Sue Goodner and Chloe Villegas in Rover Dramawerks’ ‘Go Back for Murder.’ (Photo via Facebook)
The mission of Plano-based Rover Dramawerks is to deliver theater that’s perhaps forgotten or lost often by well-known authors. So basically they are the go-to for a deep dive into works by famous playwrights. Last weekend, the company closed its season with Agatha Christie’s rarely staged Go Back for Murder directed by Kathleen Vaught. The play is based on her book Five Little Pigs, that does not center on her most famous character, Hercule Poirot.
The premise centers on Carla Crale who is investigating her late mother’s imprisonment for the murder of her father, Amyas Crale. Carla’s convinced she was wrongly convicted and finds each of those involved in the trial to return to the scene of the crime for their version of events. With the help of her lawyer Justin Fogg, Carla is intent to clear her family’s name before her looming nuptials.
Immediately, the play’s opening at last Saturday’s matinee was hindered by a problematic set. The stage was cluttered with an array of chairs and some additional furniture pieces. This first impression made for a disorganized and disorienting atmosphere that stuck throughout the show. Without a backdrop or constructed set, no visual cues established the story’s specific time period, although the British inflections of the characters provided some indication. (And to be fair, the play’s program noted the story takes place in 1964 London.)
In typical Christie fashion, the cast of 10 characters were an eclectic mix. From the dangerous mistress to the temperamental governess, and the stoic, distinguished man, they were all familiar archetypes found in many of her other stories. The actors delivered mixed performances in their respective roles. Christian R. Black solidly portrayed Justin Fogg’s authoritative and friendly demeanor, while Sue Goodner embodied the kind-hearted Miss Williams with anger management issues. Additionally, Blair Mitchell’s portrayal of Philip Blake, Amyas’s professional associate, exuded an imposing presence.
As the Poirot stand-in Chloe Villegas took on the role of Carla. With some inspired moments onstage, Villegas never quite strung them together to carry the entire show on her own which her character has the burden of. In the showiest of roles, Jenny Wood vamped it up as the sultry Lady Melksham. While never campy, Wood’s performance injected the show with some colorful characterization along with Martin Mussey’s shifty performance as Meredith Blake. The cast included Jennifer Grace, Aidan Fenton, Karina Barrett and Russell Sims.
The show frequently felt weighted down by its somber and subdued atmosphere, which made it a challenge to engage with the material. The material then lagged under that weight as dialogue was the only primary action of the show. That and the author’s fabricated stakes lacked the urgency needed to maintain intrigue. Chalk it up to a rare misstep by the author. Go Back for Murder turned out to be a mystery better left unsolved.
–Rich Lopez