CAMP HILL, Pa. — Ten strangers are invited to a private island, unbeknownst to them, to be killed off one by one.
It's the plot of the Agatha Christie mystery "And Then There Were None," which is the highest-selling mystery of all time with more than 100 million books sold. Christie adapted the stage version of the show itself, which has also been adapted to television and screen numerous times.
"The plotting in this one is incredible," said Gordon Einhorn, who plays William Henry Blore in the play. "It's really a groundbreaking plot. It's been imitated now many times, but it's the quintessential classic mystery."
"The differences she was able to make between book and script are fantastic," added Samuel Eisenhuth, who portrays Justice Wargrave. "It's more interesting. If you read the book, you know how the different characters think. But to hear their words spoken by these amazing actors, it gives it a whole different nuance to the experience."
The play brings together cast members both familiar and new to Agatha Christie.
Samuel now collects her paperbacks. Gordon didn't know much of Christie until starring in a production written by her last year at Oyster Mill Playhouse.
"I came to appreciate her writing, her plotting and particularly her characters which are always fascinating to play," Einhorn said.
Play or book, the story still impacts audiences now 90 years after its inception.
"Guilt and innocence, the true meanings behind them and how sometimes it's only black and white but sometimes people see the gray," Eisenhuth said.
"I think they'll leave thinking 'That was more than I was expecting! That was really quite shocking!'" Einhorn said.
Matthew Golden, who plays Philip Lombard, says "And Then There Were None" is "sort of the quintessential murder mystery."
"All the tropes that are so tried and true, this is the one that kind of started them all," he said.
Golden discusses the show and his role more in the interview below:
"And Then There Were None" opens at Oyster Mill Playhouse in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County on Jan. 12 with performances through Jan. 28. For more information, visit the theatre's website.