PHOTO BY MEGHAN ERKKINEN

Fife’s performances of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery, “And Then There Were None,” will be held Dec. 5-7.

Fife High puts on Christie mystery

By Meghan Erkkinen

Mystery, madness, murder – the Fife High School fall play has it all.

The school’s production of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” combines all these elements of intrigue to create a must-see show. At least, that’s according to some of its stars.

“There’s lots of suspense,” said Kyle McCammon, who plays General Mackenzie in the production. “It should be a rocking good time.”

“And Then There Were None” centers around 10 strangers who all answer a mysterious invitation of Mr. and Mrs. U.N. Owen to take a visit to an isolated island. The guests arrive one by one and get to know one another as they wait for their hosts. They take in the house, including a display of 10 teddy bears, above which is a copy of a poem called “10 Little Teddy Bears” – the politically correct version of “10 Little Indians,” an alternative name for Christie’s story.

Suddenly, as the guests are settling in, a voice is projected, announcing that each of them is guilty of murder and lays out their crimes. The shaken visitors realize their visit is not what they’d anticipated. Then, one by one, each of them begins to die by methods listed in the poem on the wall. The guests soon come to realize they are alone on the island, and the murderer must be among them. As the plot unfolds, ugly truths about each of the characters are revealed.

“As we try to uncover who the murderer is, we find out they all have their own little secret that comes out,” said director Teresa Hockman.

As the story progresses, the plot thickens until the murderer is revealed.

Although the play is a murder mystery, it has its moments of levity.

“It starts out more lighthearted and it draws you in,” said Alix White, who plays Miss Emily Brent, a hard-hearted and unyielding religious zealot. “All the characters are really diverse and so there’s someone everyone can relate to.”

The play is being produced with two separate casts, in order to allow twice as many students the opportunity to participate. It also makes for more complex characters, according to some cast members, who say having a double to bounce ideas off helps them understand their characters more.

“And Then There Were None” will play at the Columbia Junior High School Performing Arts Center Dec. 5 and 6 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 6 and 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $6.

The cast promises a good show for those who attend.

“For a high school performing group, Fife High School has a reputation for putting on a really good play,” White said. “We’ve put a lot of time into it. It’s not going to be like an amateur show.”

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