By Ilana Jael Rothman
It’s hard to imagine any fans of Agatha Christie being disappointed by The Hollow, a 1951 play by the iconic author that proves it stands the test of time in Florida Atlantic University’s Festival Repertory Theatre production.
Described in the program’s director’s note as a “good old-fashioned murder mystery,” the piece succeeds unquestionably in living up to that promise more than it transcends the trappings of its genre, which is one that remains a popular choice for theater companies thanks to its dependable power to draw in audiences.
Fortunately, Christie’s plays and those adapted from her work tend to pack a satisfying narrative punch along with their enticing crowd-pleaser status, the perfect fit for the kind of person who likes going to the theater armed with the knowledge that their night will end with a confession no matter how grave the crime.
Speaking of which, I should probably get this confession out of the way lest anyone find me guilty of perjury by omission: I don’t really like murder mysteries.
Regrettably, it isn’t so much the murder itself that I take issue with so much as the formulaic plots and outdated storytelling conventions, which often leave characters languishing for the better part of an hour in order to belabor only as much exposition as Law and Order could’ve easily crammed in before one commercial break.
Just so we’re clear, I’m not trying to indict Agatha Christie here so much as to pre-emptively exonerate this production of The Hollow for the play’s failure to become substantially engaging to me until well into the first act.
If you’d like some additional evidence in this regard, I think the fact that I made almost exactly this same complaint about Murder for the Orient Express and Witness for the Prosecution ought to be enough to satisfy the defense.
Yes, later on, the intricately detailed character dynamics established during this slow burn set-up do prove essential to the plot’s intrigue, and I was totally invested in the story by the time we hit intermission. As the characters’ dissatisfaction spirals towards an irreversible tragedy, the pacing picks up exponentially, making for an Act 2 that, while still perhaps a bit overlong, was much more entertaining than I could’ve reasonably expected from the script’s rocky start.
Director Mariah Reed is likely instrumental in achieving this sense of improved momentum, seldom missing an opportunity to liven up the play with an infusion of farcical humor whenever the dialogue allows. To take this tendency even further, she utilizes prominent light and sound effects to lampshade important reveals in an almost soap-operatic style. As playful as these additions were, they did strike me as being somewhat at odds with the otherwise naturalistic tone of the play, and enough so as to undercut the emotional gravity of what was going on at several pivotal moments.
Otherwise, the technical design of the show ranged from consistently effective to absolutely exquisite, starting with the detailed, ornate work of scenic designer Michael McClain in bringing to life the play’s setting of a mid-century garden estate. Tim Bowman’s costume design was another high point, enabling what seemed like constant outfit changes for especially the female characters, who showed off their upper-class status in elegant dresses that grew fancier and fancier.
These local professionals were part of a technical team that also included quite a few FAU students whose efforts were also integral to the creative success of the show and ensuring its polished feel. Festival Rep features undergraduate and graduate students of the Department of Theatre and Dance working alongside professional Equity actors.
Most of the performers who occupied the play’s leading roles delivered performances that would’ve been impressive in just about any context, something that was true of several of the undergraduate student performers as well as the more seasoned MFA candidates. From the first category, I’d be remiss not to mention Isabel Shiver as grounded ingenue Midge, Adler Monpremier as a commanding inspector, and Kerwin Cyriaque as conflicted bachelor Edward.
Among the grad students, standouts include Casey Venema, who is poised and passionate as stormy artist Henrietta, Sadie Corley as a simple-seeming housewife with hidden depths, Jakari Dozié as an amusingly irreverent detective, and last but not least Karen Cohen, who is the show’s MVP where comedy is concerned as nosy matriarch Lady Lucy Angkatell.
Ultimately, The Hollow makes for a thoroughly satisfying evening of theater despite significant structural stumbles, with its standout elements of this production upstaging the impact of its weaker elements every step of the way. The play will be running for two more weekends, and it’s only now that I realize that I’ve been so focused on putting various aspects of it on trial that I haven’t gone into much detail about what it’s actually about.
At this point, I guess that I could start attempting to explain the tangled web of adultery, betrayal, and ambition that, in The Hollow, eventually fuels the unthinkable. Or, in true Agatha Christie spirit, I could leave all that more of a mystery, one I encourage you to solve for yourself by catching this one while you can.
THE HOLLOW runs through June 28 in the Marleen Forkas Studio One Theatre on the Florida Atlantic University Campus, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Tickets are $30. Visit www.fauevents.com or call 561-297-6124.