Kidnapping, blackmail, and murder are all being served up in the Vertigo Theatre production of Peril in the Alps by Steven Dietz.
Bella Duveen has vanished, and Arthur Hastings can think of no one better to find his sister-in-law than his good friend Hercule Poirot – a master sleuth who has saved Bella once before. Coincidentally, Poirot has just taken on a missing persons case that seems eerily similar – are they connected? And how are these disappearances intertwined with past mysteries that have already been solved? With the suspicion of a greater scheme at play, Poirot must travel to the snow-capped Alps, where the famed Belgian detective may finally meet his match. Six actors bring to life dozens of eccentric characters and clever suspects in this diabolically funny mystery romp.
The only question is – are you able to match wits with our famous Belgium detective and solve the mystery before he does? To find out catch Peril in the Alps from November 15th to December 14th and get your tickets from the Vertigo Theatre Box Office by phone at 403.221.3708 or online at vertigotheatre.com.
I contacted the director of the play Clare Preuss, who was in the middle of rehearsals, in order to talk with her about the enduring appeal of Poirot and the magic of theatre.
JAMES HUTCHISON
So, lets talk a little bit about the cast. You’ve got Graham Percy playing Hercule Poirot and Austin Halarewich playing Hastings. Rounding out the cast you’ve got Tyrell Crews, Linda Kee, Heidi Damayo and Aiden Laudersmith all of who are playing multiple roles in the production. So, tell me about the cast you’ve assembled for this production and what sort of an ensemble you’ve put together.
CLARE PREUSS
They’re just fantastic. And to fully manifest a show like this the actors have to be virtuosic. There’s a level of skill that is needed. The ability to drop into characters really quickly and the ability to play a character with authentic intentions and with authentic tactics and then to also play something that’s arched because there’s an arched element to the show. So, I think being able to find folks who have that dexterity is really incredible.
And then for me I always want to hire people and work with people that are generous. That are willing to take risks. And all of them are. And they’re all so funny. I mean there are so many moments that they’ve come up with in the room where they just play off each other and they’re willing to be vulnerable. And that’s really important. They’re an incredible cast and every single one of them has shining moments in this story.
And then Austin and Graham really have to carry the show, and they have to play friends that have known each other for many years and it’s incredible what they’ve come up with.
And if anyone knows Graham Percy’s vast experience in the community and the roles, he’s played watching his Poirot is something stunning. He’s got this balance. You just believe he’s that smart. That he puts together the clues the way Poirot does. And then you also feel this heart.
I said to him the other day in rehearsal, “Your Poirot is so smart and also has a heart the size of a mountain.” And I think that’s really beautiful because Poirot is in service to people. But he’s also conceited as hell. He knows he’s smart. And so, I think having that edge – someone who’s very sure of themselves and also someone who can be very generous and care is again really special.
And Austin is fresh out of the gate. I mean he’s such a youngster but wow stunning. A stunning, nuanced, generous, present performance. I think he’s got a huge career ahead of him.
JAMES
Some of the best comedies in the world center around murder and mayhem such as Arsenic and Old Lace or Dr. Strangelove. What is it about these high stakes stories where death looms that makes them such an ideal vehicle for laughter and farce.
CLARE
The one thing we know when we come onto planet earth is that we’re going to die. And it’s something that we don’t talk about that often, so these stories take that taboo and make fun of it. And even though we can be killed so easily – as a society most of us agree we’re not going to kill each other. So, I think there’s something fun in bringing up a completely immoral, illegal, taboo act and laughing at it. And to think about it in a playful way because we know we’re not allowed to do it. But there’s something tantalizing about the forbidden fruit idea of it. And I love laughing at things that are deeply serious. It’s naughty and cathartic and I think people like being naughty.
JAMES
You know I saw Liars at a Funeral which you directed at ATP last year and it was a very funny show but one of the parallels between that play and this play and a lot of plays these days is they might have one or two people who play a single character and then they’ve got a cast that are playing multiple characters and that seems to be very common now and I’m wondering what sort of elements to a production does that type of casting and that type of story telling create?
CLARE
That’s part of the fun, right. Watching people transform. And this particular show is written for the TikTok generation. I say that because the scenes are short. There’s lots of stuff to look at all the time. And that’s the play written and then we’ve leaned into that with the production where there’s so much happening on stage all the time. In a good way. And it’s still focused.
Obviously, budgets have influenced the desire for actors to take on multiple characters. But I also think in a world where we can see so much on TV and on our phones at the drop of a hat where we see big casts and people playing specific characters all the way through – that there’s something fun about the poetic nature of theatre that really lends itself to people taking on different roles. And that’s certainly true with this show with the number of costumes and quick changes happening. It’s like watching a high wire act, right. There’s a joy in watching that kind of stuff.
JAMES
So, Peril in the Alps by Stephen Dietz is a sequel to last year’s Murder on the Links and both plays focus on Hercule Poirot. And even though the plays have a lot of laughs they maintain the core characteristics of Poirot, and I wonder what are those qualities of Poirot in the plays that make him such an enduring and loved character in the world.
