As a spine tingling who-dun-it, Agatha Christie's The Hollow doesn't quite rate up there with her masterpiece, The Mousetrap. However, The Hollow will have no trouble pleasing Christie's legions of fans which, by now, extend around the globe.
Set in the English countryside, The Hollow is the home owned by a retired provincial governor and his wife. It's also a popular retreat for family members and guests from London, who often come down on the weekends. On one of these weekends, the result is murderous mayhem. The victim is a charismatic but womanizing doctor, who is entangled in the lives of several women in the play. In one of the most hilarious scenes, the plain-looking doctor's wife gets a look at her competition. Arriving unannounced, a glamorous movie starlet sweeps into the parlor. She's staying just down the road and (wouldn't you know?) she couldn't find any matches with which to light her cigarette. She immediately spies the doctor, who turns out to be a former fiance. She presses him to stop by after dinner, to "talk about old times." That "talk," as it turns out, is the doctor's undoing.
Christie's humor hasn't lost any of its snap over the years. Her dry English wit draws many appreciative waves of laughter. One would think that things become far less funny after the murder is committed -- but no! That's when family matriarch, Lady Angkatell, is at her best. Her unintentional black humor gives the play added zip. It's worth noting that many scenes conclude with dramatic exit music, provided by Lindsay Jones. If nothing else, the music is a gentle reminder to sit back and enjoy. This evening is meant for entertainment, and in this regard, it certainly doesn't shortchange the audience.
Although many characters have a chance to shine during this nearly three-hour production, the most memorable is Lady Angkatell. As a dimwitted English matron, she bustles about the house in flowing floral-colored dresses. It's almost as if she carries the garden in with her.
As Lady A, actress Rose Pickering is in her element. She makes the most of her character's eccentricities, spouting lines such as, "The worst thing about murder is how it affects the servants." Peter Silbert is memorable as her forgiving husband, Sir Angkatell. Torrey Hanson has a nice turn as the amiable Edward, a wealthy man "without a vision," as he says. He is immune to the attention of Midge, whom he still thinks of as a young girl. Both of the servants, played by Richard Halverson and Stacie Barra, are credible.
Actor Jim Baker continues to astonish audiences with his range. As the slow-talking police detective, he proves to be cleverer than one would think. As he prepares to solve the crime, his eyes almost twinkle with anticipation. Finally, Lee Ernst impresses as the dashing doctor. The doctor is bored by his wife, passionate with the sculptress, Henrietta, and charmed by the starlet. But most of all, he is a man who's most interested in making cures for rare diseases. Ernst allows the character's full complexity to come through, veering from the charismatic to the selfish. Since Peter Sipes, a noted movement director, was in charge of this production, it's no wonder that the doctor's death scene is carried out so convincingly. Thankfully, no blood is spilled on the gorgeous, authentically decorative set.
