From the first time Miss Jane Marple appeared in an Agatha Christie short story in 1927, the character — a crime detecting woman of a certain age living in an English village — caught the imagination of the reading public. She went on through the decades to appear in 12 novels, other short stories, endless TV series and movies.
But only now, for the first time in America, Miss Marple will walk the stage thanks to the Alley Theatre in the U.S. premiere of The Mirror Crack’d with Houston actress Susan Koozin taking on the iconic role.
Asked for her reaction to Miss Marple treading the boards in the United States, Koozin (Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None) said: “It’s about time.
“It’s an historic production for the theater in that it is the first U.S. Miss Marple and I think that is quite a feather in the Alley’s cap. For Agatha Christie fans we finally have a female detective at the helm. It’s pretty exciting.
Koozin said she was thrilled when she was offered the role. “I was very honored that they chose me to be the first. Quite an honor and also the instant pressure of wanting to do justice to this iconic character and to also envision bringing myself to the role. It’s quite daunting to say the least. But also just thrilled at the opportunity. I’ve admired Miss Marples. I’ve enjoyed Miss Marples through the years so what a thrill to actually be in her shoes for a bit.”
This particular Miss Marple mystery stands out, Koozin said, because Miss Marple has recently injured her foot at a village celebration and has been staying home. She is asked for help by her nephew Scotland Yard Inspector Craddock after a Hollywood production company arrives in the St. Mary Mead village and a murder is committed.
Elizabeth Bunch plays Marina Gregg, a temperamental Hollywood star and it is a devoted fan of the diva who is murdered in the play. This will be the 100th show for Bunch as a member of the Resident Acting Company at the Alley, something the Alley is drawing special attention to as a milestone achievement.
Other cast members include Resident Acting Company Members Michelle Elaine as Dolly Bantry, Dylan Godwin as Chief Inspector Dermot Craddock, Chris Hutchison as Jason Rudd, Melissa Molano as Lola Brewster, David Rainey as Cyril Leigh, and Christopher Salazar as Giuseppe Renzo. Also, Jamie Rezanour as Heather Leigh, Alexandra Szeto-Joe as Cherry Baker and Ashlyn Evans as Ella Zielinsky. Delicia Turner Sonnenberg is directing this adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff.
“I think what’s unusual about Miss Marple is that she appears to be to be this soft spoken not incredibly worldly older woman who maybe appears to be grandmotherly. She’s quite restrained and lives a quiet life in this small English village,” Koozin said.
“What’s so fascinating is she’s quite often the brightest in the room. I think she’s underestimated; she’s overlooked. And then she ends up being the brilliant guide to these cases. It’s sort of like she ends up being the heroine. It’s because of her listening, her observations, her innate understanding of people and human behavior that she’s able to charm people and just by being herself and listening and observing she ties it all together. She sees everything so clearly and we get to see the world through her eyes and she makes everything all right.
“I love the power of that in the character of an elderly woman and I love the surprise of that and vitality of that. It’s so unexpected and I think it’s just brilliant.”
This adaptation has been set in 1962 and Koozin says the costumes are all of that decade with costumes, wigs and Hollywood glam. . She is outfitted a tweed suit with a simple blouse, she said. At home, she wears a cardigan and when she goes out may add a trench coat, Koozin said.
Koozin described Christie as a woman way ahead of her time in writing about a female detective. “I think that speaks a lot of Christie and her progressive writing in a lot of ways. She developed Marple from the elderly women she observed where she grew up and in her step-grandmother and her grandmother’s friends. I love that she saw that strength in them and that charm, that humor and wisdom.
“I think her stories never really do go out of style because everyone loves to solve a mystery,” Koozin said. ” Christie writes more than just a murder mystery. It’s more than just solving the cases. It becomes about the people behind the crime, their pasts, their backstories, their emotional consequences, their losses. We all can relate to characters she writes no matter how over the top some of the qualities they may possess. I think bottom line she writes human characters we can all connect to.
“I think that’s what’s going to appeal is that there’s a play that’s going to keep you guessing. There are a lot of twists and turns. It’s entertaining. The show is stylish. It’s funny, an emotional ride and kind of the perfect mystery.
“It’s a tricky one but if people are really listening and watching they will sort it out.”
Performances are scheduled for July 11 through August 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and 7 p.m. Sundays at Alley Theatre, 615 Texas. For more information, call 713-220-5700 or visit alleytheatre.org. $50-$108.