By Sarah Hearn and Albert Lightstone
I have had the pleasure of working with Sarah in a number of capacities, and thought what a great opportunity to speak with someone who has experienced Agatha Christie both acting and directing. Plus, it’s always a treat to speak with our veterans to get a glimpse into OLT over the years.
Sarah was also one of our featured artists in the Spotlight Gallery in December of 2019. Her previous interview can be found by scrolling down “More News Posts” on the OLT website.
You have had an impressive association with the OLT dating back to 1990. Do you remember what attracted you to the theatre for that very first role?
I’ve been involved in theatre in some way since I was six. I heard about the OLT; had even been to a show here, and so I decided to audition. I didn’t get cast my first time but got such warm feedback from the AD who phoned me that I decided to try again. The rest is history.
In the 33 years that you have been with the theatre, you have worked on 45 productions in a variety of capacities and have acted in 29 productions. All I can say is WOW! How does it feel when you look back at all you’ve done?
Amazing when you quantify it like that! I can’t remember so many things as I get older but I can say I’ve enjoyed most every show I’ve worked on. It isn’t just the acting or directing. I’ve done props, dressing, book … all valuable and fun activities.
The OLT has always had a special relationship with Agatha Christie (AC). We now perform one of her shows every year. When reviewing the past production list on the OLT website, I see that our first AC play was actually Love From a Stranger in 1941. We have now done 39 different productions of 13 plays. It used to be that Dame Agatha’s plays were what new directors cut their teeth on – I know I did (The Unexpected Guest in 1995 – in the two-play summer season).
You have both directed and performed in an AC play. Is it difficult to alternate between the two roles? Is there a preference?
I don’t know. There’s a lot to be said for both roles. I think, on the whole (maybe a 55-45 split) I prefer performing Agatha.
You have performed some iconic AC characters. Do you have a preference, and would you like to reprise one of the roles? In addition, is there an AC character that you would love to play?
Playing Miss Marple (A Murder is Announced in 2019) was a real bucket list role. I’d do her again if a director offered the part to me.
You are currently directing our 39th AC production. How do you keep it fresh for the audience? What is your approach to this performance?
I think every director brings their own perspective to an Agatha play. I put a lot of reliance on my casting and trust that the actors, and my talented crews, know what they’re doing. I do like to find the humour in each play, and it’s there if you look for it. Mysteries are about people in difficult situations. You need to see that not every moment is doom and gloom.
We are both members of the Season Planning Committee where, along with the rest of the team, we read between 60 and 80 plays each year to select the best nine for future seasons. What do you specifically look for in any of the AC scripts that we read that would make for a good production at the OLT?
Principally if we haven’t done it in a while. No one wants to keep seeing the same play over and over. (We hadn’t done Love From a Stranger since 1980.) If the script has interesting characters or situations, and if I think we can cast it, then I’ll be drawn to it. I do think the number of people who understand that old pre-decimalized England in which Agatha’s plays are set are getting fewer and fewer. As a director, I find I’m having to explain expressions, mores, and the money more and more often.
Is there an AC play that we have not done yet that you think we should do one year?
I think we’ve done most, if not all of them, but maybe I’m wrong.
Finally what makes AC so special? Why do people continue to attend and enjoy her plays?
I call her “peanut butter and jelly toast” for the soul. She’s comforting and predictable. Her books and plays are what those in the mystery biz call “a cosy”, which is to say, the bad guy may wreak havoc for awhile but he or she will always be caught and good will prevail. In these days with mayhem in the world and so many things seemingly insoluble, Agatha harks back to a time when problems seem not so bad. I’m sure if you were living in England in those inter-war and post-war years, you had just as many problems as we have now, but to us, in our frantic lives, those years seem sun-dappled and peaceful. They are balm in Gilead.
(For those like me who do not know what balm in Gilead is. It is a reference from the old testament interpreted as a spiritual medicine with healing powers.)
Thank you, Sarah, for your many contributions to the OLT.
We hope you enjoy the final week performances of Love From a Stranger, on until November 11, 2023.