And Then There Were None

Of all the directors in the Valley Performing Arts rotation, probably none is as punctilious, loquacious and just plain fired up as Larry Bottjen.

He’ back in the director’s chair for at least the 25th time, taking on the works of one of his favorite authors armed with, what he considers to be, his most experienced cast ever in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.

“I find her way of storytelling and mysteries to be remarkable, a contrast to today with blood and guts and gore,” Bottjen says. “It’s rather amazing I’ve never done her on the VPA stage before. I rather suspect there will be some sharp intakes of breath from the audience in this one.”

Christie’s best-selling novel of them all, starts with 10 people brought to an island off the coast of Devlin for various reasons—all invited by the same host, who mysteriously isn’t there. One by one, the 10 fall victim to murders most foul, all in accordance with a nursery rhyme called 10 Little Soldiers on the absent host’s wall.

Think Saw meets The Usual Suspects only decades older and assiduously British.

In her dressing room before Monday night’s rehearsal, veteran VPA actress Cynthia Lee wasn’t about to break from the accent of her character, Emily Brent.

“She’s not a nice woman at all,” Lee says. “She’s very judgmental, very religious and ready to dig the grave of all those around her.”

Playing a ‘nasty woman’ is nothing new for Lee, who counts to her VPA credits roles as the wicked queen in Lion in Winter, the Dowager Empress in Anastasia, a troll in The Hobbit and the White Witch in *The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Brent, she says, is her nastiest yet.

“It’s been a pleasure working with experienced actors—it’s a very rare occurrence, and to have an experienced director, we’re thrilled,” Lee says. “I expect everyone to carry their weight whether they’re experienced or not. I found that the plays I’ve been in, everybody learns their lines. There’s very few gaffes and if there are gaffes, they are done by experienced actors as well as inexperienced.”

Scott Brown, who plays the role of Rodgers the Butler, jumped at the chance to be directed by Bottjen.

“He has a bit of a reputation for being a perfectionist and the highest quality of direction,” Brown says. “Nothing against the others, I just wanted the full spectrum of directors.”

Bottjen said he takes care not to take preconceived ideas about whom he wants in a particular role when auditions begin, 28 auditions in this case for just 11 roles.

“You never know who’s going to walk through that door, and as a director you always want to keep your options open and keep your mind open,” Bottjen says. “These are really good actors and actresses; every single one of them could be in the movies.”

And Then There Were None does not feature a starring role, per se, but the closest thing is the role of Phillip Lombard, played by D.J. Rotach.

“He is a superb actor, the most intuitive actor I’ve directed here at the theater,” Bottjen says. “As a director I want to provide the frame and glass and matting and you fill in all the fine details as an actor and it makes a perfect picture.”

Bottjen also had high praise for his stage and costume crew, which, he says, will take VPA audiences to bold new places.

“The dynamics in the stage production are just breathtaking,” he says. “A little lightning, a little fog and a special effect in the end I don’t want to say anything about except that if you’re not wearing a set of Depends you might be in trouble.”

So long as the audience remains continent, Lee says, they’ll have the time of their theater-going lives.

“They are going to be thrilled at how every little detail is addressed in this play; how the actors are spot-on and the director didn’t miss a thing in creating the set, the sound, all that good stuff,” she says. “It’s just marvelous. I’m very impressed.”

The show plays Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through April 16 at Valley Performing Arts, located at 251 W Swanson Ave. in Wasilla. VPA can be reached at (907) 373-0195. The Friday, April 14 show will include ASL interpreters for the hard of hearing.