Players should be proud of production of Agatha Christie’s first stage play – review

Andy Tyler reviews the King’s Lynn Players’ production of Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee…The King’s Lynn Players can certainly be proud, in their 80th anniversary year, of the group’s production of Agatha Christie’s first stage play Black Coffee, staged in 1930, and since adapted as a film and latterly as a novel by music critic and author Charles Osbourne.It was a pleasure to join the enthusiastic audience in a packed Guildhall of St.George, Lynn, sit back and enjoy the intricacies and twists and turns of the complex plot!

Murder, poisoning, coffee and lies were plentiful, but I was also amused by the humorous aspects of the show, and enjoyed using my little grey cells in the task of trying to make sense of the clues Christie litters throughout the storyline as to who done it!I counted thirteen excellent cast members, and naturally, due to lack of space, can’t mention them all, but they coped well with the full script and portrayed the diverse characters confidently. I was glad Matt Austin did not attempt to simply imitate David Suchet’s famous TV portrayal of Hercule Poirot, and likewise Richard Tree as Inspector Japp and Tom Watson as Captain Hastings; no blind copying of the TV portrayals!Once again well done to all the cast members, and thanks also go to the show director Anthony Maley, production team, and all those working behind the scenes making the performance a great success.The Players’ president Alison Croose hoped the audience would enjoy an entertaining evening; we certainly did, and look forward to The Player’s amateur production of The Sound of Music in November.Andy Tyler