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Bandon Legal
Updated: Saturday, June 20, 2009
Agatha Christie courtroom drama opens at Sprague Theater
BANDON — Working in theater is a lot harder and more stressful than people realize, Jeff Norris says.
At its worst, it can be hazardous to one’s health.
While the Bandon Playhouse production of Agatha Christie courtroom drama “Witness for the Prosecution” was in rehearsal, two cast members suffered heart attacks.
Of course, the play isn’t to blame — but the stress is real, director Norris says.
In fact, less than a year ago, Norris decided to retire from theater because of it. But trouble at the playhouse brought him back.
The group normally puts on four shows a year at the Sprague Community Theater and already missed having one in March. When another show planned for June fell apart, Norris decided he needed to step up.
“It would have lost $5,000 in revenue for the theater,” he said.
For Norris, the manager of the Sprague as well as former president of Bandon Playhouse, that might have been enough to give him a heart attack. So he signed on to direct “Witness” for this month and also “The Sound of Music” next spring.
“I did say I wasn’t going to do it anymore, and now I’m right back in it,” Norris said.
Watching the movie version of the play on TV inspired him to choose it, and he liked that it hadn’t been done in the area to his memory, unlike Christie’s other popular plays.
But in a play whose main characters are lawyers with several decades of experience, the senior cast’s health can be a concern.
Other worries, such as how to help actors learn their lines and get the play moving faster, kept Norris from sleeping when rehearsals weren’t going well.
But those problems are over now, he says. With his reputation on the line, Norris knew he’d put in as many hours as necessary to put on a good show.
“After this show I’m gonna go fishing for a month or two,” he said.
The play
On paper, Leonard Vole (Paul Hay) looks guilty. The unemployed young man frequently visited a wealthy, reclusive older woman. She was murdered just a week after changing her will to leave him everything. And a witness places him at the scene of the crime minutes before her death.
But Sir Wilfred Robarts (Richard Robinett), one of the best and most senior defense lawyers in England, believes he’s innocent. So do fellow lawyer John Mayhew (Larry Doss) and office assistants Greta (Andrea Bowdin) and Carter (Motts Thomas). Leonard seems too nice to be a killer, and too naive to be a liar.
But Leonard’s only alibi is his wife, Romaine (Linda Sack), and that could be a problem. She doesn’t seem that concerned with her husband’s fate and answers questions evasively.
Still, Wilfred doesn’t shy away from a challenge, especially when it involves going up against his rival, prosecutor Meyers (Don Williston), in front of Judge Wainwright (John Hubbard).
As the trial opens, Wilfred ably casts doubt on the testimony of Inspector Hearne (Wayne Robbins), pathologist Dr. Wyatt (Gareth Williams), forensic expert Caroline Clegg (Carolyn Sampson) and the victim’s maid, Janet Mackinzie (Sallee Belonga), who clearly dislikes the defendant.
But then the prosecution calls a surprise witness: Romaine, who upends her husband’s case by contradicting his story.
This is just the first in a series of twists that cast doubt on whether justice will be served.
BANDON — Working in theater is a lot harder and more stressful than people realize, Jeff Norris says.
At its worst, it can be hazardous to one’s health.
While the Bandon Playhouse production of Agatha Christie courtroom drama “Witness for the Prosecution” was in rehearsal, two cast members suffered heart attacks.
Of course, the play isn’t to blame — but the stress is real, director Norris says.
In fact, less than a year ago, Norris decided to retire from theater because of it. But trouble at the playhouse brought him back.
The group normally puts on four shows a year at the Sprague Community Theater and already missed having one in March. When another show planned for June fell apart, Norris decided he needed to step up.
“It would have lost $5,000 in revenue for the theater,” he said.
For Norris, the manager of the Sprague as well as former president of Bandon Playhouse, that might have been enough to give him a heart attack. So he signed on to direct “Witness” for this month and also “The Sound of Music” next spring.
“I did say I wasn’t going to do it anymore, and now I’m right back in it,” Norris said.
Watching the movie version of the play on TV inspired him to choose it, and he liked that it hadn’t been done in the area to his memory, unlike Christie’s other popular plays.
But in a play whose main characters are lawyers with several decades of experience, the senior cast’s health can be a concern.
Other worries, such as how to help actors learn their lines and get the play moving faster, kept Norris from sleeping when rehearsals weren’t going well.
But those problems are over now, he says. With his reputation on the line, Norris knew he’d put in as many hours as necessary to put on a good show.
“After this show I’m gonna go fishing for a month or two,” he said.
The play
On paper, Leonard Vole (Paul Hay) looks guilty. The unemployed young man frequently visited a wealthy, reclusive older woman. She was murdered just a week after changing her will to leave him everything. And a witness places him at the scene of the crime minutes before her death.
But Sir Wilfred Robarts (Richard Robinett), one of the best and most senior defense lawyers in England, believes he’s innocent. So do fellow lawyer John Mayhew (Larry Doss) and office assistants Greta (Andrea Bowdin) and Carter (Motts Thomas). Leonard seems too nice to be a killer, and too naive to be a liar.
But Leonard’s only alibi is his wife, Romaine (Linda Sack), and that could be a problem. She doesn’t seem that concerned with her husband’s fate and answers questions evasively.
Still, Wilfred doesn’t shy away from a challenge, especially when it involves going up against his rival, prosecutor Meyers (Don Williston), in front of Judge Wainwright (John Hubbard).
As the trial opens, Wilfred ably casts doubt on the testimony of Inspector Hearne (Wayne Robbins), pathologist Dr. Wyatt (Gareth Williams), forensic expert Caroline Clegg (Carolyn Sampson) and the victim’s maid, Janet Mackinzie (Sallee Belonga), who clearly dislikes the defendant.
But then the prosecution calls a surprise witness: Romaine, who upends her husband’s case by contradicting his story.
This is just the first in a series of twists that cast doubt on whether justice will be served.
Witness for the Prosecution
Bandon Playhouse
Sprague Community Theater
Dates: June 19-28
Times: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.
Tickets: $12, $10 for students and seniors.
The cast
The cast also includes Bill Binnewies, Cindy Hay, Darwin Noorda and Cynthia Trapane.
Bandon Playhouse
Sprague Community Theater
Dates: June 19-28
Times: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.
Tickets: $12, $10 for students and seniors.
The cast
The cast also includes Bill Binnewies, Cindy Hay, Darwin Noorda and Cynthia Trapane.
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