The question of whether a murder was committed drives Agatha Christie\u2019s \u201cGo Back for Murder,\u201d which runs Jan. 10 through Feb. 7 at the Long Beach Playhouse.<\/p>\n
More than 16 years after a man\u2019s death leads to his wife\u2019s conviction for murder, his daughter refuses to accept the verdict. <\/p>\n
Written in 1957, the play follows Carla Crale as she gathers those present on the day of her father\u2019s death and asks them to return to the scene of the crime. <\/p>\n
As each character retells their version of events, the story shifts between past and present, revealing how memory, bias and time can distort the truth.<\/p>\n
Directed by Philip Brickey, the production highlights what sets \u201cGo Back for Murder\u201d apart from Christie\u2019s more traditional whodunits: its fluid movement between decades. <\/p>\n
Brickey said the play\u2019s structure creates both technical and storytelling challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving actors who play two characters or two different versions of the same character in different decades made for an interesting challenge,\u201d Brickey said.<\/p>\n
The play moves between 1948 and 1964, requiring precise coordination across staging and design. <\/p>\n
Brickey said the transitions relied on projections, lighting changes, sound effects and voiceovers with quick costume and hairstyle adjustments to guide the audience through shifts in time.<\/p>\n
Shifting between eras also required careful pacing. The script includes a character who delivers monologues directly to the audience to help bridge the gaps between timelines.<\/p>\n
Despite its midcentury origins, Brickey said the play remains relevant for modern audiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this play is still relevant today because most people can relate to family history and the stories they were told and the secrets they weren\u2019t told,\u201d Brickey said. \u201cAnd mysteries are a very popular theatre genre.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the center of the story is Carla, who steps into her mother\u2019s past in an effort to understand how her mother was perceived and judged. <\/p>\n
As witnesses revisit their memories, contradictions start to surface, raising questions about whether truth is objective or shaped by personal loyalty, prejudice and time.<\/p>\n
Brickey credited stage manager Dylan Boggan and the technical design team with helping the production\u2019s transitions feel seamless. He described the collaborative effort as making the experience feel like \u201ctime travel onstage.\u201d<\/p>\n
As a classic mystery staged in a contemporary community theater, \u201cGo Back for Murder\u201d offers more than suspense. <\/p>\n
It asks audiences to consider how family stories are passed down, altered or withheld and whether uncovering the past brings clarity, or simply reveals how fragile the truth can be.<\/p>\n