We gotta get out of this place! If it’s the last thing we ever do…

We gotta get out of this place, ‘cause girl, there’s a better life…for me and you.

The Animals’ 1965 song helped establish the time period at Skyline’s Theater Club performance of Agatha Christie’s first play “And Then There Were None” which premiered Thursday evening and wrapped Sunday.

Her first play, published as “Ten Little Indians” by Christie in 1942, this murder-mystery in three acts was renamed for the U.S. to “And Then There Were None”.

Ten guests, each purportedly involved in murder, are invited by an unknown host to a house off the English coast. Collectively, they realize justice is at hand as each will die according to one stanza from a nursery rhyme of the play’s title.

Director Sarah Boone, in pro­gram notes, claims creative li­cense—time moved to the 1960s, place to America, Christie’s 1930s ‘Indian Island’ becomes Eagle Island, and the nursery rhyme is changed to “Ten Little Soldier Boys” with the changed reference to the Vietnam war.

Notwithstanding these updates, Boone elected to follow closely the original dialogue. In another good directorial choice, Boone has Ethel Rogers, played by Lisa Olson, opening Act I sweeping, dusting, and placing objects about the stage, while the audience waits for the late theater arrivals.

The ‘60s music choices were intriguingly prescient: The Stones, “Gimme Shelter”(‘you’re just a shout away’), Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night” and the Eric Burdon and the Animals song foreshadowed events.

Production Manager Emma Fuchs delivered a stage at once eco­nomical but believable, in keeping with Christie’s original description. Fuchs had to work within a limited budget. A large sofa flanked by easy chairs, tables and chairs on the sides plus stairs up right or up and out the large windowed French doors in the rear, allowed the cast to move about without the stage appearing crowded.

Pillows, bottles, glasses, chess­board and bookcase filled with books, and a fireplace completed the set’s illusion. Ten soldier statues rested on the fireplace mantle and related to the rhymes of “Ten Little Soldier Boys” hung prominently above. With each killing, a soldier disappeared, much to the terror of the remaining characters.

The play contained suspense, levity and masterful instances of realistic drama. Marston’s on stage death, played by Bryan Feldscher, was exceptional. Another death and one heated argument were also convincing.

Boone’s direction led to a more-or-less even theatricality of the player’s performance yet some frenetic staging led to audience distraction. Often moments called for actor subtlety.

Michael Corzonkoff, as the ly­ing cop, Blore, needed some calm­ness as he often paced frantically. Though not alone, other players used too large waves of their arms or jiggled their hands too excitedly. Dr. Amrstrong, played by Joel Sandoval, might have improved his character­ization by slowing his physicality.

Addressing the third wall all too frequently. Maria Dolde played the uptight, morally superior, Bible passage-reading, Emily Brent. As Christie wrote, the role required more “horrible fanaticism” directed at her stage mates not at the audi­ence. If Dolde’s shrillness was intended to make her character less likable, the effect achieved suc­cess and her character’s death was welcome.

Audio amplification was some­times spotty, resulted in not hearing some lines. For instance, opening scenes—with characters Rogers, played by Lijah Jordon, and Nara­cott, played by Robert Pilster, Jr.,—disappointed because their words were unintelligible.

Ben Rampley, as Wargrave was, at times, also hard to understand. Either, he did not enunciate clearly or his microphone didn’t amplifying correctly. Combined with too rapid delivery of his lines, Ben’s perfor­mance suffered.

The storm sounds were very ef­fective, but sound sometimes was overly loud reducing enjoyment.

Wash lighting didn’t always emphasize the person speaking. A little spotlight illumination might reduce this confusion. One example of effective spot illumination was General Mackenzie’s scene, played by Marco Massimiliano Fillari demanding use of a certain chair. Fillari’s character’s descent into madness was also credible.

Costumes were first rate, ap­propriate to the period. Clothing changes, as well as back wall color wash changes added to the sense of scene, mood and the passage of time.

Actor Diana Kozlova’s portrayal of her character Vera outshined in the restraint department. This was Kozlova’s first performance. Bravo to you, young miss, as several in the seats behind spoke of excellence in your acting! One felt Kozlova was engaged with her character as an actor, not just delivering lines.

One attends a Christie with high hopes. Cast and crew delivered a spirited rendition of Christie’s clas­sic. Saturday evening’s performance was surprisingly entertaining and we look forward to more from this hard-working bunch.

U.N. Owen, Critic is, in real-life: student David Evans.