The Hollow
Kept guessing to the very end
New Era Players: The Hollow, at The New Era Theatre, Wash Common, from Thursday, Sep 22, to Saturday, Sep 24, and Tuesday, Sep 27, to Saturday, Sep 1
Kept guessing to the very end
Classic Agatha Christie: New Era Players entertaining whodunnit
The Hollow
On the night the Queen had died, the show had to go on, but only after a minute’s silence.
Putting on an Agatha Christie is a bold move – her plays are well known and well-loved – but this production held true to the sense of time and place – kudos to the set and costume teams.
Published in 1946, the original story was a case for Hercule Poirot, but this production featured the methodical Detective Inspector Colquhoun, played assuredly by Don Crerar.
It was all very Christie-like.
At a country weekend, hosted by Sir Henry and Lady Lucy Angkatell – Mike Huxtable and Karen Ashby relishing their roles – the extremely unlikeable Dr John Cristow (Neil Padgen) is fatally shot. His downtrodden wife, the innocent Gerda (Suzanne Pearson) seems oblivious to his faults.
The group is completed by some distant cousins – Henrietta, played by an elegant Emily Browne who had the costumes to match, the young and slightly forlorn Midge, whose annoyance at being overlooked by cousin Edward was conveyed by Isabella Goldsmith and Andrew J Smith playing the part of Edward as a ‘typical male not spotting what’s right under his
nose’ type.
The deluded Hollywood film star (played convincingly by New Era stalwart Pippa Higgins) added a touch of glamour to proceedings. Steve Schollar was a world-weary but faithful butler Gudgeon, with maid Doris (Jess Soulby) providing a bit of comedy. As did UI Colquhoun’s sidekick Detective Sergeant Penny whose lack of experience next to his boss was finely conveyed by Nell Padgen (unrecognisable from his earlier role).
On opening night you might expect a few missed cues or silences while the actors collect their thoughts and move the action on. But this did not bother an enthusiastic audience who laughed at Lady Angkatell’s eccentricity and, in the case of the two spectators sitting next to me who were comparing notes in the interval, were kept guessing as to whodunnit
to the end.
The New Era Players are a slick troupe of amateur actors and like a well-oiled machine they know how to keep their audience entertained.
GERALDINE GARDNER
© 2022 Newbury Weekly News
Cast
(in order of appearance)
Henrietta Angkatell – Emily Browne
Sir Henry Angkatell – Mike Huxtable
Lady Lucy Angkatell – Karen Ashby
Midge Harvey – Isabella Goldsmith
Gudgeon – Steve Schollar
Edward Angkatell – Andrew Smith
Doris – Jacqui Trumper/Jess Soulby
John Cristow – Neil Padgen
Gerda Cristow – Suzanne Pearson
Veronica Craye – Pippa Higgins/Emma Bastable
Detective Inspector Colquhoun – Don Crerar
Detective Sergeant Penny – Neil Padgen
Crew
Director – Vikki Goldsmith
Assistant Director – Emma Bastable
Stage Manager – Gareth Capner
Assistant Stage Manager – Jess Soulby
Lighting/Sound – John Cordery, Crispin Bishop
Prompt – Jacqui Trumper
Publicity – Sally Hall
Set – Alessio Falino, Debbie Langford, Ellie Langford, Isabella Goldsmith, Nigel Winter, Vikki Goldsmith
Costumes – Debbie Macgregor, Sue Huxtable, Suzanne Pearson
Front of House – Gareth Croft
Box Office – Stephen Bennett
Programme – Editor Webb
A cast of colourful characters are drawn together when Lady Angkatell invites cousins and friends for an entertaining weekend at the family country estate, The Hollow. With lovers past and present reunited, alongside rumblings of domestic discordance, the scene is set for a classic Christie murder mystery. Audiences can sit back and enjoy the investigations of the two determined detectives as they endeavour to work out just “who dunnit”.
Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
Performances dates are 8–10 and 13–17 September 2022.
Contact the Box Office at boxoffice@neweraplayers.org for tickets; £12 each.
