Princeton Summer Theater entertains audiences with the play based on Agatha Christie’s best selling mystery novel.
By: John Dunphy
The problem sometimes with a cast of mostly non- British performers affecting British accents is that too often those accents just aren’t terribly convincing.
As it turned out, however, Ten Little Indians (And Then There Were None), running at PST’s Hamilton Murray Theater on the Princeton University campus through July 29, made for a very entertaining evening, uneven accents and all.
Written by famed mystery novelist Agatha Christie in 1939, Ten Little Indians was later reworked for the stage in 1943. Among Ms. Christie’s most enduring and popular of works, it tells the tale of a group of 10 strangers who, through letters sent by a person none of them have ever met named U.N. Owen, find themselves on a remote island, cut off from the rest of the world. There are no lines of communication, no bridges to the mainland; the only connection to the rest of civilization being a boat that comes in every morning to replenish food stores and deliver the mail. However, when it is revealed early on that each person invited by this unknown Mr. Owen carries with them a dark secret from their past, it becomes apparent they have been brought to Indian Island to participate in some game of retribution that holds potentially fatal consequences.
While the show certainly kept my interest, it was touch and go at the onset. Accents and volume levels were inconsistent early on, resulting in dialogue that was somewhat hard to understand. This set a precedent, as I strained for the first 10 minutes to pick up lines each performer delivered and thought about why it seems Americans have a very hard time pulling them off, while those from across the pond seem to do the opposite in their sleep. Did you know Christian Bale (Batman Begins) is from the UK? Yeah, bet you didn’t.
This initial word muddling could have simply been opening-night jitters. As more performers made their way to the stage, and the plot began to unfold, confidence levels seemed to visibly rise. Some accents are consistently stronger throughout but overall, the cast, once calmed down, is solid, from the religious zealot Emily Brent (Heather May) to the somewhat twitchy judge Sir Lawrence Wargrave (William Busbee), to the adventurous vagabond Phillip Lombard (John Hardin). Of particular fancy were Rutgers University senior Izzie Steele (a plum name for Hollywood if I ever heard one. And British, too! Who would have thought?), whose take as Vera Claythorne, a secretary for hire and ex-governess, shows exceptional range, depth and character. Ms. Steele gives quiet reflection at one moment, explosive frustration in another. Princeton junior Glenn Brown, as the arrogant and over-the-top Anthony Marston, pokes effective fun at British stereotypes. Sadly, his "exit" happens just as I was beginning to enjoy the country club boor.
The same could be said for Osei Kwakye, a Princeton junior, who plays the role of old General MacKenzie, on top of serving as PST’s program designer and business manager. Mr. Kwakye steals scenes as the aged and somewhat unhinged World War I veteran, with his wide-eyed expressions and lamentations about his deceased wife. Look out for him in future productions.
With at one point nearly a dozen characters on stage, director Craig Jorczak keeps performers from running into each other and keeps unnecessary blocking to a minimum. The set and sound effects are nearly flawless, the stage made up as the sitting room to a stately manor, the sounds of church bells, thunderclaps and boat whistles used just enough to place the audience amidst the action.
The plot has various twists and turns but, if you’re paying attention, you’ll likely have a pretty good sense of where it’s all headed before the climax. A few red herrings get thrown into the mix, and the conclusion may surprise you.
Overall, once everyone seemed to settle into their roles, Ten Little Indians kept the interest of me, the audience and eventually the gentleman directly behind me who informed his wife, "I can’t understand a word they’re saying."
Ten Little Indians (And Then There Were None) continues at Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University Campus, Princeton, through July 29. Performances: Thurs.-Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2, 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. Post-performance discussions with cast, director and guest speakers held Fri. evening. Tickets cost $10-$18; (609) 258-7062; www.princetonsummertheater.org

