Barnes has great fun as General Mackenzie; John Calonius is properly efficient as the retired judge and Eric Radell obviously enjoys being Dr. Armstrong.
Director Muller even provides a few twists in the plot towards the end of the evening, nothing earth-shaking, but for those of us who have seen the show multiple times, enough to add a nice shiver before a measure of peach descends off Soldier Island. A delicious start to SVP's 43rd season.
"And Then There Were None" continues through Jan. 31 at The Somerset Valley Playhouse, Amwell Rd. in the Neshanic Section of Hillsborough. Fri. & Sat. eves at 8 p.m.; Sun. mats. at 2 p.m. (908) 369-7469.
