If you like solving a mystery, you'll likely enjoy Love From A Stranger. Is Bruce a murderer or just extremely fond of macabre crimes? Is Cecily a murderess or just a frightened young lady? Based on an Agatha Christie story, Frank Vesper's twister weaves an interesting tale.
Sandra Lindsey Smith is delightful, as the overly snoopy Auntie Loo Loo. Rachel Ritter, as gardener and general factotum Ethel, is amusing. Both handle their quite different British accents well. Jaimelee Roberts, Cecily, offers up this complex character nicely. Wilson Adam Schooley, Bruce, gives an interesting performance as he naturally, and in character, eases from a distinctly American accent into the native British. Cecily's friend Mavis, played by Deirdre O'Leary, maintains a properly suspicious attitude throughout. Eric West's jilted boyfriend of Cecily, Nigel, gives all the right reactions. Dr. Gribble, a country doctor, as portrayed by Linda Kaplan, brings nice twists to the plot.
Wiley Ellis' two sets work well. The first, a flat in Bayswater, England, while sparse and needing more back-wall decoration, reflects a middle class abode. The cottage set is more elaborate. Set dresser Josie Kane provides all the right touches for both sets. Costumer Dee Quiroz arrays the cast in a variety of garb, all of which helps define the individual roles.
That said, Frank Vesper's script has its slow moments. Despite Mary L. Smith's good direction, some of the cast members obviously had not delved deeply enough into their characters, treating their roles only on the surface. Through the run, I'm sure, this will change.
Love From A Stranger, though set in 1936, could have taken place last week. Now you just have to figure out who really did what to whom!
