Ms. Sheppard: doctor to the villagers of King’s Abbott, in England, lives with her sister, Caroline, a rich source for local gossip. There’s been talk that Mrs. Ferrars died at her own hand, but Sheppard is suspicious. She’s been called in, to certify the cause of death, a year after Ferrars murdered her husband. She has been invited to dinner at Roger Ackroyd’s home. Ackroyd and Ferrars were secretly engaged to be wed. The others include a big game hunter, Ackroyd’s sister-in-law, and her daughter, Parker, the butler, his personal secretary, a housemaid and parlour maid.
Dinner is rambunctious. The hunter knows dozens of anecdotes (perhaps too many) the sister-in-law is a tactless lush, Ackroyd is something of a tyrant, the parlour maid is a bit flighty. And that’s only the half. While chatting over cigars and brandy Ackroyd confides he’s received a letter from Ferrars, after her passing. He asks for some privacy, and the doctor departs. When it’s discovered the next day that Roger Ackroyd has been murdered, Sheppard enlists the help of retired detective, the preeminent Hercule Poirot. Fortuitously, he’s her neighbor, but she had no idea. The police are called: the Police Chief and Inspector Raglan. From the outset Raglan resents Poirot’s “interference.”
In 1926, when the novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was released, it was wildly successful, selling countless copies. Critics considered it her best work. The novel went through two adaptations. The second (by Mark Shanahan) debuted two years ago in Houston’s Alley Theater. It included Christie’s signature mix of multiple suspects, juicy scandal, and detailed character development. Authors who followed after often copied the structure, but sadly, stooped to paltry content, implausible turns, and flimsy plots. That is to say: a poor shadow of the master’s art.
The production I saw at Richardson Theatre Centre was wonderfully and meticulously wrought. Each character distinct and their humanity clear and evident. I always wonder how difficult it must be to orchestrate these large casts. But Director Rachael Lindley was skillful and the performers were poised, salient and energetic. A number of characters written as men, were played by women, with intriguing results. I have seen my share of Christie plays, but I must say, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd had depth and a finish that was positively chilling.
Richardson Theatre Center presented The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: February 7th-March 2nd, 2025. 518 West Arapaho Road, Suite 113, Richardson, Texas 75080. 972-699-1130. richardsontheatrecentre.net