Stage Review - Spider’s Web (Centerstage Theatre)
Stage Review - Spider’s Web
Presented By: Centerstage Theatre - Federal Way, WA
Show Run: January 26 - February 18, 2024
Date Reviewed: Sunday, January 28, 2024
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
There is no shortage of productions out there representing the work of Agatha Christie. After all, when one is thinking of putting up a murder mystery, which are always crowd favorites and generally seem tailor-made for the stage, is there any other name that comes to the fore? For my money, and perhaps I’m biased having performed in a few myself, there’s nobody better. And while I’ve seen many, and a plethora of versions of that “many”, I’m pleasantly surprised when a theatre includes one I haven’t seen on their season schedule. And speaking of things there being no shortage of, I’ll include good live theatre experiences in the region on that list. I’m starting to lose count of the number of venues I’ve visited, or the number of troupes whose work I’ve had the pleasure of seeing on stage. Again, though, I enjoy learning about new venues and groups that just add to the mosaic that is the Puget Sound theatre scene. This past weekend, two of these came together for me, the presentation of an Agatha Christie play that I haven’t seen previously, Spider’s Web, and a theatre to which I have not been to date, Centerstage Theatre in Federal Way, WA. Both were a pleasant surprise. The whodunit runs on stage at the Knutzen Family Theatre through February 18, is directed by Vince Brady, and features a group that the “Queen of Crime” herself would have been proud of.
I’ve long used Jeffrey Bassett’s directorial work with Agatha Christie plays as my litmus test for how good one of her works is presented. His passion for and knowledge of her work is second to none, and his adaptations are always winners in Kitsap County. So, using that lens, my conclusion is that the work Vince Brady has done with his version of Spider’s Web is among the best Christie plays that I’ve seen. It ticks all of the marks. It moves extremely well, not even close to feeling like that two and a half hours that it actually is, the show captures all of the humor that Christie has written into this one, due in large part to a cast that definitely “gets it”, and throughout the play, the suspense is kept up, the audience wavering to and fro between who the culprit is and who it isn’t. Add to this a creative team that is solid in their scenic, lighting, sound, and costume designs and Spider’s Web is a real treat.
Spider’s Web is set in the drawing room of the Hailsham-Brown residence, an estate adjacent to a golf course and clubhouse, which right away provides context for the upper class English folk around which the story is centered. Clarissa Hailsham-Brown (Kaira Hensler) is the primary protagonist here. Married to husband Henry (Varun Kainth), she likes to play games, games that usually involve her wondering what it would be like if she was faced with certain scenarios, one of them being if she found a body in the drawing room. No subtle foreshadowing here. Henry, part of the English Foreign Service office is off to meet a delegate at the airport, leaving Clarissa at home with step-daughter Pippa (Lillian Morris), Clarissa’s guardian Lady Delahaye (Sonia Alexis), friend Jeremy Warrender (Tim Takechi), grump gardener Miss Peake (Sally Brady), old family friend Hugo Birch (Dale Bowers), and Butler Pinkston Elgin (William Scott). When Elgin and his wife head out to the movies, Lady Delahaye, Jeremy, and Hugo go to the clubhouse for dinner, and Miss Peake turns in for the evening, one of Clarissa’s hypotheticals comes to pass, with the help of a stranger, David Breyman’s Oliver Costello. But just because Clarissa and Pippa are the only ones in the house when it happens, that doesn’t mean that they’re the only ones under suspicion. In true Agatha Christie fashion, everyone is under the microscope and the audience is never sure until the very end “whodunit”.
The first thing I was struck with when entering the Centerstage theatre, was was the breadth of the stage. It’s a decently sized space, and Niclas Olson has used all of it to represent the drawing room at the estate. Complete with hidden doorways and passages, props galore between the various candlesticks and books, plus some very well employed set pieces, it’s a nicely done piece of work. My favorite aspect of the set, though, is not what is on full display, but what lies behind the doors. Speaking to the detail applied here, it’s clear what is behind each door, it’s not just black space as some theaters would have, but rather it’s a continuation of the manor house beyond just what the audience sees on stage. I also like how light and sound impact the telling of the story. It’s a mystery after all, and what is a mystery without a little rain, thunder, and lightening? Chelsea “Mo” Moniz’ sound design brings the rain, and the thunder, while John Chenault’s lighting does the rest, exquisitely timed and coordinated with sound to hit at the right time to accentuate the suspense. And given the size of the stage, I’m also impressed with how well the space is used by director Vince Brady. Not an inch is wasted, and there’s never a doubt where the characters are heading when they pass through any of the doors on stage. The locations are implied, but are real nonetheless.
Spider’s Web is a classic Agatha Christie mystery, though this one skews on the more humorous side of things. It is cast very well, each actor bringing not just the right amount of humor to each of their characters, but the right kind as well. For instance, Kaira Hensler’s Clarissa is flirty, a bit mischievous, and loves to spin a good yarn. This is especially on display when Inspector Lord (Jacob Tice) and Constable Jones (Giao Nguyen) arrive to question her and the other members of the household in wake of the “incident”. She delivers in her dialogue, but also the physical aspects of the role to deliver a funny, yet human performance. All and all, Kaira’s performance as the de facto lead in this play is excellent. Other standouts are William Scott’s Elgin the butler. His delivery is wonderful, and William knows how to make an entrance. Dale Bowers is very good as the confused old Hugo Birch, Sally Brady very enjoyable as the grumpy and gruff Miss Peake, and Sonia Alexis’ Lady Delahaye can bring on a laugh just by a look or a mannerism. Their interactions together are seamless and natural, something imperative to keeping the mood and pace of Spider’s Web.
Additional callouts on the cast go to Varun Kainth, Jacob Tice, and Giao Nguyen. I am impressed by the growth I’ve seen in Varun as an actor of the past year in taking on a series of varied roles. This turn as Henry Hailsham-Brown is very good as well, among his best though he’s not onstage as much as many of the other characters here. He’s got the nervousness and fidgety nature of this character down pat. Jacob Tice is really the straight in all of this as Inspector Lord. Jacob carries himself as you would expect a Christie officer would, though from a capabilities perspective, I wouldn’t necessarily put him up there with Poirot, and that’s kind of the point here, Jacob’s portrayal exactly what it should be. Finally, Giao Nguyen. Largely in support of Inspector Lord, his Constable Jones’ humor is more subtle, more with a look, or a sound. The entire cast is good, and I shouldn’t exclude David Breyman and Lillian Morris either, their Oliver Costello and Pippa Hailsham-Brown portrayals hit their marks as well.
Kudos to everyone, cast and crew, for putting together an excellent and compelling version of an Agatha Christie classic. There are any number of distractions during an opening weekend, but in the Sunday matinee I attended, the show ran extremely smoothly, timing was on point, and nary an actor lost an accent throughout, just an extremely entertaining day at the theatre.
Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web is right behind Mousetrap as her second most popular play, and it’s clear to see why. It’s funny, engaging, and has all of the earmarks of a classic from The Queen of Crime. Add to this top to bottom excellence in direction, design, and performance, and the result is a whodunit that is extremely entertaining, well paced, and just fun. Centerstage Theatre in Federal Way is, perhaps, a little out of the way (pun intended), but don’t let that stop you. As one of the best Christie adaptations I’ve seen, it’s something that should be on everyone’s calendar.
Spider’s Web, the latest production from Centerstage Theatre, runs onstage at the Knutzen Family Theatre through February 18. For more information, including how to purchase tickets, visit https://centerstagetheatre.com.
Photo credit: Michelle Smith-Lewis
