‘Witness’ Can’t Make a Case for Melodrama

CYPRESS — Agatha Christie’s “Witness for the Prosecution” is a long, difficult play to pull off. A director can opt for dramatic fireworks throughout, which cheats the playwright, or for dead-on authenticity, letting Christie take her time untangling this puzzle.

Director Craig Harreld, in his staging at the Cypress Civic Theatre, chooses the authentic road, and the result is a slow-moving but gripping version of the Christie classic.

Let’s rephrase that. For the most part, up to the crucial final scenes, he chooses the authentic road. Then, for some unplumbed reason, he allows some of his cast to go haywire. The nameless woman who brings in the deciding piece of evidence in the case is right out of British music hall, with eccentric poses and blacked-out teeth. At the last moment, the two central figures in the murder case become so outlandishly melodramatic that all sense of reality is lost.

It’s a shame, because up to that point these two characters are honest and real. Leonard Vole (Marc Shaffer) has been accused of the murder of a wealthy, elderly woman who had befriended him and, it turns out, left everything to him in her will.

Leonard’s wife, Romaine (Katrina Polansky), at first backs up Leonard’s alibi, but on the witness stand reverses her testimony to effectively incriminate her husband. Until that last silly scene, both Shaffer and Polansky are excellent, true to character and Christie’s intent, and their subtle transformations work beautifully.

But the core of this production, as it should be, is the relationship between Leonard’s barristers, Mr. Mayhew (Brian Dempster) and Sir Wilfred Robarts (Clay Eichelberger), and their opposite number, Mr. Myers (Bill Forant), the prosecutor. All three have the right slightly stuffy air, laced with some subtle humor and an underlying warmth that make their performances stand out.

In the very large supporting cast, Sandra Terry is a standout, along with Dick Callanan as the judge, whose sense of humor is exactly right in those moments when the judge has to play his little chess game with the lawyers. Dave Shipp has the proper stiff-upper-lip formality as Inspector Hearne.

Harreld made a wise choice in keeping the British accents vague in most cases. It provides the feel the dialogue needs, without allowing excess (except in the case of the mysterious woman) to undermine the authenticity. The rhythms of the script are strictly adhered to, which also helps, particularly in the quiet but explicitly taut scenes between the solicitors in Robarts’ office.

* “Witness for the Prosecution,” Cypress Civic Theatre, 5172 Orange Ave. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Ends Feb. 8. $10. (714) 229-6796. Running time: 3 hours, 15 minutes.

Dick Callanan: Justice Wainwright

Brian Dempster: Mr. Mayhew

Clay Eichelberger: Sir Wilfred Robarts

Bill Forant: Mr. Myers

Katrina Polansky: Romaine

Marc Shaffer: Leonard Vole

Dave Shipp: Inspector Hearne

Sandra Terry: Janet MacKenzie

A Cypress Civic Theatre production of Agatha Christie’s courtroom drama. Produced by Betty Hill. Directed by Craig Harreld. Scenic design: Marty and Mary Eckmann. Sound/lighting design: Dave Frye. Hair/makeup design: Celese Snyder. Stage manager: Debbie Sturt.