An elaborate and well-constructed set was probably the best part of the Lansing Civic Players’ weekend performance of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery, “The Spider’s Web.”
Because it is a Christie story, the audience should know what it is in for.
The first three scenes set everything up, allowing the conclusion to be confusing and wacky.
“The Spider’s Web” takes place on a spring evening during the 1950s. Clarissa and Henry Hailsham-Brown, with Henry’s daughter Pippa from a previous marriage, have recently moved into a country home outside of London.
The previous owner of the house died mysteriously and leaves a very valuable stamp hidden somewhere in the house, and someone is killed trying to find it.
In perfect comedy-mystery fashion, the cast parades around for three acts wondering who could be the murderer. By the fourth act, I didn’t really care.
The play could have been entertaining if you didn’t have anything better to do last weekend and needed a good laugh. During Sunday’s performance I was antsy to leave.
The whole first act was somewhat exasperating because every character had to say something that would make the audience suspicious of him or herself. For example, the gardener distrusts the cook because the cook doesn’t like the gardener’s broccoli and Pippa knows where all the secret passages and hidden drawers in the house are.
We know the writer is just trying to confuse us, and it works. When the murderer is revealed in the fourth act, I was completely surprised.
By the second half, the actors had settled into their roles and the plot picked up a little. We still had to put up with tacky lines.
A few of the actors made the production worthwhile. Hugo Birch, played by Merrill Wyble, was quite entertaining in the role of the old man who spent most of his time being confused.
The role of the Inspector Lord was also well-acted by Bob Murrell. He made me laugh more than a few times.
I was still most impressed by the set, which was built with a passage hidden behind a bookcase in the wall. Every time they opened it, I was amazed that it was so well-hidden. There were even glass patio doors overlooking the garden.
The play continues this weekend at Lansing Catholic Central High School’s Auditorium, 501 Marshall St. Performances on Friday and Saturday are at 8 p.m. and the Sunday performance is at 2 p.m. Tickets are $9 for students, $7 for seniors and $4 for children 12 and under. Call the box office at (517)484-9191 for more information.
