Review: A Murder is Announced – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Published on: 17 Nov, 2015
Updated on: 17 Nov, 2015

as Miss Marple and ... as the police inspector

Judy Cornwell as Miss Marple and Tom Butcher as Inspector Craddock

By Ferenc Hepp

“A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October the thirteenth, at Little Paddocks – at 6.30pm.”

This is the start of a typical Agatha Christie plot to be solved by the one and only Miss Marple.

The original novel was first published in 1950 and was considered to be a crime classic of its time. It was first adapted into a stage play in 1977, when it was presented at the Theatre Royal Brighton and the Vaudeville Theatre, London.

The current tour by Middle Ground Theatre Company opened at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford on Monday (November 18) with a strong cast, including Judy Cornwell (best known for her role as Hyacinth’s sister Daisy, in Keeping Up Appearances) as Miss Marple, and Diane Fletcher (best known for portraying Elizabeth Urquhart, wife of the chief whip played by Ian Richardson in House of Cards) as Letitia Blacklock.

Miss Marple (Judy Cornwell) with Letitia Blacklock (Diane Fletcher)

The setting is a country house called Little Paddocks and the year is 1950. One of the characters states near the beginning of the play: “Nothing happens here.”

However, she is proved wrong when a murder is announced in the local gazette. It will take place at the house at 6.30pm. The residents are understandably concerned, apart from the disdainful owner, Miss Blacklock.

Diane Fletcher gives a very authentic performance as Letitia Blacklock constantly keeping us guessing why she should be so calm in the face of such a threat, but she seems like the matriarchal character keeping everyone in check, including her childhood, slightly dizzy friend Bunny, excellently portrayed by Sarah Thomas.

Why have the flowers died? Who shot who? What’s been put in the coffee?

Little Paddocks seems to live up to its reputation for uneventfulness during the first 45 minutes or so, but this is all in anticipation of 6.30pm, when the lights suddenly go off and a shot is heard.

Enter the local inspector and Miss Marple, who between them try and solve the mystery. Why is there a sealed door in the house? Has the back door been left open? Why haven’t the ducks been fed? Where is the missing cup from the kitchen?

Why have the flowers died? Who shot who? What’s been put in the coffee?

How was Bunny’s birthday cake made? Who would benefit from Letitia’s death and why?

These are all questions that are addressed by the Inspector Craddock, very well portrayed by Tom Butcher, and Miss Marple and eventually revealed in the usual Miss Marple style which explains the strange happenings of that fateful Friday 13th evening.

…if you are a Christie and Miss Marple fan, like traditional theatre… and enjoy a good piece of murder mystery, I would urge you to go along.

All this takes place in a very traditional and well positioned set, with the dialogue and action kept faithfully to the 1950s. Nothing has been ‘updated’ as often is the style nowadays.

A lot of the humour comes from the generic Eastern European maid, Mitzi, played with lots of energy and great comical timing by Lydia Piechowiak.

If you are looking for a modern, controversial and challenging piece of theatre, this is not for you. However, if you are a Christie and Miss Marple fan, like traditional theatre with all its conventions, and want to sit back and enjoy a good piece of murder mystery, I would urge you to go along.

A Murder is Announced is playing at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre this week until Saturday, with tickets available via www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk or 01483 440000.