‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ @ Richardson Theatre Centre
Photos courtesy of Richardson Theatre Centre
—Carol M. Rice
Murder mysteries have always held a fascination for me, whether in print or on stage. I’ve gotten better at figuring out who the murderer is over the years, but I’ll admit that when I first read Agatha Christie’s 1926 novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd several years ago, the ending was definitely a surprise.
As Dame Agatha’s early novels make their way into the public domain, I hope we’ll be seeing more adaptations of these thrilling whodunnits; if they’re anything like Mark Shanahan’s gripping new version of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd as presented by Richardson Theatre Centre, the theatre-going public is in for a treat.
Roger Ackroyd is a man with a secret, and he inadvertently tells the wrong person what he knows, resulting in his brutal murder, shocking the quiet village of King’s Abbot. All signs point to his stepson Ralph Paton, who is nowhere to be found—but Paton is just one of many with a motive. The famous detective Hercule Poirot has recently retired to the small English town at the advice of his friend Ackroyd. The only doctor in town, Dr. Jane Sheppard, lives next door to Poirot with her gossipy sister Caroline, and the women quickly befriend him, which means Poirot soon finds himself caught up in the murder investigation of his friend.
As murder victim Roger Ackroyd, David Noel spends more time dead onstage than he does alive, but his brief scenes are strong and set up the rest of the action nicely: he introduces us to his doctor, his secretary, his niece, his parlor maid, his butler, his sister-in-law, and his freeloading friend—and all of them have motives.
As Dr. Sheppard, KJ James deftly handles the bulk of the lines in the story as both narrator and character. She comes across perfectly as a mild-mannered country doctor who truly cares about her patients and friends. She’s the ideal complement to the more reactive Poirot as she helps him work it all out, and she gives the role her all in a tour de force performance.
Jeff York was made to play the great detective Hercule Poirot, and not just because of his amazing moustache. He is intensely focused at all times yet never steals focus for himself. His Belgian/French accent is quite good, and in his interactions with and interrogations of the various characters, Poirot’s manner shifts and adapts, depending on what he wants to get out of each one of them. York’s performance is fascinating to watch.
As Poirot’s foil, local Inspector Raglan, diminutive Lucia Welch seemed an odd choice for the role, but she brought out the humor of the bumbling copper who’s trying to be in charge and failing miserably up against the mighty Poirot.
Karen Jordan brings levity to the somber proceedings as Caroline Sheppard who, with the help of the milkman and postman, smugly knows everything about everyone before anyone else does. Jordan revels in her queen bee status, especially in her scenes with York.
As Major Hector Blunt, Ackroyd’s old friend—who’s made himself a permanent houseguest—Douglas Kent shines. He is authoritative and blustery, yet shows compassion when needed. When he reveals his interest in Ackroyd’s niece Flora, his whole demeanor changes. Nicely done.
As Flora, Penelope Richards sulks and flounces appropriately, and while all of Kristin Moore’s costumes are fabulous for the 1920s time period, Richards truly looks the part of a flapper.
Sue Goodner also makes the most of her costumes as the lushy Gertrude Ackroyd, Flora’s mother and Ackroyd’s sister-in-law. Goodner has some of the best-delivered lines of the night as the always-tipsy Gertrude, and is a master of spot-on facial expressions.
As parlor maid Ursula Bourne, Molly Rose also has amazing facial expressions, and the reveals and plot-twists she throws out are beautifully done. Rose brings a lot of layers to what could be a throw-away role. Kudos for not making it one.
As Ackroyd’s secretary Miss Helen Russell, Kate Crawford also brings plenty of depth to her scenes. It is obvious, yet subtly so, that she has a secret, and she underplays the role in a way that is just right. Not easy to do.
Johnathan Luce plays the mostly absent Ralph Paton with appropriate sincerity and feeling, and Budd Mann’s portrayal of the butler Parker is perfectly dry and understated, earning some well-needed laughs during the mostly serious evening.
Rachael Lindley has put together a strong cast and directed them superbly, complemented by Kenneth Hall’s lighting, Greg Smith’s simple set, and Rusty Harding’s sound design. I’ve already mentioned Kristin Moore’s excellent costume design but must also mention the period-appropriate wigs and accessories. Everyone looked just as they should in a quaint 1920s English village.
If you’re an Agatha Christie fan but are tired of the same old murder mysteries onstage, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is for you, and Richardson Theatre Centre’s production is extremely well done. It will definitely keep you guessing until the end.
WHEN: February 2-March 2, 2025
WHERE: 518 W. Arapaho Road, Ste. 113, Richardson TX
WEB: richardsontheatrecentre.net
