Agatha Christie court drama makes compelling argument at ACT

By Heather Crabtree

The Entertainer

After three months of deliberations, Albany Civic Theater's production of "Witness for the Prosecution" will open at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, at ACT, 111 First Ave., downtown Albany.

Additional performances will be at 8 p.m. Feb. 17, 23 and 24 and March 1, 2 and 3; and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25.

Between auditions and the grand curtain opening Friday night, countless hours went into the backstage details that help bring the show to life and shape the on-stage drama.

One of the most difficult aspects of staging the whodunit was creating the set.

The play has two primary locations - the office of Sir Wilfred Robarts and the Old Bailey Courthouse.

In a typical production, one set is built and then changed to create a different location.

However, thanks to a monetary donation from Dr. Patrick Hagerty of Albany, Director Jackie Tasker was able to use the revolving platform ACT acquired from Corvallis Community Theatre.

The revolving platform allowed for two sets to be built on it and then rotated around. In the case of "Witness," both the law office and the courtroom have been built on the platform.

The law office is decorated in greens and earth tones. The chairs and furniture are the rich, brownish, red cherry wood. Upon the walls, a law library was created by enlarging photos taken at the Weatherford-Thompson law library downtown. Together the colors and little items - such as a tobacco box and matches on the fireplace mantel - make Robarts' office feel warm, comfortable and inviting.

The coolest part of this side of the set, designed by Ross Jackson, is that through the office window it appears as if you are looking at an adjacent building.

"I either make things that are very realistic or that are going to be very suggestive," said Jackson. "When I do things that are suggestive, then I'll have broken walls and I'll have parts missing that the imagination fills in. But because of the nature of the set - where especially in the courtroom we were going for something that really looked like Old Bailey - to carry that through into the office, I decided that I really wanted to use the back side of the courtroom to complete what is happening in the office through the window."

Bill Nelson, who is handling lighting for the production, even added a yellow light to complete the illusion of the sun shining through the window; during the first act, the light gently fades like the passing of the sun.

In stark contrast to the comfortable feeling of Robarts' office is the Old Bailey Courthouse. Dark woods are offset by light wood accents, cream paint and marbleized floor. In comparison to the other side, the courtroom is sterile, rigid and uninviting. This only heightens the dramatic feeling.

For those unfamiliar with the Christie classic, "Witness" tells the story of criminal barrister Robarts, who takes the case of a man on trial for murder, Leonard Vole. While Robarts expects that the defendant's wife, Romaine Vole, will stand up for him in court, she unexpectedly agrees to appear for the prosecution recounting a tale with many twists and turns.

Even during auditions in early December, the casting hopefuls of "Witness" did an outstanding job in characterization. They used their best English accents and morphed into the character they were reading.

It was but a glimpse of what was to come.

Because dramas often feel heavy, Caren Parmenter's performance as Greta in the opening is refreshing. She does a wonderful job playing Robarts' ditsy secretary, who is constantly messing up legal briefs and leaving out words in those briefs - such as 'not' before the word guilty. The entire exchange at the beginning between Carter (Chuck Skinner) and Greta is light. It makes for a good start in a play that builds in suspenseful intensity.

Russ Roberts as Robarts also does a fantastic job. Mannerisms that seemed out of place during previous rehearsals seem perfectly fitting now that he is in costume and makeup, so he looks like an aged man. He carries himself with the educated air that would be expected from an English barrister, complete with toying with his glasses when he goes to read his notes.

In the role of German-born Romaine Vole, Stacy Bostrum's character appears as natural as breathing. She has taken on a complex role that is riddled with surprises and clearly gives the character everything she possesses to pull off Romaine's multi-faceted personality.

Additional cast members for "Witness for the Prosecution" are: Chuck Skinner also as Thomas Clegg; Gary Prince as Leonard; John Carone as Mayhew; Gary Burris as Detective Inspector Hearne; Calvin Ward as Mr. Myers; Ted Gray as the Judge; Leslie Hogan as Janet MacKenzie; Douglas Hambley as the Judge's clerk; Jim Schweitzer as Dr. Wyatt; Chad Robinson as the Foreman; Kay Roth as the Woman Juror; Dennis Glidden as the Warder; Doug Jacobs as the Usher; and Bonnie McFee-Hall as The Girl.

Heather Crabtree can be reached at 812-6090 or at heather.crabtree@lee.net.

Check it Out

WHAT: "Witness for the Prosecution," a mystery by Agatha Christie.

WHERE: Albany Civic Theater, 111 First Ave., downtown.

WHEN: 8 p.m. Feb. 16, 17, 23, 24, and March 1, 2 and 3; and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25.

Tickets are on sale now at Sid Stevens Jewelers in Albany and at Rice's Pharmacy in Corvallis. Remaining tickets will also be available at the ACT box office 45 minutes before each show.