Night Out At: Verdict

The fourth and final play of the season is a thoughtful piece rather than a whodunit. The play was first performed in 1958 and was originally called "No Fields of Amaranth," taken from a line in the book "Imaginary Conversations" by English poet Walter Savage Landor: "there are no fields of amaranth this side of the grave." The main character, Karl, the Professor, is portrayed as a misguided, incorruptible idealist. Throughout the play, he finds himself entangled in various situations, often innocent and mainly involving the opposite sex, leading his life into quite a pickle.

Karl is enamored with the idea of things but struggles to cope with reality, constantly concerned with appearances. While there is a murder, as expected in an Agatha Christie play, the focus of this piece is more on the moral dilemma and the consequences of impulsive decisions. It is interesting to note that the main three characters, Professor Karl Hendryk, his ailing wife Anna Hendryk, and her cousin Lisa Koletsky, are all refugees living in London, coinciding with Refugee Week. The play has a touch of the popular TV series "Columbo," and coincidentally, the attire of the inspector who appears near the end of the play, played by Peter Joyner, is similar, right down to the beige raincoat. Peter Joyner delivers an impressive performance, along with Ronnie Morris, who portrays the WPC with stoicism, seriousness, and great expressions.

It can be quite challenging to hold the audience's attention during a Christie play, but I believe this was mostly achieved. Understandably, there were some first-night nerves that were noticeable, and a prompt was used at times. Some actors also anticipated the use of props. The first part of the play lacked pace but picked up beautifully in the second half. There were a total of three mini intervals, during which the curtain closed for a few minutes while Rachmaninoff was played. This was a good choice, as it is mentioned in the piece and adds a theatrical touch, creating a distinct contrast to the "stiff upper lip" of 1950s Britain. The play is quite intense and perhaps could benefit from dimmed lighting instead of complete blackout.

As always, the set at The Little Theatre was exceptional, and the costumes were well thought out. Some actors impressively changed costumes several times. The sound effects and lighting were well done, with only a few minor glitches that were handled well and will likely be rectified as the run progresses.

There were blurred lines and plenty of food for thought. Fiona Williams portrayed Helen Rollander, a rich and love-sick daddy's girl, with impressive facial expressions and a seductive allure. Her character performs a style of murder akin to euthanasia, as Mrs. Hendryk, played by Lucy Ashdown, often makes comments about feeling faded, old, and sick, jokingly mentioning the possibility of overdosing. Ironically, Professor Karl, played by Mark Latham, had earlier succumbed to Sir Rollander's blackmail in order to secure private lessons for Helen and provide her with expensive life-changing treatment. Each character had what they believed to be a good reason, but together, it became a recipe for disaster. The play had many more unexpected twists and turns, eliciting gasps and chatter from the audience, making me feel like part of a live TV audience at one point.

Gareth Crawshaw delivered an utterly compelling performance as Sir Rollander, capturing the "plummy" accent perfectly. Fiona Williams portrayed Helen Rollander as the perfect femme fatale, exuding seduction and showcasing fabulous facial expressions befitting such a character.

The story continued with more unexpected twists and turns. The family doctor, played by David Tocher, looked very distinguished and believable, and the Professor and Lisa became somewhat of a Greek chorus, debating what to do now that the truth is out there.

Lisa Koletsky, portrayed by Katie Downes, was a standout performer for me. Her stage presence was graceful, and every move and expression seemed carefully thought out. She displayed an impressive range of emotions, especially as someone who harbors a secret love for the Professor and later stands trial for her cousin's murder. Her feelings evolve into borderline hatred when the Professor fails to speak up for her. I was deeply moved when she delivered the line to the Professor, "I've loved you, and it's broken me." The Professor, usually calm and composed, undergoes a significant change when the truth about his wife's death is revealed. He appears utterly forlorn and dejected when this line is directed at him.

Phillis Brighouse brought much-needed comic relief with her portrayal of Mrs. Roper, adding a light touch to the dark themes of the play. Jason Gallontry played Lester Cole, a student of the Professor, who portrayed a sweet and thoughtful character, always seeking to see the best in everyone.

The moral of the story is clear: when we act in secrecy solely to serve our ego, it often leads to disaster.

I highly recommend seeing this play this week. It runs until this Saturday.