by Patrick White
Black Coffee served up by the Circle Theatre Players at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts has a most pleasing appearance, stage worthy credentials and witty surprises to keep you going for its two and a half hours.
Black Coffee is Dame Agatha Christie’s first stage play in 1930 which would prove a very lucrative side gig to her 66 detective novels and 15 short story collections. Community theaters around the world thank her for her productivity.
Black Coffee is set in a country house and the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (a very funny John McCarthy) is summoned by the wealthy industrialist Sir Claud Amory (the excellent Bill Douglas wasted in the role of the victim) whose top secret formula on how to murder thousands with a new weapon (or something like that) has been stolen from his safe.
The many guests with their many motives will be gathered to give them their chance to return the formula, no questions asked, when the room’s lights are extinguished. When the lights return, the little loved Claud is dead in his chair. Poisoned with his after dinner coffee by someone in the mix of stage experience cast of 12 which features eight men and four women. Aunt Caroline is proud of her fried sole for dinner and Poirot replies “I’m sure that will be a comfort to him.
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts. 
The woodsy, attractive set by SLCA saviors Bob and Sharon Dawes and Elise and David Chan features a victrola, stick phone and stained glass (props were done by the stage manager Linda Thorburn). Attractive costumes for the large cast were done by Ann Glackin. Sue Frost, a board member and SLCA theater maker takes her first crack at lighting design. Well done Sue!
The most refreshing breath of fresh air is Carissa Palladino playing Barbara Amory who has little to do with the plot but I was always happy to see her onstage with her naturally intelligent choices. Alex Grandin made a meal out of Hasting’s reactions while note taking in the corner, Kerry Kazmierowicztrimm leaned into Dr. Carelli’s floridness nicely underlining Christie’s penchant to use the foreigner as a suspect.
His father, Tracy Trimm, in an effective stage return underplays the pivotal role and another stage veteran, Amy Kerr natters on drolly as Aunt Caroline. Amelia McCarthy enjoys playing the femme fatale to the hilt. The whole cast and the director Brooke Hutchins, who is making a nine year return to directing, have a lot of fun with the conventions of the genre which is crucial to get you from one interview scene to the next.
There are fresh moments, appealing performances and puzzling delights which occur regularly enough to just keep you awake in this vintage hugger-mugger. Fun fact: Agatha Christie trained as a nurse and poison was used by 30 of her characters to murder in her 66 novels killing over 60 victims.
Circle Theatre Players present Agatha Christie’s “Black Coffee”, directed by Brooke Hutchins, at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts, August 7-16, 2026. CAST: Sorelle Leslie Brauth as Tredwell, Amelia McCarthy as Lucia Amory, Amy Kerr as Miss Caroline Amory, Andrew Rossi as Richard Amory, Carissa Palladino as Barbara Amory, Tracy Trimm as Edward Raynor, Kerry Kazmierowicztrimm as Dr. Carelli, Bill Douglas as Sir Claud Amory, John McCarthy as Hercule Poirot, Alex Grandin as Captain Arthur Hastings O.B.E., Mark Goldman as Dr. Graham Johnson, Ken Parsons as Inspector Japp. CREATIVE TEAM: Assistant director and dramaturg Grace Ashley; Scenic design Bob and Sharon Dawes and Elise and David Chan; costume designer Ann Glackin; lighting designer Sue Frost; hair and make-up Stacy Schafer; sound board operator Maz Dorr; master electrician and light board operator Alex Apostol; stage manager and props Linda Thorburn;
Black Coffee presented by Circle Theatre Players at Sand Lake Center for the Arts runs through 8/16. Tickets: www.slca-ctp.org