Reviewed by Odette McCarthy
The little old amateur Genesian Theatre on Kent Street opened Towards Zero by Agatha Christie with a warm welcome of champagne and nibbles.
The cast for this particular plot covers young adult through to the more elderly. All performances were commendable. The accents spoken appeared faultless. The costume design was quite striking and really insinuated the context, wealthy upper-class 1930’s-1940’s. Lady Tressilian stood out wearing a cream lace and emerald green floor length dress, iced with pearls.
The play effectively used just the one setting onstage. The play was performed in one room setting, no setting changes, but this was hardly noticeable because of the use of the entire stage and the action going on through discourse. At one point, someone even climbed through a seemingly impractically set window!
In true Agatha Christie style, the murder was not executed on stage, but was brought to life through speech and reactions.
During intermission, the small entrance to the Genesian Theatre was abuzz with the audience excitedly speculating upon the logistics of the crime. Whose theory would be congruous with Christie’s?
If you are enthralled by Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries, Towards Zero may be your perfect night out packed with live mystery! A vacation by the sea, a vinegar love triangle and an intense animosity all lead to an apparently very questionable murder.