Adapted from the 1946 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie, “The Hollow” had a somewhat difficult journey from page to stage. Regretting Poirot’s presence in the novel, Christie removed him from the story when adapting it but ended up with a script which many colleagues in the theatrical world felt was badly written, and were reluctant to stage.
Was there merit in these concerns?
Presented by The Studio Theatre Company on South Hill Park’s Wilde Theatre stage, “The Hollow” has all the trappings of a classic Agatha Christie piece.
A group of people gathered in a remote location? Check. Family feuds, vendettas and secret romances? Check. A mysterious death which a late-to-the-gathering detective (Barry Armstrong, supported by Harry Hardy) is tasked with solving? Check, check.
An unhappy game of romantic follow-the-leader explodes into murder one weekend at The Hollow, home of Sir Henry (Ian Crump) and Lucy Angkatell (Pamela Hibbert). Dr. Cristow (Luke Burton), the Harley Street lothario, is at the centre of the trouble when, assembled in one place, we find his dull but devoted wife Gerda (Helen Watts), his mistress and prominent sculptor Henrietta (Heather Taylor) and his former lover and Hollywood film star Veronica (Gemma Burgess). Also visiting are Edward (Gareth Wells) and Midge (Amy Cunnington) who are likewise thrown into the mix. As the list of romantic associations grows, so does the list of potential suspects when someone is shot dead. Nearly everyone has a motive – but who committed the crime?
Taking place exclusively in The Hollow’s drawing room, the cast work hard to bring their respective characters – and those characters’ flaws, peculiarities and causes for concern – to vivid life. Each character is distinct and well-portrayed, raising gasps and laughs from the audience at different points in the play. It’s a testament to the actors and actresses that I genuinely couldn’t guess who the murderer was until the big reveal.
Likewise, the costumes, set design, sound and lighting are opulent, easily transporting the audience into the murky yet graceful world of the play – and doing a grand job of conveying the different times of the day in which the story takes place.
It’s perhaps a shame that the play was produced in such a large environment, however, rather than on The Studio Theatre’s much smaller stage. Some of the intimacy (so key to a claustrophobic story such as this) felt lost in the cavernous environment, as did a fair chunk of the dialogue – though this may perhaps be the result of an unusually noisy audience on the night I attended, and to be fair, I didn’t hear any complaints about this from other attendees.
I should note too that the play is exceptionally long, clocking in at a good two-and three-quarter hours – perfect if you’re a fan of murder mysteries that are chock full of twists, turns, characters and clues, but perhaps a tad too long if you’re more accustomed to shorter bursts of entertainment.
Neil Hodgson and Amy Ebers do a grand job of providing levity as The Hollow’s staff (Gudegon and Doris) which helps to break things up throughout, though. And if you’re an admirer of the Grande Dame’s stories and you want to see what else she has to her name beyond The Mousetrap, there is a great deal here to enjoy, especially in these cold winter months which seem so strangely suited to such tales of the unexpected…
“The Hollow” runs at The Wilde Theatre in South Hill Park between the 8th and 11th February; tickets are available at https://www.southhillpark.org.uk/shp-events/the-hollow-by-agatha-christie/. Photos by Asun Olivan Photography.
