Review: THE MIRROR CRACK’D, Original Theatre - Malvern Theatres (Tour)

Photo credit: Ali Wright

Original Theatre’s most recent touring production, Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d, is nothing short of sublime.

Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and directed by Philip Franks, it is both aesthetically pleasing and highly engaging from start to finish.

Set in 1960’s England, the small village of St Mary Mead and a new housing estate is making the villagers both curious and fearful and a rich American film star has moved in to the manor house. A cocktail party at the manor leaves one person dead in suspicious circumstances. Jane Marple confined to a chair after spraining her ankle is drawn in to the tragedy. Will she be able to help the police solve this web of lies before someone else gets hurt?

Susie Blake plays Miss Marple, the feisty spinster who doesn’t miss a thing. Blake is perfect for this role, just the right amount of sarcastic humour delivered in the appropriate manner makes her the most lovable of characters. Her relationship with both Chief Inspector Craddock (Oliver Boot is brilliantly bungling), the Detective who struggles to comprehend where Miss Marple’s questions are relevant until it’s unravelled before him, and Dolly Bantry (played brilliantly by Veronica Roberts), the life-long friend who loves a gossip, is both touching and truthful.

The cast and design by Adrian Linford are faultless and create an edge of your seat thriller with ease. It’s got the revenge, dark secrets and emotional story that you would expect from a Christie novel delivered in the most perfect and entertaining storytelling.

Compelling, tense and full of unexpected twists and turns!

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin

Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d plays at Malvern Theatres until 19 November and on tour across the UK until 4 March. For more information, please click here.