Community theater presents Agatha Christie

Author Agatha Christie has been deservedly described as “the Queen of Crime.” With its production of Christie’s “Witness for the Prosecution,” Clear Creek Community Theatre offers a fitting tribute to the queen.

This is the fifth year the community theater group has performed an Agatha Christie play in January and it is easy to see why the mystery writer continues to enchant. She offers witty dialogue, keen observations on human nature, memorable characters and truly surprising plot twists in a complete entertainment package. If you’re a fan of television crime/procedural shows then check out this play to see how a master does it.

Christie has a faithful servant in director Aprille Meek, who makes sure the actors honor every word. This production features some fine performances enhanced by authentic English accents and 1950s period appropriate furnishings and costumes.

The play is presented in a traditional three-act structure, which is unusual in this day and age of shortening attention spans. The action is slow burning but doesn’t drag, and the three hours bump along at a good pace, although the text could have been abridged to make a shorter play without losing any of the impact.

This production is very well cast with all 16 roles, large and small, being well inhabited by the actors. The three leads are particularly impressive. Brandon Hobratschk is a suitably arrogant and abrasive Sir Wilfrid Robarts, while C. Alane Johnson teases and taunts as exotic Romaine Vole and Sam Schnuer gets the perfect balance of pathetic but likable as Leonard Vole.

In the scenes “in chambers,” Steven Sarp is a friendly foil to Sir Wilfrid, playing Mr. John Mayhew as an empathetic buddy. In smaller roles, Sierra Irwin is lively as the cheeky Greta, and Drew Walton is just delightful as the exasperated Carter.

The courtroom scenes feature an array of memorable characters including Janna Grubbs’s stern housekeeper, Angela Reader’s sympathetic Dr Wyatt, Louisa Riofrio’s eccentric Tabitha Clegg and Sabiha Mahmood’s feisty Clerk of the Court.

Tim Ashby has all the mannerisms of a policeman and gives an enjoyable performance as Detective Inspector Hearne, while Robert Peeples and Drew Walton make the most of their tiny roles as Prosecution Barrister and Justice Wainwright respectively.

Jennifer Gonzales and Heather McLean are also memorable as the girl and a juror — roles so fleeting you could almost blink and miss them.

This production is something of a Meek family affair, with Aprille’s husband, John, and son Robert sharing in the design responsibilities.

In addition to her directing duties, Aprille has designed an effective set as the production’s set designer. The cozy chambers looked like just the place for a QC to smoke cigars and plot out case strategies while the wooden courtroom was surprisingly expansive. A slightly tatty black backdrop did detract a little from the design but overall it successfully evoked 1950s England.

John Meek’s lighting design was simple but effective with a particularly striking window motif in the courtroom scenes. Robert Meek’s sound design hit all the right action points adding realism where needed. Kudos must also go to the costuming team of Erin Lee Brush, Alane Johnson and Jennifer Gonzales for their period details, which matched the characters’ personalities and helped bring the world to life. A particular highlight was the formal wigs and gowns of the court scenes.Clear Creek Community Theatre’s “Witness for the Prosecution” makes for a very enjoyable evening at the theater. As one of Agatha Christie’s characters might say: “Jolly good show!”

Next week’s theater review will take a look at the Jones Hope Wooten comedy “Southern Hospitality,” which plays at the Bay Area Harbour Playhouse until Feb. 5.

Shannon Caldwell lives on Galveston Island and has been a journalist and theater reviewer for 20 years.