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The Hollow
Presented by:
Front Row
Theatre Inc.
Venue:
Hamilton Town
Hall, Hamilton, QLD
Reviewer:
Kellie Scott
Date Reviewed:
Sunday
8th November 2009
While The Hollow
was blessed with talent, great costumes and an elaborate set, when
watching this long and slow play I discovered my dislike of Agatha
Christie crime mysteries.
For those who don’t know the Christie play, picture a
real-life game of Cluedo and you’ve got the drift.
I was concerned upon reading that this whodunit had
two intervals, thinking “this is going to be a long one”. A perky
first Act was not particularly dragging, but Act Two and Three were
slow-paced causing restlessness among the audience. It was
disappointing the story was dreary because there were some stand-out
performances from several of the cast.
Belinda Cargill as Lady Angkatell was hilarious and a
welcome breath of fresh air in the dull scenes. Henrietta Angkatell,
played by Natasha Petzel, was quite the lady; prim, proper and
graceful on stage. The likable and conservative Midge Harvey, played
by Sarah Fowkes and the meek Gerda Cristow, played by Gabrielle
Smith were another two ladies who made a mark in this production. As
for the gents, Erik de Wit as John Cristow was a charm as the
classic ladies man. His foolish attitude was persuasive and I
particularly commend his facial expression during death -
hysterical. Kurt A Lerps as Sir Henry Angkatell, a.k.a. the
interpreter of Lady Angkatell’s bizarre antics, was a delight as he
sarcastically poked fun at his wife’s behaviour.
The ornate and impressive set gleamed in the
community hall of Hamilton and it was hard to believe that I was
actually there and not 1950s England. Director Eric Hauff, along
with Paul Hannah and Ken Latter, attended to every detail with
artwork, drapes, window views and lavish furniture. Costumes, also
by Hauff and Elizabeth Nosworthy, were brilliant! An array of
colours and design, the upper-class characters shone on stage. From
hats to gloves they had everything covered and this really lit up
the little stage and filled it with vibrancy.
Unfortunately, the fabulous performers and lush décor
was not enough to save the story itself. The drawn out lead-up to
the murder and the tedious process of questioning the suspects was
painfully slow and uneventful. It’s hard to say whether or not
Christie fans would be pleased – but at the very least they would
appreciate the classic characters that have been brought to life.
The Hollow
is showing until the 15th of November. Bookings on 07
3861 0455.
Kellie Scott reviews for her website
www.brisbanecritiques.com, which was launched in October of
2008. Her reviews can also sometimes be found at
www.absolutetheatre.com.au. Previously her critiques for music
and film have been published in The Catholic Leader and The
Satellite newspapers. She is currently studying Journalism at
university, and hopes to use this to develop her writing skills,
focusing on becoming a professional critic in the future. If you
would like to contact Kellie, please email
kellie@brisbanecritiques.com.
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