Venue: New Era Theatre, St George’s Centre, Andover Road, Wash Common, Newbury RG14 6NU
Kept guessing to the very end
New Era Players: The Hollow, at The New Era Theatre, Wash Common, from Thursday, Sep 22, to Saturday, Sep 24, and Tuesday, Sep 27, to Saturday, Sep 1
Kept guessing to the very end
Classic Agatha Christie: New Era Players entertaining whodunnit
The Hollow
On the night the Queen had died, the show had to go on, but only after a minute’s silence.
Putting on an Agatha Christie is a bold move – her plays are well known and well-loved – but this production held true to the sense of time and place – kudos to the set and costume teams.
Published in 1946, the original story was a case for Hercule Poirot, but this production featured the methodical Detective Inspector Colquhoun, played assuredly by Don Crerar.
It was all very Christie-like.
At a country weekend, hosted by Sir Henry and Lady Lucy Angkatell – Mike Huxtable and Karen Ashby relishing their roles – the extremely unlikeable Dr John Cristow (Neil Padgen) is fatally shot. His downtrodden wife, the innocent Gerda (Suzanne Pearson) seems oblivious to his faults.
The group is completed by some distant cousins – Henrietta, played by an elegant Emily Browne who had the costumes to match, the young and slightly forlorn Midge, whose annoyance at being overlooked by cousin Edward was conveyed by Isabella Goldsmith and Andrew J Smith playing the part of Edward as a ‘typical male not spotting what’s right under his
nose’ type.
The deluded Hollywood film star (played convincingly by New Era stalwart Pippa Higgins) added a touch of glamour to proceedings. Steve Schollar was a world-weary but faithful butler Gudgeon, with maid Doris (Jess Soulby) providing a bit of comedy. As did UI Colquhoun’s sidekick Detective Sergeant Penny whose lack of experience next to his boss was finely conveyed by Nell Padgen (unrecognisable from his earlier role).
On opening night you might expect a few missed cues or silences while the actors collect their thoughts and move the action on. But this did not bother an enthusiastic audience who laughed at Lady Angkatell’s eccentricity and, in the case of the two spectators sitting next to me who were comparing notes in the interval, were kept guessing as to whodunnit
to the end.
The New Era Players are a slick troupe of amateur actors and like a well-oiled machine they know how to keep their audience entertained.
GERALDINE GARDNER
© 2022 Newbury Weekly News
Cast
(in order of appearance)
Henrietta Angkatell – Emily Browne
Sir Henry Angkatell – Mike Huxtable
Lady Lucy Angkatell – Karen Ashby
Midge Harvey – Isabella Goldsmith
Gudgeon – Steve Schollar
Edward Angkatell – Andrew Smith
Doris – Jacqui Trumper/Jess Soulby
John Cristow – Neil Padgen
Gerda Cristow – Suzanne Pearson
Veronica Craye – Pippa Higgins/Emma Bastable
Detective Inspector Colquhoun – Don Crerar
Detective Sergeant Penny – Neil Padgen
Crew
Director – Vikki Goldsmith
Assistant Director – Emma Bastable
Stage Manager – Gareth Capner
Assistant Stage Manager – Jess Soulby
Lighting/Sound – John Cordery, Crispin Bishop
Prompt – Jacqui Trumper
Publicity – Sally Hall
Set – Alessio Falino, Debbie Langford, Ellie Langford, Isabella Goldsmith, Nigel Winter, Vikki Goldsmith
Costumes – Debbie Macgregor, Sue Huxtable, Suzanne Pearson
Front of House – Gareth Croft
Box Office – Stephen Bennett
Programme – Editor Webb
A cast of colourful characters are drawn together when Lady Angkatell invites cousins and friends for an entertaining weekend at the family country estate, The Hollow. With lovers past and present reunited, alongside rumblings of domestic discordance, the scene is set for a classic Christie murder mystery. Audiences can sit back and enjoy the investigations of the two determined detectives as they endeavour to work out just “who dunnit”.
Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
Performances dates are 8–10 and 13–17 September 2022.
Contact the Box Office at boxoffice@neweraplayers.org for tickets; £12 each.
Venue: New Era Theatre, St George’s Centre, Andover Road, Wash Common, Newbury RG14 6NU