CLARE
Well, I think it’s his psyche. His ability to be present. To not just be witnessing something but to be really aware of it. Aware of the minutiae in a moment in a case. To follow the evidence and not his emotions. To remain somewhat detached and to be able to piece together very simple clues that other people skip over because they’re not actually paying attention. They’re just watching. So, his ability to be so fast and put things together so quickly is lovely. And his desire to serve people is I think something that’s endearing.
And then I think we love a character that’s a bit conceited. We love a character that is sure of himself. We love a character like that because we are taught that you shouldn’t do that in the world. We should be modest and not toot our own horn. So, I think a part of what we enjoy about Poirot is that he has the courage to sit in pleasure. This brings me pleasure and I’m doing it. So, he does that very clearly. And then to know that you’re good and to know and be clear about knowing that you’re brilliant. And he knows he’s the best.
He’s also very solitary. Never been married. He’s kind of a mystery at home. There’s something about that containment that’s magic. Mystery is magic. So, his life is magic and there’s something I think about the lone wolf part of him that I find very attractive too. Like this interesting guy who is able to go into other worlds, but his world is actually quite private. So, there’s something cool about that.
JAMES
For audiences coming to see Peril in the Alps which blends suspense and comedy and includes a cast playing multiple characters what kind of an evening can they expect as they take their seats, and the curtain rises, and the story unfolds.
CLARE
It’s amazing. I mean Naomi is right over here and we just had a run through. She’s the stage manager. She’s brilliant. We just had a run through earlier today and we both looked at each other after the run through and we’re like it goes so fast and it’s really like a roller coaster ride. You get on at the beginning of Act I and it just comes to life so quickly and with so much detail and the precision of it is so entertaining.
So, it’s fast paced and I say it’s great for all generations. There are some people who are going to know Poirot and are going to know his cases in depth. But you can bring your kids, and they’ll be like – “Oh, my God. That’s amazing! Oh, lights. Flashing. Sound. Oh, I learned something. Oh, there’s a bit of a mystery here I can follow. Oh, it’s funny.” Like it’s very poppy in that way.
And it’s a totally solvable mystery and people like to peace together clues. And it’s just so fast paced and funny and the characters are so charming. The set design is gorgeous. And the lighting is by Anton deGroot who is amazing. And we have Peter Moller one of our iconic sound designers in town creating the sound. And then watching people get in and out of all these costumes is fun. So, it’s like getting on a roller coaster and watching a high wire act where you throw in a solvable mystery and laugh your butt off and there’s a night at the theatre I’d pay for.
JAMES
Hey – before I let you go – you know these days we have things called social media.
CLARE
Oh yeah.
JAMES
And I follow you on Instagram.
CLARE
Oh, you do. I should follow you back. Do I follow you back?
JAMES
You do actually. But I’ve got to tell you, I like looking at your Instagram feed because it shows all the amazing people you work with and all the amazing work you’re doing, and I was wondering if you can help me with one thing. On your Instagram account you describe yourself as an Artistic Director / Director / Actor / Creator / Meditator / and an Eternal Optimist.
CLARE
Yes.
JAMES
That’s what I need help with. I tend to see the dark side of things. So, how do you become an eternal optimist? Is it your nature? Is it something you foster? Is it an attitude?
CLARE
I’ve always had a very buoyant personality, but I’ve also had some really really tough stuff that came my way at a very young age. And it’s interesting because when I started theatre school my classmates were like, “Ah she’s the youngest in the class. She’s so irritating. She’s always so happy.” And I was like – well I can tell you my life story – this is earned happiness. And I won’t go into it now, but life has thrown me many curveballs, and I think the only way to get through it with a sense of joy is to believe – not just believe at this point – but to know that everything is always going to work out. And don’t take things too seriously. What’s the worst thing that’s going to happen? You’re going to die. And we’re all going to die anyway. So maybe it’s just my dark side that makes it deeply macabre and funny. (Laughs) I don’t know.
JAMES
Well then how do you think theatre help us find joy and optimism.
CLARE
I love everyone that creates theatre. The people who actually put their bodies on that stage – like the actors who get up there every night – they are front line workers. Because what we’re doing in theatre I think is showing people that you can have the courage to live beyond the mundane. And for me that is just huge because I think rather than compare yourself with everybody on social media and to constantly be putting yourself in boxes you should free yourself and imagine something beyond the mundane.
And I think there’s something beautiful about the liveness of theatre that you can be present with other people in this dark space. It’s magical. It can change the way you think about the world. It can change the way you feel about yourself. It can help you process really hard things. It can also help you laugh at life and escape some of the drama that feels so serious around us. So, I think theatre offers a lot of different things and I think this particular show stokes the whimsey in us. It stokes the child like nature in us. It stokes our sense of imagination and possibility. And there’s a lot of daring in the show and so, I think it makes us a bit more daring.
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Vertigo Theatre Presents Peril in the Alps by Stephen Dietz based in part on Agatha Christie’s Poirot Investigates from November 15th to December 14th. Tickets are available from the Vertigo Theatre Box Office by phone at 403.221.3708 or online at vertigotheatre.com.
