Review: The Mirror Crack'd - A Miss Marple Mystery (The Mill at Sonning)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tastes may change over the decades as trends come and go but one constant seems to be the presence of the murder mystery. Each generation always relishes a good whodunnit with the queen of them all, Agatha Christie, still retaining the power to thrill with her stories. It feels fitting then that one of her greatest creations, Miss Marple, has come to The Mill at Sonning for their latest production, with the picturesque dinner theatre just outside of London simultaneously feeling a refreshing reminder of a simpler time while recent reinventions have seen them attract a far more diverse audience, giving newer generations a taste of a fine experience. While there is never any mystery when it comes to the quality of the experience itself (and certainly the meal), could The Mirror Crack'd be another killer success for them?

Agatha Christie’s novel The Mirror Crack’d was first published in 1962 and has been the subject of multiple adaptations in the decades since, with Rachel Wagstaff’s stage adaptation debuting in 2019. Featuring the iconic character of Miss Marple, it sees her try to get to the bottom of a murder (of course). Set in a picture-perfect village, the return of a glamorous film star and an opulent gathering ends in a sudden shocking death. As Miss Marple attempts to peel back the various layers, secrets, deceits and lies, she uncovers a story of obsession, betrayal and revenge. Would she be able to work out whodunnit before the killer strikes again?

Christie’s writing remains as thrilling and exciting decades later as when the story was first uncovered, with audiences always on the edge of their seat trying to piece together the clues, not fall for the red herrings and see if they can solve the murder alongside Miss Marple. Rachel Wagstaff’s writing excellently adapts and updates the material to ensure maximum tension and enjoyment. Sharp, witty dialogue beautifully balances the timeless nature of the piece, making it work for a modern audience as well as Christie purists, making The Mill at Sonning the perfect location for it. Relatively pacey too, Wagstaff proves to be the perfect person to adapt the story, leading to a thrilling watch.

Equally striking is Jonathan O’Boyle’s fantastic direction, making full use of the intimate but deceptively versatile stage at The Mill at Sonning, with Michael Holt’s set design giving O’Boyle plenty to play with in terms of the setting. There are some inspired touches such as the different floor designs cobbled together to resemble the varied nature of the scenes, with slick and precise transitions from one location to another. The performance I attended was unfortunately plagued with a smattering of misbehaving props, with one particularly crucial set piece that should have been a shocking and impactful moment sadly suffering through it, but I hope that was just resigned to this performance and not a common occurrence.

Design-wise, this was one of the most impressive productions I have seen at The Mill at Sonning, with regular readers knowing I visit multiple times each year and have done so for the last five years. Michael Holt’s set design includes the use of projections for the first time I have seen here, in a refreshing look for the theatre, while Jamie Platt’s lighting design and Nick Lodge’s sound are executed faultlessly.

There is one aspect that did let this performance down slightly, and that was the acting. With no disrespect to the cast, multiple performances came across as unbelievable and inauthentic, with some hammy and wooden acting, rather disappointingly. Television legend Liza Goddard is a joy to watch as Miss Marple, doing a great job in taking on such a legendary character, and doing a fine job for the most part, so she did suffer from a few too many fluffed lines on the night I attended. Sara Crowe oozes star quality as Marina Gregg, though could have benefited from a touch more power to her performance, while Elysia Showan and Saskia Srallen were two of the undoubted standouts as Cherry Baker and Lola Brewster, respectively. It is worth saying that I believe the cast are better than the performance I attended, and it may just be a case of them needing a bit more time rehearsing to have their performances fully bedded in. Don’t get me wrong, the cast were still great for the most part, but there were a few too many instances of cast members missing their cues or stepping on each other's lines to not mention it at all.

Any trip to The Mill at Sonning is about the experience rather than solely the show. Though they now offer show-only tickets, it is the beautiful meal in the restaurant beforehand that elevates any production here and allows to gloss over any shortcomings that may be in the show itself. The quality has increased drastically this year, with a new chef resulting in one of the finest meals you are likely to have. It is the atmosphere of the place that makes me come back as often as I do too - rarely will you ever find a venue quite so welcoming as this one. It almost feels as if you are stepping into another world, and provides a refreshing escape from London life, even though it is only a short train ride outside of it (when the trains are behaving themselves, that is).

While there may have been some flaws in this production of The Mirror Crack’d, it is a testament to the skill of the creative team and the power of the venue itself that these didn’t impact the show as much as it might have done in other hands or another place. Any trip to Sonning guarantees a wonderful time that is bound to satisfy your tastebuds and give you an entertaining watch. Though this production isn’t quite the killer hit I had hoped for, when it comes to putting together all of the ingredients for a killer evening, The Mill at Sonning have truly cracked it.

The Mirror Crack’d - A Miss Marple Mystery plays at The Mill at Sonning until 31st October. Tickets from https://millatsonning.com/Events/the-mirror-crackd/

Photos by Pamela Raith