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Je n'aime pas dans les vieux films américains quand les conducteurs ne regardent pas la route. Et de ratage en ratage, on s'habitue à ne jamais dépasser le stade du brouillon. La vie n'est que l'interminable répétition d'une représentation qui n'aura jamais lieu.

A Murder is Announced (1977) - Leslie Darbon

This is an attempt to adapt an Agatha Christie mystery novel for the stage; I read it in prep to possibly audition for a role with a local theater.  After reading it, I think I’m going to skip the audition.  The novel has a great hook in which someone places an announcement in the local paper inviting everyone to a local house in the village at 6:00 at which time a murder will take place.  With a hook like that, it’s easy to see why someone wanted to adapt it.  But the story is too complicated to be abridged as this play tries to do and even as someone familiar with the book I was having trouble remembering who everyone was and once the secret identities start coming out, all bets are off.  2 stars.

tl;dr – stage adaptation of Agatha Christie mystery has a great hook, but the abridgement results in the plot being nigh onto incomprehensible.  2 stars.

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