“Miss Marple: Murder at the Vicarage” at the Oregon Cabaret Theater

What fun!

Oregon Cabaret Theater delivers a tight, upbeat, perfectly acted light murder mystery on a set that is beautiful and flexible with actors clothed in perfected finery.

So far this year we’ve seen three plays dealing with racism and discrimination, two plays featuring ominous international intrigue, one play spotlighting dealing with death from cancer. The one boring and one decent comedy haven’t been enough, so I really welcomed the evening watching Miss Marple.

The story is a simple mystery and the flow and snappiness helps you lose yourself in the village and its residents.

The Vicar (Barret O’Brien) guides us as we meet people and understand how disliked the future murder victim, Col. Protheroe (Tyler Ward Lemons), is. The vicar is well presented and  has genuine personality, and although Col Protheroe is pretty much a stock unpleasant man, we eagerly absorb his details and all that’s going on.

Each member of the cast is clear and fits in. Miss Marple (Terry Bamberger) is especially engaging. Her role is of a nosey neighbor, but Bamberger also lets Miss Marple exude caring and an interest in the community.

The complexity of the activities of Lawrence (Aiden Jenkins) and Anne (Steffanie Leigh), the surreptitious lovers, is exactly what should be in a murder mystery. And, the opinionated, over inquisitive neighbors also belong front and center. I especially liked the oddities of Mrs. Lestrange (Jackie Apodaca), but I heap praise on the entire cast.

Moreover, the set is outstanding!

The cabaret has seating right up against the stage, but Scenic Designer Brian Redfern makes us feel spacious. Although we are often in the vicarage, by the actors moving a few feet this way or that way we are able to be part of outdoor scenes and moments in different areas of the town.

Not only that, the set is very pretty and nice to look at as you eat your pre-show dinner!

The story moves surely and competently to its mandatory revelations. Throughout Miss Marple kept my attention. Its end was satisfying, too.

And one non-performance note: the cabaret dinner menu for this show is very good… I had the mushroom burger and the special Dick Hay pie. Both were also five stars!