The Hardcase Hotel

Cairns Little Theatre’s production of The Hardcase Hotel has all the ingredients of an Agatha Christie thriller. The play is set in a remote cliff side Italian hotel that is inhabited by an eccentric group of guests, all of whom have absurdly strong accents.

The manager is a Spaniard, Juan Carlos, who is assisted by his hard working Asian assistant, Aileen. As for the guests they consist of the ultra-boring, sock-obsessed Albert, the snobbish Lady Doncaster-Smythe, the very French speaking Madame Valerie, the megaphone enhanced American, Walt Buckley, his equally loud wife, Barb, the voluptuous psychic, Madame Gazda and the bubbly, culturally unaware Australian, Shirley.

As the rain tumbles down and the only bridge over the river is submerged, the guests are trapped, which of course inevitably leads to the expected murder of one of them. Acted on an exquisite set that depicts the hotel lobby, the first act consists of an introduction to each character.

Juan Carlos is brilliantly played by the experienced Shawn Brack, who delivers an avalanche of witty one liners. His assistant, played by Evelyn (no second name), is equally as good, as she does every job from luggage carrier to that of assistant detective.

As for the guests, Andrea Cameron as Lady Doncaster-Smythe plays the role of the obnoxious, upper-class Englishwoman so well that even King Charles would genuflect to her. Chelsea Hayward as Madame Valerie is so French that even the French would find her too French, while Katerina Kasunic excels in the mysterious, manic role of Madame Gazda.

Antony Roth as the foghorn Walt Buckley, the ruthless corporate raider, gives a convincing performance as a dollar obsessed American, as does Janelle Robson as his wife, Barb.

A rotund, bumbling Herman Smith is perfectly cast as the ultra boring Albert, while Amara Ennis as Shirley gives an energetic, eye-catching, comic performance as a brash Australian abroad.

In the second act the murder occurs, which inevitably turns Juan Carlos and Aileen into brilliant detectives who solve the crime. The interrogation of each guest and the all-night investigation scenes are inventive and the dramatic denouement at the end is straight out of Death in Paradise.

It’s all good fun, with outrageous characters, a zany plot line and an abundance of laughs to accompany the madness.

Ken Cotterill