Web Crawling
All the familiar Christie elements — whether you love her or hate her, you know what they are — are included: the plucky heroine (charming Melissa Kolczynski, who expertly drives the play), the dour inspector (Zoran Kovcic), the secluded country home (with secret passages), the obligatory body, and a gaggle of eccentric suspects, ranging from the weird teenager (Giselle Chatelain), randy playboy (Keon Mohajeri) and blackmailing ex (Newton Buchanan) to the avuncular aristocrats (Spencer Gates and Charles McCardell), the butler with a mysterious past (Ray Engler), and even the comically daft gardener (Betty Lou Roselle).
The play's conceit is that Kolczynski's likable Clarissa is a liar and practical joker. "When I'm speaking the truth," she pouts, "no one ever seems to believe me." She digs herself a hole with lies, but encounters even more trouble trying to explain what really happened.
Christie's gentle humor and old-world manners (the two-hour play would be 20 minutes shorter without all the polite introductions) are an acquired taste; audiences more accustomed to tense Law & Order interrogations will fidget through Act 2's meanderingly pleasant Q&A sessions. Kelsey's production includes a beautifully finished English drawing room (of course), designed by Kovcic in sturdy hunter green, maroon and dark wood tones, and some nice touches from lighting designer Buchanan. Performances felt a bit tentative opening weekend, and the climactic confrontation fell flat — though no one expects violence in a Christie play, the threat must feel genuine — but one can't help but get tangled in this Spider's Web.
Mysteries fit Hedgerow's stone walls and rustic setting well; during Sunday's show, an actual spider dangled from the rafters into the light, nature's own eerie atmospheric touch.
Through Nov. 19,Hedgerow Theatre,64 Rose Valley Rd., Media,610-565-4211, www.hedgerowtheatre.org
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