Spider’s Web

Practise to Deceive

Spider’s Web

by Agatha Christie

Q2 Productions at the National Archives, Kew until 9^th November

Review by Heather Moulson

A first visit to the Kew Archives reveals an impressive auditorium with a roomy area as an open stage.   Spider’s Web gives a rare chance to see one of Christies’ comedy thrillers that carries both suspense and witty dialogue.

The authentic thirties set, designed by Harriet Muir (who also designing the period-precise costumes) and Bob Gingell, is an archetypical country house, with effective bookshelves and the obligatory welcoming fireplace. 

The play opens to an amicable scene of camaraderie between two older men over an abandoned game of bridge.  Sir Rowland Delahaye, the lady of the house Clarissa’s legal guardian, and Hugo Birch, a local Justice of the Peace, are played respectively by Tony Cotterill and Malcolm McAlister, and their banter is smooth and wholly credible. 

Ellie Rose Armstrong’s Clarissa, the second and much younger wife of Henry Hailsham-Brown, brings out her charm, striking a balance between verve and nervous energy.  In complete contrast is her staid husband, who has incomprehensible reasons for mostly being absent.  Dominic Lloyd has strong stage presence as Hailsham-Brown, the dour man of the house.

Although the young stepdaughter Pippa, played nicely by Ava Beattie-Wilson, brings her schoolgirl charm, some projection is lost and humour missed.  However, this also applies to the otherwise highly watchable Mrs Elgin played by Enid Gayle, whom I have previously enjoyed watching perform.  

Matt Tester plays the vibrant young private secretary Jeremy Warrender with charm and energy, initially making him a sympathetic character.  The characteristics of the gardener Mildred Peake, who bursts in from the garden, are accurately conveyed by Felicity Morgan, with good comic timing.  Peake is interfering and earthy – quite literally so, as she is covered in garden soil. 

Harry Doyle’s performance as Inspector Lord is concise and clear, and Mark Saunders’ hapless Constable Jones injects light relief.  The short-lived villain of the piece, Oliver Costello is played by Dominic Parford, who hones the role with a sharp edge of opportunism and menace.  

There are clever lighting effects by Bob Gingell as a spider moves in its web at the end of Act One, at the start of the second act, and again at the end, although the atmosphere created isn’t quite sinister enough.  However, the actual killer does come as a complete surprise.  

Spider’s Web provides an impressive directorial debut for Anna Piggott (more productions please, Anna), who conceives an overall strong production for Q2

Heather Moulson, November 2024

Photography by Ben Gingell