"And Then There Were None" - A Review

When it comes to community theatre shows, you usually know what to expect. There will be singing and dancing, bands playing, a happy ending - the usual routine.

But thankfully there are alternatives, and it's great to see one playing out on stage in Huntington. The 5th Avenue Theatre Company has tackled one of literature's most popular genres - a mystery! It's being presented this weekend at the beautiful and spacious Huntington City Hall Auditorium. The play is a clever, perfectly devised murder mystery that will keep you guessing right up to the end, and it features some of the best actors in the Tri-State area.

The play is Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, which is based on her famous mystery, Ten Little Indians. The story is set on a vacation home on an island, where eight guests, a butler and a cook are gathered.

They think they're about to enjoy a relaxing weekend, but each one carries a dark secret - and one guest has murder in his or her heart. One by one, the guests suffer a terrible fate. Can the survivors - or the audience - discover the identity of the murderer before it's too late?

I love a mystery, and this is an excellent one! In short order you're introduced to the characters, and you'll find yourself trying desperately to figure out which one is the murderer. There's a good reason why Dame Agatha Christie is considered one of the greatest mystery writers of all - she gives you all the information you need to solve the mystery, and then defies you to figure it out.

At different points in the play I suspected almost every character (and by the end I was looking suspiciously at the guy sitting in the next row). If you manage to sort it out, you're better at that sort of thing than I am. But I had a blast trying!

Another factor that makes the show a lot of fun is the terrific cast, which I will talk about in alphabetical order in my continuing attempt at not giving anything away (which is what makes reviewing a mystery so tricky).

Michael Beck plays the part of the Butler (Rogers), and he's perfect as the haughty servant who barely tolerates the rude guests at the home.

Griffin McElroy plays the part of Anthony, and does a wonderful job of being a annoying, beastly little prat of a fellow (and I mean that in the best way possible).

Justin McElroy is the 11th actor in this show, putting in a cameo appearance as Fred, the pilot of the ferryboat, and getting a nice turn late in the show.

Travis McElroy plays the part of Phillip, a soldier of fortune and ladies' man who's ready for almost anything. Almost! (He also did an excellent job designing the set for the show, by the way.)

Jane Modlin gets to play the part of Emily, the prissy little old lady, and she has a lot of fun with the role.

Paul Neace plays the part of Sir Lawrence, a judge who finds himself playing detective and analyzing the killer's first moves. He also gets to wear the show's most unique costume at one point.

Mark Near plays the part of General McKenzie, a tragic figure who harbors a dark secret. Mark earns bonus points for having the most impressive facial hair in the cast - his sideburns and mustache will make you think of that guy on the cough drops. Awesome!

Linda Reynolds plays the cook, Ethel, sometimes grouchy and sometimes sensitive - as an actor she's always fun to watch.

Dwight Slappe plays William, a man hiding behind a false identity - but why? He deserves credit for sporting the best accent in the show (or at least the one I enjoyed the most) - though I have to say the entire cast did an excellent job in that regard. In putting on British accents, many casts just don't try at all, or do it badly - every actor in this cast was strong, and the accents weren't exaggerated - they were soft and spot on.

Cindy Stowers plays the secretary Vera, and does a great job carrying a lot of the dramatic weight of the show - she has to be the host, the love interest, the endangered female - she was kept hopping throughout!

Stephen Vance plays the part of Dr. Armstrong, a man with lots of secrets. Stephen is a fine comedic actor, and it's great to see him in a serious role - he does a great job.

Hats off to my pal Clint McElroy, who directed the show. A mighty undertaking, and as always, he does a fantastic job!

This is the kind of community theatre we need more of - serious, thoughtful and darned entertaining performances with terrific actors. What more could you ask?

This is the last weekend for the show, so I urge you to get out there and enjoy it before the mystery is solved for the last time.