Thegatewaynews.com - 'Witness' an engaging show

by April Helms

Special Products Editor

Another entertaining Agatha Christie whodunit has come to the Coach House Theatre stage.

"Witness for the Prosecution," which opened Feb. 4, involves Leonard Vole (played by Jeremy Jenkins), a naive and hapless young man accused of murdering a wealthy spinster. He has asked Sir Wilfrid Robarts (played by Timothy H. Champion) and Robarts' associate Mr. Mayhew (played by David McNees) to assist him legally. The case looks shaky from the start, and when the defense's strongest evidence -- that Vole was home well before the murder could have taken place -- is unexpectedly contradicted by Vole's wife Romaine (played by Tess Burgler), Robarts and Mayhew are left wondering how they can rescue their client.

Roughly half of the play is set in the Central Criminal Court (with the other half being in Robarts' chambers). Much of the story comes through during court testimony, which could have come across as dry if it weren't for the talent of the cast and the personalities of their characters. The ending was, in typical Christie fashion, a surprise; more than one audience member gasped in shock at the Feb. 5 performance.

The cast for this show is sizable, consisting mostly of witnesses at the trial. Other cast members include Michael Cranston as Carter, Robarts' assistant; Elyse Ramirez as Greta, Robarts' ditzy secretary; Geoffery Darling as Inspector Hearne; Jerry Mirman as the clerk of the court; Jim Fippin as Mr. Myers, the prosecutor and adversary of Robarts; Alfred Anderson as Justice Wainwright; Mark Stoffer as medical expert Dr. Wyatt; Maureen E. Guerin Johnson as Janet Mackenzie, the maid of the murdered woman; Greg Bealer as Mr. Clegg; and Mary Beth DeBerry as the Other Woman.

Ticket and show information

"Witness for the Prosecution" will be presented through Feb. 28. Curtain times are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Full service dinner is available to all theater patrons prior to Friday and Saturday evening performances at the Akron Woman's City Club next door.

Tickets are $16. The box office opens one hour before the show.

Coach House Theatre is at 732 W. Exchange St., in Akron, next to the Akron Woman's City Club. Reservations are recommended by calling the box office at 330-434-7741.

Next on stage

Coach House will next produce "Doubt, a Parable," by John Patrick Shanley, which will run March 25 through April 11.

E-mail: ahelms@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3153