Glenbrook Players: Verdict - Review by Jack Maidment

The timing of this review could not be any more perfect. In my current day job as a high school English teacher, I am exploring the crime fiction genre with my Year 10 students, using the brilliant writing of Agatha Christie as a benchmark of conventions in the genre. When the topic of whether or not Christie wrote outside of the crime genre, I was embarrassed to not really know the answer. My class and I did some digging, and we discovered ‘Verdict’, a play written by Christie that focused not on the sleuthing skills of a private detective or the mystery of some locked-room murder. But instead, meditated on duty, loyalty and the ways in which they can destroy a person and the lives of all around them. And then, very soon after discovering that the play existed, I was asked to watch and review a performance of it by the Glenbrook Players.

There is no mystery to be found within this review, I can tell you straight away that this production is well worth watching. But like any good Agatha Christie story, you are more than welcome to stick around and find all of the facts before coming to your own Verdict (sorry, i had to!) of whether or not this show is for you.

The first thing that will greet you upon entering the theatre is the gorgeous set, hand painted and decorated by the incredibly skilled design and construction team of Caleb Marshall and Stewart MacPherson. The set is intentionally cluttered without ever feeling too busy, providing an insight to the chaotic lives of the main characters before they even set foot on the stage. Key to making the magic of the script work on stage is the first time director Ron Wadick, who has made a strong impression in their debut production. It is clear that Wadick has done the work with each of the actors in this production, focusing on the balance of melodrama and comedy that drives the narrative of ‘Verdict’. It is clear that Wadick has a strong understanding of theatrical tension, and knows how to draw ‘edge of your seat’ nerves from even the most simple of scenes. This show is a testament to their directorial ability and I cannot wait to see what else they produce.

It goes without saying that one of the biggest challenges many actors face is having to balance accents other than their own when portraying characters. Especially the accents of characters whose first language is not English. Will Reilly, Lauren Bacon-Fleming and Melanie McLeod are all tasked with maintaining believable German-English accents for the duration of their time on stage, and before getting into the nitty-gritty of their individual performances, it is important to note that all three demonstrate the vocal stamina required to keep these accents consistent, believable and dynamic as the emotions of scenes fluctuate throughout the show. 

Reilly portrays the enigmatic, yet charismatic lead of the play, Professor Hendrick. The professor is an intelligent scholar and dutiful husband who serves as his own worst enemy for the duration of the play. He perfectly balances the professor’s kind sensitivity and underlying internal conflict in an incredibly compelling fashion. Reilly walks with the audience through the Professor’s deeply personal journey across his interactions with the other characters and communicates the moral ambiguity of the professor throughout.

Complimenting the rage and passion of Reilly’s Professor Hendrick is the wry detachment of his wife, Anya, skillfully portrayed by Melanie McLeod. Struck with a debilitating illness and forced to live in the grey mundanity of London, Anya struggles with the desire to live the life she is so sorely missing, while also wishing for a release from her suffering through death. Despite being confined to a wheelchair throughout her time on stage, McLeod explores the depths of Anya’s tragic circumstances with a charming humour, bringing light to the misery her character lives in while also demonstrating an impressive command of the space that keeps the audience’s eyes glued to her at all times.

Rounding out the trio of leads in this play is Lauren Bacon-Fleming in the role of Lisa Koletzky, Anay’s cousin who has travelled to London alongside the Hendricks and chooses a life of duty to her ailing sister instead of working or travelling on her own terms. Bacon-Fleming captures the intelligence and determination of this tragic character, every wistful glance and roll of the eyes is perfectly intentional and demonstrates her clear understanding of the subtext of this piece and is crucial to the effective telling of this story. 

Aiding our three protagonists in navigating Anya’s illness is the well-intentioned and slightly daft Dr. Stoner played by John Forbes. Key to lifting the spirits of both the audience and the characters on stage, Forbes is a bright presence whose insightful observations and moments of gentle support go a long way in capturing the humanity at the heart of this piece. Forbes injects a playful energy into the role of Doctor Stoner that makes him a joy to watch on stage.

Further complicating the lives of our main characters is the headstrong, beautiful and cunning university student Helen Rollander, played by the skilled Hannah Fileman. Seeking private tuition for reasons at first unknown to the audience, Rollander throws a spanner into the everyday lives of the Hendricks, and Fileman takes the role of this near-villain in her stride. She confidently represents not just the cold ambition of Rollander, but does an excellent job of demonstrating the anxieties of a young woman in a world that is not designed to promote her success. 

Complimenting this performance is the skillful playing of Geoff Hacker who portrays Rollander’s doting but equally ambitious father Sir William Rollander. Hacker is clearly very comfortable on stage and I was struck by how compelling his portrayal of Sir William was for the duration of his time on stage. He melted into the role completely and for me, was the standout of the production.

However, one cannot talk about stand outs without mentioning Claryse Prested who portrayed Mrs. Roper, the daft but malicious housekeeper of the Hendrick family. Prested was show stealing from the very beginning of the play, her portrayal of the nosy, mischievous house maid never overstayed its welcome, she nailed the comedic timing in every scene and had even garnered gasps of astonishment during parts of the play (when you see it you’ll know what I mean.)

Rounding out the delightful cast of this production is Reece Nelson as the labrador-like private student of Professor Hendrick, Lester Cole. Who, throughout the production convincingly conveyed the innocence and naivety of early academics, not yet jaded by the world and how it changes you. 

Megan Brielle and Evelyn Mitchell-Wanstall are only on stage for a brief period of time, but their presence was felt in a significant way. The pair portray the police officers tasked with investigating a murder, and serve as a lynchpin for the underlying injustice and tragedy of the piece. Their dialogues were engaging, well-performed and demonstrated clear comfort and skill on stage. 

While the performance I was treated to on Friday night was a treat of dramaturgy and acting skill, there were still some opening night kinks that I hope are ironed out by the second week of production. Some clunkiness when interacting with the set and some awkward pauses and stumbling around the larger chunks of dialogue, while not overly distracting by any means, were noticeable. However, in the context of navigating last-minute technical issues, the fact that these were the extent of my quibbles is a testament to the strength of the cast and team behind this production. 

If you only know Agatha Christie’s work through her super sleuths and their whodunnit mysteries, I believe it is important to familiarise yourself with ‘Verdict’. Christie has written a script that asks fascinating questions and turns the audience's own expectations of genre conventions she helped craft to tell an incredibly heartfelt and human story. Further, the team at the Glenbrook Players behind this particular production of ‘Verdict’ have once again shown that Glenbrook is the place to go if you want to see great scripts brought to life by great performers. This show is a testament to mountains of hard work and passion for the text and the craft. I highly recommend that anyone who is able grab tickets asap to this wonderful performance. 

I give Glenbrook Players production of Verdict 4 out of 5 stars.