Styles: Lorain County Community College

Second night, we learned what it was like to load and unload the van entirely on our own, and with a semblance of knowing what we are doing. Didn't take nearly as long as it did Tuesday night ... but it did take a while. Lucky for us,we were joined by LCCC students Mimi and Mariah, and Mariah's younger brother Nathan to assist. Assistance is always gratefully accepted, and as we are visiting a school this morning (not a public performance, sorry, you can't come) I fully intended to request a contingent of strapping, young Catholic boys to help mit all de schleppin.

Only the second performance, and for the second night in a row we have had record-busting attendance. In my seven-year experience we can expect a couple dozen, perhaps, students and other interested parties, last night there were perhaps eighty in attendance, which is near-capacity in a studio space which holds around one hundred. Students can, and often do, appear bored during plays or nod off to sleep before leaving right after and avoiding the talkback. Many, of course, simply pick up a program and leave before the show starts, having obtained proof of attendance for class the next day.

Last night a large number of people remained, and when Daniel asked for a show of hands for how many had already read Styles, an impressive number went up, far more than had the night before in Cleveland Heights. As I said, most were die-hard Christie fans, and I am relieved and pleased that those who have commented (to-date) have been extremely complimentary to the adaptation. One was so impressed by how I had "left nothing out" that I had to stop her and ask whether or not she missed Lawrence (a major character I have omitted.) She said she didn't even notice until halfway through the show, and that she didn't really mind.

Another great point of relief is how people have been responding to the relationship between Poirot and Hastings. If that fell flat ... well, they do spend an awful lot of time on stage together. That would have been disastrous. Early I was concerned whether all the banter about clues and theories would be too dry, but apparently I have included enough of the essential relationship, as created by Christie, that it all comes together.