A great mystery play is now on stage at the Westport Country Playhouse. Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” thrilled theater attendees on opening night. In the great tradition of Agatha Christie’s mysteries, her famous detective Hercule Poirot is on the case to help with solving the mystery.
The setting of the play is in a small English town of Kings Abbot. The scenes are shared between the house of Dr. Sheppard and the mansion of Fernley Park owned by Roger Ackroyd. Dr James Sheppard, the narrator, lives with his unmarried sister, Caroline. Telling the story in his own words, Dr Sheppard recounts being called to certify the death of a wealthy widow, who has committed suicide a year after her abusive husband’s death. Caroline who plays amateur sleuth feels that the woman had poisoned her husband and has committed suicide out of remorse. Is she correct?
Roger Ackroyd, wealthy widower and owner of Fernly Park, tells Dr Sheppard that he needs to talk to him urgently and invites him to dinner that evening. In addition to Dr Sheppard, the dinner guests include Major Blunt, Ackroyd’s sister-in-law Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd, her daughter Flora, and Ackroyd’s secretary. Also present is the butler and the maid. In his study after dinner, Ackroyd tells Dr Sheppard and that the widow had had indeed poisoned her husband. She was being blackmailed for a year and Ackroyd knows the identity of the blackmailer.
Dr Sheppard returns home to learn that Ackroyd has been found dead in his locked study. He quickly returns to the mansion where the local police are already there and believe they have a suspect.
And so the mystery begins of who stabbed Roger Ackroyd in his study which had been locked from the inside. Can the audience solve the mystery?
Not trusting the local police, Flora Ackroyd hires Hercule Poirot the famous Belgian detective to solve the murder. Thus begins the unraveling of the mystery as Poirot exams the many clues and interviews everyone in the house who at this point is a suspect.
The dialogue between the characters and Poirot is rapid fire and engaging. The audience hangs on every sentence as they themselves are drawn into the play in an attempt to solve the murder.
This who done it has it all, a setting in a country English manor, an elaborate set, and a brilliant cast of suspects who demand the audience help Detective Poirot solve this mystery. The serious tone is relieved by the witty banter and exchanges of the actor. If you’re a fan of murder mysteries, then put on your detective hat and head over to the Westport Country Playhouse for an amazing evening of theatre.
Great acting, brilliant direction and a fine detailed set bring this classic English mystery to life at the Westport stage. A production not to be missed!
The 12-member cast includes Shereen Ahmed as Flora Ackroyd, Anthony Cochrane as Hercule Poirot, Joe Delafield as Ralph Paton, Allen Gilmore as Inspector Raglan, Erin Noel Grennan as Caroline Sheppard, Richard Ruiz Henry asMajor Hector Blunt, Tom Hewitt as Parker, John Rapson as Dr. James Sheppard, Nicole Shalhoub as Helen Russell, Mark Silence as Roger Ackroyd, Katy Tang as Ursula Bourne, and Karen Ziemba as Gertrude Ackroyd.
The creative team includes Mark Shanahan, director/adaptor; Bruce Warren, assistant director; Charlie Corcoran, set designer; Jeni Schaefer, costume designer; Julie Duro, lighting designer; John Gromada, sound designer; Chloe Cobb, props supervisor; Seth Andrew Bridges, fight choreographer; Kevin Jinghong Zhu, production stage manager; Matthew Rohan, assistant stage manager; and Sarah Rachel Katz, production assistant.
Tickets: https://www.westportplayhouse.org/
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