The Mirror Crack’d

It was great to see a relatively full auditorium at The Little Theatre in Leicester for opening night of The Mirror Crack’d by Agatha Christie last night, although this production absolutely deserves a full house.

Set in July 1962, the play takes us to the quiet village of St Mary Mead, where the arrival of a faded Hollywood starlet disrupts everyday life. What initially seems like an unfortunate accident involving a strawberry daiquiri soon reveals itself to be something far more sinister, as a fan dies after meeting the visiting film star. Inspired by real-life Hollywood events, the plot explores themes of obsession, illusion, and the long-lasting impact of past trauma, all carefully unravelled through the keen observations of Miss Marple.

The set is genuinely awe-inspiring. Designed by Tristan Knowles, it uses a wooden aesthetic that feels both warm and imposing, whilst being incredibly versatile. It adapts seamlessly as the story unfolds and, much like the plot itself, there are hidden details within it that I won’t spoil here. Huge credit must also go to the build team for bringing such a clever and effective design to life.

The lighting (Janny Harding and Martin Scott) works well alongside the grandeur of the set. While simple in design, the warm golds contrast beautifully with the sharp coldness of the blues, which are often used in moments of freeze frame, bringing a greater sense of stillness as the audience is presented with a series of fragmented flashbacks elsewhere on stage. The gradual building of these fragments over the course of the play gives the audience more and more information about the murderer, keeping them on their toes. I have to admit, though, I did not solve the mystery—although my plus one did.

Sound design is equally effective, underpinning the action without becoming intrusive. It helps to establish both setting and atmosphere, particularly in moments where tension needs to quietly build. There is a clear awareness of when to hold back and when to enhance, which allows the performances to remain at the forefront.

The direction, by Mary Jones, is confident and clearly understands the demands of a Christie piece, allowing the tension to build steadily without ever feeling rushed. There is a real sense of control in the pacing, with moments of stillness used effectively to let key revelations land. The only time the pace slows is after the reveal in Act 2, and I feel that more pace here would be welcomed by the audience.

Playing the role of Miss Marple, Elizabeth Spendilove is magnificent. She really encapsulates the intelligence, wit and wisdom of the character; Spendilove’s Marple has a quiet authority that is never overstated, but she is always in control. There is a real sense of careful observation in the performance, allowing the character’s intelligence to come through naturally rather than being forced. The production runs for approximately 1 hours and 35 minutes (not including the interval), and Spendilove is on stage for almost every second, only leaving for set transitions (which, as a by-point, are very swift—well done to the backstage team).

There are many moments of humour in this production, and more than once I found myself laughing out loud. One of the first lines spoken in the play is by Cherry Baker (Katie Apted), who declares, “Oh bloody hell!”, immediately establishing her character’s down-to-earth, no-nonsense attitude. Apted’s Baker is warm and likeable. Karen Gordon’s Dolly Bantry, with her clipped English accent, is an entertaining and socially astute character. Gordon’s mannerisms and facial expressions perfectly suit the character’s expressive nature—she is far from understated and brings humour aplenty. Chief Inspector Craddock (Pavan Maru) clearly has a fondness for Miss Marple, but it is when he finds her wearisome that his dry humour hits the mark. Butler, Giuseppi Renzo (Martin Bell), walks the fine line between comedy and menace with precision—no easy task, and Bell makes it look effortless.

Our femme fatale character, dressed entirely in red (costume design by John Bale), is reminiscent of the archetypal figures of the 1920s, perhaps indicating just how high-profile Marina Gregg (Holly Matusiewicz) once was before retreating from the limelight. Matusiewicz glides on and off the stage, giving very little outward emotion, balancing the glamour of a Hollywood star with an underlying fragility. There are moments where the mask slips just enough to hint at something darker beneath, and it is in these quieter, more vulnerable moments that the performance is at its strongest.

I particularly enjoyed the character of Cyril Leigh (Adam Jones), husband to the unfortunately deceased Heather Leigh (Leanne Mitchell). While his presence on stage is relatively brief, he brings both humour and poignancy to the performance.

Overall, this accomplished production, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff, does justice to Christie’s carefully constructed mystery. The strength of the direction, design and performances ensures that the tension is sustained throughout, with enough nuance to keep the audience engaged right to the final reveal—indeed, I found it hard to tear my eyes away from the stage. While the plot itself is rooted in familiar territory, it is handled here with clarity and confidence, allowing its more complex emotional undercurrents to come through. This is a production that deserves to be seen by a much wider audience, and one that I would highly recommend.

The Mirror Crack’d is playing at The Little Theatre until Saturday 21 March.

Photos credit: Jonathan Pryke