Clague Playhouse finds new murder mystery
By Art Thomas
happenings
Published Sept. 14, 2005

There is always at least one production which I have not seen before in each Clague Playhouse season. Often the show is an interesting or quirky one which suits the Clague facility. That is the case with "Something to Hide," their first production of the season.

One of an endless number of British murder-mysteries, "Something to Hide" offers a new plot and characters and is a refreshing change from the stodgy Agatha Christie scripts that so many theaters rehash. Kudos to Clague for selecting the script not seen in this area before.

The time is 1959 in suburban Essex, England. Howard Holt is a writer of novels which are conveniently published by his more-successful wife, Karen. Howard is a true ladies' man and is having an affair on the side. When is wife accidentally runs her car into his mistress, they have to create a story for the police that will protect them both.

"Something to Hide," featuring Carrie Herbert and Mark McCarthy, runs at the Clague Playhouse through Oct. 2.

What follows is layer on layer of deception and unraveling by the persistent police detective Davies. There are some twists, but it is the talented cast under the capable direction of Doug Farren that makes the show work.

Carrie Hebert is the distraught wife who seems to be a victim both of circumstances and of her own making. Statuesque and imposing, Hebert's intensity is a strong point in this production.

Mark McCarthy has a weaker role to start with in Howard, but approaches it with such ingenuity that we in the audience have to buy into his reasoning.

Robert Hawkes is the most fun as the probing detective Davies. "Something to Hide" features the only British Detective I know of who casually accepts a drink while doing an interrogation and from his subject, yet.

In the rest of the cast are Sheldon Lawrence as an entertaining character of a mechanic, and Roberta McLaughlin as a nosey neighbor with a potential for trouble.

Krista Schwandt is a maid who is far too inquisitive and Nicole Smith has a small role as the "other" woman.

I saw "Something to Hide" at a dress rehearsal through the courtesy of director Doug Farren. He adeptly moves the actors, but should have spent time cutting a fourth of the clunky script's second act. Leslie Sands' script needs a good pruning for today's audiences.

Ron Newell's set is a creditable reproduction of a British former toll house--after all, how many have any of us seen? Kristen Buchs' lighting and Casey Jones' sound effectively enhance the show and add the right type of atmospheres.

"Something to Hide" is something new for us in the Cleveland area. It runs through Oct. 2 at Clague and is comfortably settled in their intimate performance space.