Hampton Theatre Company Promises To Turn Heads With ‘Strictly Murder’

The Hampton Theatre Company (HTC) is set to captivate audiences with its upcoming production of “Strictly Murder,” a gripping World War II-era thriller written by acclaimed playwright Brian Clemens. The play is slated to run March 7 through March 24 at the Quogue Community Hall as part of HTC’s 39th season, which is dedicated to village residents Don and Judy Gruhn who are staunch supporters of the theater company.

Originally staged at The Mill at Sonning in the U.K. in February 2006, “Strictly Murder” transports viewers to 1939 Provence, France, where an English couple, Peter and Suzy, find their peaceful existence shattered after Suzy uncovers a shocking truth — Peter is not the man he claims to be and may, in fact, be a dangerous fugitive. The arrival of a Scotland Yard detective named Ross further complicates matters, leading to a series of events involving lies, deception and murder. The tension builds as the plot twists and turns, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.

In a reunion with HTC, Mary Powers is excited be directing this production of “Strictly Murder” and back in familiar territory after a three-decade hiatus from the company, where she has previously been a board member, actress and stage manager. HTC holds special significance for Powers, as it is where she met her husband. Her daughter also recently worked in tech for the company.

Throughout her career, Powers has worked at several Long Island theaters, including Theater Three in Port Jefferson and Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, where she collaborated with Julie Andrews and Alec Baldwin. But HTC is like coming home for her.

“It’s sort of full circle for me being back here, but it’s been great as there are a lot of old friends I haven’t seen in a while,” Powers explained in a recent interview. “I’m really happy to be working somewhere that’s closer to home. I’m very happy to be back.”

Powers notes that it was the twists and turns in “Strictly Murder” that drew her to the production as her comeback show with HTC.

“I love the play,” she said. “It’s kind of a murder mystery. A little bit like Agatha Christie, as it takes place in a lot of the same time frames that Agatha Christie plays did, but it’s got a slightly more contemporary feel to it. I think it’s a clever play, and I think the audience will enjoy it. It’s never what you expect.”

Powers added that part of the draw for viewers is figuring out the mystery of what is really going on in the play — and questioning who is guilty or innocent. She hopes the puzzle the show creates inside the heads of the audience is a challenging one.

“I want them to be surprised,” she said. “I want them to not be able to figure it out. Not not be able to figure it out, but to be wondering the entire time.”

Powers, who had not seen the play prior to taking on the job of directing it, appreciated the influences of Agatha Christie in the script. She also heavily researched the historical period of pre-World War II and what was going on in Europe at the time, which she feels isn’t discussed enough in the media.

“I think it’s a time period that people don’t spend a lot of time on, especially Americans,” she said. “They don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how we got into the war.”

Through her directorial style, Powers has tried to make the audience feel as if they are authentically in the time period in which the play is set.

“It is realistic and believable as possible,” Powers added. “I think the audience should identify with the characters.”

Matthew Conlon, who plays Ross, the Scotland Yard detective, said this role has been challenging in terms of having to portray a British accent, as well as partake in some stage fighting, along with a large amount of dialogue to memorize. Despite these challenges, he said he does not have the greatest load to shoulder in the show.

“The two younger folks, Ashley Underwood and Dayne Rasmussen, they play the young couple and they have the biggest burden in terms of carrying the play,” he said.

During rehearsal, Powers discusses with the cast what motivates each character’s behavior. Staying true to these motivations, she said, helps make the performances feel more authentic and honest.

“The actors, I think they’ve been wonderful,” said Powers, who knew only one of the cast members prior to auditions. “They brought a lot to their parts, and they’re very committed to really understanding their characters and being true to what those characters are, what their characters’ goals are and what they want in the scenes.

“I think that makes the play more interesting, as they’ve developed fully grown, fully layered characters that are complicated, because people are complicated,” she said.

The cast of “Strictly Murder” includes seasoned HTC performers Matthew Conlon, Scott Hofer and Catherine Maloney, alongside newcomers Dayne Rasmussen and Ashley Underwood. Conlon, Hofer and Maloney have all worked together a number of times before, most recently in the play, “Boys Next Door,” produced by HTC. Underwood, of North Babylon, and Rasmussen of Patchogue, are new to the company. Set design is by Mary Powers, Meg Sexton and Ricky Bottenus. Lighting is by Sebastian Paczynski, sound is by Meg Sexton and costumes are by Teresa Lebrun.

“Strictly Murder” runs March 7 through March 24 at Quogue Community Hall, 125 Jessup Avenue, Quogue. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., with an additional matinee on Saturday, March 23, at 2:30 p.m. “Talkbacks” with the cast will follow the March 15 and March 22 performances. Tickets are $36 ($31 seniors, $20 students, $26 veterans and Native Americans — except Saturday evening) at hamptontheatre.org or 631-653-8955. Group rates are available.