Review: THE STRANGER at The Barnstormers Theatre

Mystery and intrigue are currently playing at The Barnstormers Theatre in Tamworth.

While many theater troupes opt for the more popular Agatha Christie titles like “Murder on the Orient Express,” and “The Mousetrap,” it is her lesser-known work, “The Stranger” currently gracing The Barnstormers stage. It is a rare look at one of the earlier works done by Christie.

Based on her 1924 short story, “Philomel Cottage,” Christie adapted “The Stranger” for the stage before she adapted a longer stage version, “Love From a Stranger,” with Frank Vosper, which opened in London in 1936 and was made into a film a year later starring Basil Rathbone.

“The Stranger” is a nicely packaged psychological thriller focusing on a young woman Enid Bradshaw (Aimee Doherty) who is awaiting the arrival of her fiancé, Dick Lane (John Long), who’s been away on business in Malay for seven years. They’ve agreed to be married the instant he returns to London. But Enid is getting cold feet about the upcoming marriage. She feels that her life is in a rut, unadventurous and safe. She fears that life with Dick will be dull and ever too predictable.

Enid has the extra benefit of a small inheritance that will provide her and her future husband a nice income. She admits to her flat mate, Doris, (Darien Crago) that she’s not quite sure that she is in love with Dick and she, perhaps, wants something more exciting in her life.

Her wish is granted when a dashing young man, Gerald Strange (Robert St. Laurence) arrives at the flat as a potential tenant. Strange is instantly attracted to Enid and there’s an instant chemistry between the two. In a matter of minutes, he suggests that she run away with him to a cottage in the countryside to build a life together far removed from London.

When Dick returns to Enid, she calls off the marriage to the social awkward fellow. (How awkward? After returning after a seven-year absence, he dutifully extends a handshake to his intended bride to be.) He is distraught while Enid looks forward to her next adventure.

Act 2 occurs three months later when Enid has married Gerald and it appears that life could not be better. But in true Christie style, there are nuggets of clues indicating that all might not seem to be as rosy as it seems. The audience is invited to beef up their sleuthing skills in a story that plays out with unexpected twists and turns.

Doherty is delightfully engaging as a smart woman who balances the real world with her vision of life in a world of adventure. As the mystery unfolds, it is no coincidence that Enid’s favorite book is “1001 Arabian Nights;” where the heroine, Scheherazade, saves her life through quick witted story telling. Doherty does the same as she realizes that Gerald is not the sweet man she thought she married.

Without revealing too much of his character, let me just say that St. Laurence portrays a master of deception going from a charming wooer to a very troubled soul. His performance has wonderful Jekyll and Hyde moments.

Long portrays a likeable jilted fiancé who maintains his love for Enid even after she runs off with Gerald. Will the mild-mannered fellow be reunited with Enid once again? No spoilers here.

Crago is a refreshing wisp of a flat mate to Enid providing her with sisterly advice in a part that moves the action of the first act. Audiences may remember Crago as one of the tap-dancing nuns in the show, “Nunsense” earlier in the season.

One of the Barnstormer’s favorite performers, Cheryl Mullings, did double duty on opening night as Mrs. Huggins and Mrs. Birch, the former as the housekeeper in the London flat and the latter as the housekeeper in the country cottage. Mullings creates two distinct characters, each giving Enid motherly advice of the trials and tribulations of dealing with men. Mullings provides some nice comic relief as well as a few traces of clues in the mystery that plays out.

Director, Dan Winerman, has a good handle on the pacing required to pull off a successful Agatha Christie production. Gaya Chatterjee’s scenic design is extraordinary in the difference from a soon to be vacated London flat in Act 1 to a countryside cottage in Act 2. The transformation is breath taking as the massive scene change took place during intermission without a hint of sets moving behind the curtain. A round of applause greeted the countryside cottage set.

There’s a nice turn of events in the final moments of “The Stranger” leaving the audience with one of those “Aha!” moments. While the resolution to the thriller isn’t as intricate or detailed as other Christie scripts, “The Stranger” provides a nice venture into the sleuthing world at this historic summer theater.