The Centenary Theatre Group Presents The Mirror Crack’d by Agatha Christie

Chelmer Community Theatre

February 14th - March 8th, 2026

Dr Gemma Regan

The Centenary Theatre Group has launched into their 2026 season with Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d, serving up a night of intrigue, deception, and wit that keeps you guessing until the end.

The CTG are celebrating their 50th year in amateur dramatics after launching in Jindalee as The Centenary Players in 1976. Many a volunteer has come and gone, but all have been dedicated to entertaining the local community with their passion for the dramatic arts.

Playwright Rachel Wagstaff has adapted Christie’s book The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side for the stage, and the CTG’s large cast of twelve is finally debuting the crime queen’s classic, here in Australia. Miss Jane Marple (Desley Nichols) is on the case when the glamorous movie star, Marina Gregg (Selina Kadell), moves into Gossington Hall manor house in the quintessential English village of St Mary Mead.

Marple is incapacitated at home with a sprained ankle when the village chatterbox, played exuberantly by Natalie Pedler, is poisoned at the star’s cocktail party. It doesn’t stop the old bird from sniffing out another murderer, in a violent village to rival Midsomer!

The wily Marple manipulates the local Chief Inspector Craddock (Erik de Wit) for insider information and wangles attending the suspect interviews at the Manor. Even her own maid, Cherry, played candidly by Dana Stolp, is a suspect, as no one gets off the hook.

Nichols gives a different interpretation of Miss Marple, appearing more dotty and forgetful than the deliberate cunning of Angela Lansbury. However, the reiterations and pauses work well as she deliberates and questions the motives of each character.

Tracy Sumpter is a brilliant Dolly, the village tattle-tale, former Lady of the Manor and friend of Marple, who helps fill in any circumstantial gaps with potential evidence. Her buoyant presence energised some of the more stagnant scenes, as did Keith Scrivens, who was rambunctious as the forlorn and much-ignored husband of the deceased. Despite having very few lines, his facial expressions and overwrought demeanour were ever-present and hilarious.

Trevor Bond’s funny Italian Butler from Hollywood also indulges in exaggerated responses to questions, whilst demonstrating his undying loyalty to his diva employer. Leading the audience to the obvious conclusion that the butler did it! Sickness caused a last-minute replacement for Gregg’s overworked secretary, who was superb in delivering her lines, and Alison Lees replaced the original director.

The set was divided into Marple’s cottage and Gossington Hall, with the effective use of an audiovisual screen in the background to set the scene. Much of the play included flashbacks, where each character would freeze while the pertinent characters played their roles. This was cleverly orchestrated with every actor successfully melting into the background.

The CTG’s inaugural Australian production of The Mirror Crack’d is well performed and produced, and will have you repeatedly fingering the culprit then changing your mind. Sharp-eyed sleuths partaking of the cheap bar and coffee will notice that the foyer of the Chelmer Community Theatre is decorated with clues, with each character encapsulated as instantly recognisable, skilfully crocheted dolls. Another example of how the CTG goes that extra mile for every production and is why they are celebrating 50 years of superb community theatre!